16
Powerful, Open-Ended Sales Questions
Successful salepeople ask the right questions and solve the customer's business problems.
As you
ask any open-ended sales questions you need to ensure that you are genuine in
solving the customers business problems.
Also,
sometimes all you need is to ask one question and your customer will share with
you all the information you need to help them. Other times you may need to ask
a few questions. You don't want to make your prospect feel as if he is on the
witness stand. Remember it’s all about uncovering problems and offering a
solution to solve them.
If the
buyer answers a question and you want them to expand further, ask them, “How
so?”
here are some examples to get that business conversation flowing:
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1. What's going on in your
business? How have things changed?
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2. It was good to hear the short
version of your challenges at the meeting, but since we’re out for lunch, I’d
love to get the long version. What’s your story?
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3. Why isn’t this particular
technology/service/product/situation/issue working for you right now?
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4. Many of our clients are
reporting problems with areas A, B, and C. How are these areas affecting you?
What do you think about them
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5. What's preventing you from
reaching your revenue (or profit, or other) goals?
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6. What goals and objectives do
you have in general?
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7. (Assuming you set the meeting)
As I mentioned earlier, I’d like to share with you a few ideas that have
helped our clients succeed in the X,Y, and Z areas. Before we get going, by
the time we’re done with this meeting, what else might you like to cover? What
will make the meeting successful for you?
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8. If you could overcome these
challenges, what would happen to your company's financial situation or
increase the stock value?
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9. If you were to make this
happen, what would it mean for you personally?
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10. How would implementing these
changes affect your competitiveness in the market?
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11. If you don't solve (insert the
particular challenge here), what kind of difficulties will you face going
forward? What won’t happen that you want to happen?
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12. If you were to wave your magic
wand and it’s 3 years from now, how will this all look different?
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13. (In early sales discussions)
You mentioned you’re not having a good experience with your current provider.
If you work with us, what are you hoping will be different?
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14. (In later sales discussions)
Given all we’ve talked about, what do you see as being different if we were
to move forward together?
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15. What does success look like for
you… your business…this project…the value we bring to the table?
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16. If there were no restrictions
on you – money, effort, political issues and so on do not exist – what would
you change?
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