As a young, up-and-coming salesperson, I vividly recall my first high-stakes meeting alongside our seasoned National Sales Executive. Expecting a front row seat in the articulation of our services, unique differentiators and overcoming objections, I instead found myself immersed in a masterclass on "the art of asking questions."
I was shocked. It all seemed too easy, too simple.
Yes, my colleague had earned the right to ask such simple questions by becoming an expert in his field, but the approach he modeled could be replicated by less experienced salespeople as well. I can attest to it firsthand.
Addressing one topic at a time, my colleague posed big, broad, open-ended questions, skillfully opening up the conversation, with our prospect doing the majority of the talking. By isolating specific topics, he worked to understand what was working and what was not. Ultimately, he concluded each topic by identifying the impact of the problem or opportunity.
Despite pains and problems arising left and right, he remained patient. Instead of selling, he stayed curious. I, on the other hand, was eager and anxious to “sell”. Thankfully, I was smart enough to keep my mouth shut.
Ultimately, we left the meeting armed with everything we needed to present the winning proposal. It was a complete and holistic solution, instead of bits & pieces, that compelled them to change rather than stick with the status quo. It was a pivotal moment that showcased the importance of asking not only the right questions but also the right line of questioning.
From this experience, I came to understand the power of the question mark in sales and realized that the person asking the questions is the one in control. They are the captain steering the ship of conversation toward a specific destination.
In this blog post, my goal is to shine a light on the significance of questions within the sales process, particularly during qualification and discovery meetings. By incorporating thoughtful questioning techniques, salespeople can gain alignment, uncover critical challenges, quantify their impact, engage stakeholders, and pave the way for successful partnerships.
The Power of Questions
Allow you to take and maintain control of the sale.
Shift the focus from selling to understanding.
Showcase expertise through thoughtful questions (and the line of questioning).
Incorporating Questions into the Sales Process
Qualification Meeting: Identifying alignment and fit with the prospect's needs and objectives.Uncovering key pain points and challenges.Assessing the potential for a mutually beneficial partnership.
Discovery Meeting: Identifying the gap between the desired future state versus the current state.Delving deeper into the prospect's challenges and goals.Understanding the implications and urgency of identified issues.Engaging stakeholders and fostering alignment.
Crafting Effective Questions
TED Questions (tell me…, explan…, describe…): to encourage dialogue and exploration.
Bright Spot & Bottleneck Questions: to understand what is working and what is not working in their current state.
Impact Questions: to deepen the understanding and quantify the problem or opportunity.
Conclusion
The ability to ask thoughtful, timely & relevant questions is critical for success. Through a well-designed process, curiosity and expertise, sales professionals can steer conversations toward meaningful outcomes.
Whether in qualification meetings or discovery sessions, the artful use of questions empowers individuals to uncover alignment, unearth challenges, and lay the groundwork for fruitful partnerships.
Go Deeper
Carver Peterson helps growth-minded leaders of B2B professional & technical services firms achieve predictable and sustainable revenue growth through a refined strategy, defined process and aligned structure.
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