Strategic Questioning: Sales Process

"We are usually convinced more easily by reasons we have found ourselves than by those which have occurred to others." – Blaise Pascal.

Is strategic questioning part of your sales process? Successful sales people involve the client by asking questions, then listening to the client’s answers. A key aspect in a successful sales person’s process, drawing the client into the process works far better than spouting a packaged sales pitch.

A sales person who does 80% of the talking, immediately touting the memorized features of their product, without involving the client, merely turns into a caricature of the manipulative salesman. A sales person who asks questions forces them to take the talking down to 20%.

Think about a physician – who wouldn’t dare give a diagnosis or health directive without asking questions first. First, to find out what’s wrong, but also to give the patient a sense of control. Asking questions has a positive effect on the patient. And a positive effect on a potential client. Both the doctor and the sales person need to try to pinpoint the most pressing priorities and problems, then find ways to solve and fulfill those needs. 

Start your sales conversations with questions that are easy to ask and easy to answer, then escalate.

1. Ask for Permission

"Can I ask you some questions?" Right up front, let the client feel a sense of control in the buying process. Questions help to focus their thoughts and feelings.

2. Earn the Right

Be sure the client is tuned in to your process. One way to gauge this is to periodically do a "temperature check." – check in to see how the customer is feeling about their interchanges with you. Ask extremely broad open-ended questions. For example:

a. What do you think about what we’ve covered?

b. What are your impressions?

c. How does this look/sound/feel to you?

d. Please give me some feedback. What do you think so far?

3. Don’t be "Polite"

Don’t be afraid to ask the tough questions, afraid the client might be offended. Unless you ask, you’ll have no idea how difficult or even interesting your client’s needs might be. A couple of key things to remember:

a. Always model empathy. As long as your actions demonstrate you’re working to help the customer, the likelihood of offending them is dramatically lessened.

b. Remember: It is YOUR job to challenge the clients to look at the difficulties.

4. Don’t Give Up

Gentle persistence helps you to find out what you need to know.

5. Be a Fool

"He who asks is a fool for five minutes, but he who does not ask remains a fool forever."

This Chinese proverb demonstrates that taking the risk to look foolishwith unexpected questions is far better than suffering from lack of information. Be willing to be a fool. Think of the TV show Columbo" with Peter Falk. He played the role of the fool so people would let down their guard and reveal themselves. If you struggle with this role of the "fool," try the " Colombo " approach. Scratch your head, furrow your brow, emulate that confused sound in your voice.

a. "Maybe I am missing something, but why would you want to…?"

b. "Earlier, you said you felt like your process was pretty firm. Now I am hearing

What sound like a lot of variations. Am I missing something?"

In Secrets of Question-Based Selling, Thomas A. Freese describes the type of strategic questions used "…to uncover one of the following: the status of the opportunity, an issue the prospect may have, the implications of that specific issue, or whether a potential solution provides value.  

This is analogous to Neil Rackham’s "SPIN Selling" questions: Situation, Pain/Problem, Implication, Need/Payoff questions.

  Asking questions is an opportunity to build relationships in which clients are comfortable and able to follow their emotional decisions without being overly analytical. Ask the specific, strategic questions. Focus on your findings. There is no generic question and no generic answer. Plainly, ask what the client wants and then sell them what you are certain they need.  Are you listening?