The Art of Using Questions

The art of strategic questioning is a key element in successful selling. In today’s sophisticated sales environment, involving the client and listening to what he or she has to say are important selling skills.

Top salespeople use questions, or probing techniques, to forward the action of the sale. They prepare their questions, know why they’re asking them and have selected how the questions will be phrased. They also choose an appropriate time to ask them.

Prospects are more likely to answer questions if they understand how they will benefit, and if you ask permission. I often begin by asking, “‘In order to save you time may I ask you a few short questions?” Explaining to prospects why you want to ask questions lets them know immediately that you do not intend to deliver a canned presentation and that you are taking a consultant’s approach. Since you will be uncovering important information about this prospect and/or company, I find taking notes essential. It’s embarrassing to ask the same question again or lose the opportunity of using information later in your presentation. To put a prospect at ease, I may say, “To determine if and how our company can serve you, may I ask you a few questions? Do you mind if I take notes?”

12 STRATEGIES FOR ASKING QUESTIONS

1. Qualify prospects

You can quickly establish if this “suspect” is a qualified prospect with a few questions. Many salespeople waste valuable sales time chasing the wrong company or talking to someone without decision-making power. Develop a profile of your ideal prospect. What criteria must a “suspect” meet to qualify as a bona fide prospect for your product or service?

2. Uncover needs

By asking questions and understanding the client’s needs you can determine which benefits the prospect will buy. This puts you in an excellent position during your presentation where you can customize these features and corresponding benefits. If you were selling copy equipment, for instance, you may know that prospects are impressed by your low cost and quality reproductions. You usually spend time explaining these benefits and features. This particular prospect, however, may be more concerned about low maintenance. If you have a standard presentation that mentions low maintenance as your fifth point, you risk losing the prospect’s interest before you get to point number five.

3. Help Your Prospect Clarify Needs

Some clients don’t really understand their own needs or may not have clearly defined their goals. They may not understand the many considerations in choosing products or services such as yours. When I bought my first computer, for instance, I needed expert advice on the many types and options available. The salesperson who took the time to help me clarify my needs and make an informed choice got my business.

4. To Gain Respect

Sophisticated prospects will want to know that you know what you’re talking about. Knowing your market and your product or service and doing your homework about this prospect are important. Before your sales call, find out what you can about this prospect and prepare for the call. Asking intelligent questions demonstrates your knowledge and moves you closer to a sale.

5. To Build Long Term Relationships

Many salespeople perform fine on the first call but what do you do for an encore? By continuing to ask intelligent questions you will deepen your understanding of your client and his company, along with your own industry. If your goal is to keep the clients you have for many years, you will want to build relationships that endure. To be able to perform that function well, you need to acquire a deep understanding of their needs. Since you well may be speaking with clients many times and over many years, developing a list of questions will help you to return to them with fresh questions and ideas. Ask yourself, “What else do I need to know about my current clients?”

6. Involve the Client

Asking clients a question involves them in the sales process. It also helps to limit your own talking. You know that a good salesperson does not deliver a monologue. Asking questions will help you get and keep your prospect’s attention. The best prospects are the ones who sell themselves; to sell themselves they must be involved in the sales process from the very beginning.

7. Learn How to Sell This Prospect

An involved client may tell you what you need to do to sell him. You want the client to have a chance to vent his feelings and ideas. You will learn how cooperative this prospect will be. Your questions will help uncover all objections early in the sales interview, when tension is low. And you will identify client style, opinions, understanding, awareness, personal needs and concerns.

8. Establish Trust

Establishing rapport and a climate of trust and confidence can be better achieved through questioning rather than small talk and chit-chat. Asking questions shows clients that you are interested in them, their businesses and their needs. You are not there to give them a standard pitch to fulfill your sales quota.

9. Maintain Control

Asking questions allows you to control the sales interview without the prospect feeling he is being controlled. You are leading rather than pushing. By maintaining a friendly and open attitude and asking good questions, the prospect experiences you as an interested and well-informed expert. To the casual observer of such a conversation, it would appear that the prospect is leading the conversation. In reality, the salesperson is subtly leading. Imagine watching an inexperienced rider on a horse. In an often vain attempt to direct the horse, the rider pulls every which way on the reins and kicks the horse. The horse may rebel or resist these directions. In contrast, the expert horseman would appear as if he is not doing anything to direct the horse – he is simply sitting on the saddle. Yet, it is through subtle movements of the fingers and shifts in the pressure of his legs against the horse that the rider controls the horse’s movements. In sales, we might refer to this subtle control as a “soft halter.”

10. Get Minor Yesses

By asking some questions that you know the prospect will answer yes to, you can create a positive atmosphere filled with agreement rather than conflict.

11. Avoid Rejection

Asking questions lets you evaluate how much interest a prospect has and if she or her company is in a position to buy at this time. Through better probing, your expectations will be more realistic. At times you may even discontinue a sales call with a poor prospect or choose to return to fight another day with a qualified but unwilling buyer. Better probing can increase your closing ratio, reduce the number of rejections and give you a clearer picture of the sales situation.

12. To Close the Sale

Ask questions to lead toward the close and to determine if the prospect is ready to take action. By asking questions you may find prospects ready to buy much earlier than you thought. Once you think they are ready to buy, ask a closing question and close the sale!

To reap the full benefits of asking questions, develop a probing strategy that moves the sale toward the close. Ask questions in a way that leads the prospect, being careful not to put yourself in a comer. Approach broad topics first and then focus in on more narrow areas – Keep your questions in sequence and ask one at a time. Salespeople can be impatient and overwhelm prospects by asking a series of questions. After you have asked a question, give the prospect time to think and answer, and be ready to rephrase the question for clarity. Be careful not to criticize or attack your prospect’s answer or he will either withdraw or counterattack.

Practice asking the same question in different ways. Vary the types of questions you use – the sales interview will be more productive.

Helen Berman is president of H. Berman and Associates, specializing in sales and marketing. Ms. Berman’s Los Angeles based firm conducts customized sales training, telemarketing and management and market development seminars. For more information please write: 12021 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 177, Los Angeles, CA 90025 or call 213/820-7312.