If you find you are often losing prospects or not closing sales it could be down to the communication – in particular the questions you are using, we’re not using!
Communication plays a huge part of being successful in sales and which questions you do and don’t use all the foundation for successful communication.
In this short blog we will cover:
1. Good questions to ask
2. Questions you should avoid
3. Question categories
Good Types of Sales Questions
Open questions
Open questions encourage people to elaborate and open up.
For example: “What are your main goals for this project?” Or “What prompted you to look at this?”
Probing questions
Probing questions dig deeper into their previous responses to uncover real pain points or get you more information.
For example: “You mentioned reducing headcount. What figures would you like to achieve?”
Probing questions show your listening to what they have said and they also help you to understand the full picture.
Closed questions
These get you a simple direct answer when you need clarity.
For example: “Do you currently use a similar solution?”
A quick yes or no can often help you qualify faster and move the conversation on when needed.
Summary questions
These recap key points to ensure you’re aligned.
For example: “So if I understand correctly, your main priorities are A, B and C. Is this accurate?”
This confirms understanding and builds trust.
Clarifying questions
These ensure crystal clear understanding before moving forward.
For example: “Just to confirm, you’re looking for a solution that can handle X, Y and Z. Is that right?”
These clarifying questions allow no room for miscommunication.
Types of Sales Questions to Avoid
Multiple questions
These can overwhelm your prospect and dilute their answers. And plus, you often want them to answer the first question and they really only ever answer the last one.
For example: “What’s your financial budget and your timeline and who will be the decision maker?”
Budget and timeline will be forgotten in this. You’ll only get the answer to who is the decision maker. Pick one question, get the answer, then move on to the next.
Leading questions:
These push your prospect towards an answer that you want, not what they want or need.
So avoid asking questions such as: “You wouldn’t want to miss out on this limited time offer or would you?”
They feel manipulative and they erode trust.
Ask and answer questions
Do not ask and answer your own questions. It robs you of valuable insights.
For example: “This solution is the best in the market, don’t you agree? I think it is.”
Let them speak and give you their opinions.
Hypothetical questions
These are based on unrealistic scenarios that don’t help move conversations forward or close deals.
For example: “If money was no object, would you purchase this package?”
Stay grounded in their reality. And let’s be honest, money is always an issue.
Loaded questions.
These contain unjustified assumptions that put the prospects on the defensive.
For example: “Why are you using such an outdated system?”
This insults their current choices.
Question Categories
Now we’ve looked at good types of sales questions and ones to avoid, let’s now have a look at some of the categories and examples.
Client knowledge questions
You can build rapport, give value, and get information by asking client knowledge questions.
For example: “What are your biggest challenges presently?” Or “What prompted you to accept this meeting now?”
Budget questions
Never shy away from budget questions. They help get you understanding and they help move the conversations forward in an effective meeting.
For example: “How much money have you set aside for this project?” Or “What is the decision making process moving forward?”
Closing questions
We need to ask closing questions to seal the deal.
For example: “What is your timeline for making a decision?” Or “When is the best time for me to follow up?”
Objection questions
Unfortunately, sometimes you will receive pushback and we need to deal with difficult conversations by asking objection questions.
For example: “If we could solve that issue, would you be happy to move ahead?” Or “Is there anything else stopping you from moving forward?”
If you can master good question types, avoid the bad questions, watch your sales meetings dramatically improve and your close rate increase.
Download our FREE guide here with over 45 sales questions to ask next time you’re in a meeting.
Our structured sales training programmes, coaching, and workshops are designed to help sales teams develop these essential qualities. Explore our sales course content and choose from face to face or virtual training to start improving your sales performance today!
For more information, you can call us on 0044 01704 889325, email us at info@salestrainingint.com or fill in our online contact form.
Learn even more by watching our new YouTube video all about asking the right sales questions here:
