In Sales, How to Ask the Questions That Matter

Effective Questioning = Know What to Ask and Know When/How to Ask

(1) Plan your questions beforehand.

Plan, Plan, Plan.

(2) Target your questions at the six vital lines of inquiry:

What is the current state of the customer's business?
What is the desired state of the customer's business?
What challenges prevent the customer from moving to the desired state?
Which business and personal motivators influence the final decision?
What are the resources, authority and budget that can be committed to move to the desired state?
and
What is the past has been tried (but failed) to move to the desired state?

(3) Don't have an inquisition.

Don't try to extract too much too fast. Pace yourself.

(4) Don't rehearse the questions.

Don't sound "canned".

(5) Listen to the customer - really listen.

Don't spend time watching the customer's mouth move, formulating what you plan to say next. Pause before speaking after the customer has spoken. Yes, pause.

(6) Ask abstract leading questions.

For example, "In a perfect world, what would your vendor do (or be) for you?"

(7) Ask open-ended questions.

These questions usually start with "how", "what" or "why". For example, "Yes, I'm here to tell you about the ABC. But what's going on with you? How did that big project turn out?"

(8) Echo the customer's culture.

Know where you are and who you are speaking with. For example: Southerners tend to be much more social in conversation while New Yorkers will avoid idle chit-chat.

Selling Power Magazine, September 2005

How to Use Questions Effectively

When speaking with a ...

Long-winded, talkative Customer:
use more close-ended questions and try to preface the questions with limiting statements such as "Can you tell me briefly...?" or "In one or two sentences, how would you describe...?"

Short-winded, tight-lipped Customer:
pause between questions. Also, ask such open-ended questions as "What seems to be the reason...?" "I'd like to get your objective opinion on...?" or "What do you think led to this situation?"

Combative Customer:
remain calm and composed. Phrase each question so you focus on wanting to help the customer solve the problem. Do not interrupt this person. above all, retain your professionalism at all times.

Big-Shot Customer:
be willing to feed the self-important customer's ego, even if it means setting your own ego aside. Always be polite, and ask questions that rephrase what he/she just said and include compliments.

Selling Power Magazine, September 2005