Effective communication is the cornerstone of successful sales. Yet, many salespeople still ask questions that can sabotage their chances of closing deals. A sales management course can teach you how asking the right questions can significantly improve your discovery meetings, foster better relationships with potential clients, and ultimately lead to more sales.
In this article, we look at six common sales questions you should avoid and how a sales management course from SalesGuru can help you refine your approach and boost your performance.
- Tell Me About Your Company.
- Why it’s problematic: This question immediately signals that you haven’t done your homework. In today’s digital age, potential clients expect you to have at least a basic understanding of their company before your meeting.
- How a sales management course can help: In a sales management course, you’ll learn how to conduct thorough pre-meeting research. You’ll be equipped with techniques to uncover key information about your prospects, enabling you to ask more meaningful and tailored questions. Instead of wasting time on basics, you can jump straight into a discussion about how your product or service can benefit their specific pain points.
- What Are Your Pain Points?
- Why it’s problematic: This question is overused and can feel impersonal. It can also come across as lazy, forcing the prospect to do the work while you remain passive.
- How a sales management course can help: You’ll learn to avoid generic questions like this in favour of more insightful, value-driven inquiries. SalesGuru’s training will teach you to approach clients with a deep understanding of their industry’s common challenges, helping you engage them with solutions instead of problems.
- What Keeps You Up At Night?
- Why it’s problematic: This question is not only clichéd, but it can also be perceived as intrusive or irrelevant. Prospects may respond with sarcasm or defensiveness, derailing the conversation.
- How a sales management course can help: At SalesGuru, you’ll discover how to ask more tactful and engaging questions. Rather than focusing on the negative, you can steer the conversation towards aspirations and objectives, helping the client envision a better future with your product or service.
- Are You Happy With Your Current Provider?
- Why it’s problematic: This is a dangerous question because it puts the client on the defensive, especially if they are happy with their current provider. It can also lead to a situation where you try to convince them why their current choice is wrong – which rarely goes well.
- How a sales management course can help: You’ll be taught how to phrase questions more constructively. For instance, you can ask how long they’ve been with their current provider and what areas they’d like to improve, allowing you to identify potential opportunities without criticising their existing relationships.
- What Will It Take To Get Your Business?
- Why it’s problematic: This question is often perceived as desperate and can make the conversation revolve solely around price, undermining the value of your product or service.
- How a sales management course can help: Through a sales management course, you’ll learn to focus on building value rather than negotiating price. By emphasising the benefits of your offering and how it aligns with the prospect’s needs, you can create a compelling case without lowering yourself to a price war.
- Are You The Decision Maker?
- Why it’s problematic: While it’s important to know who makes the decisions, this question can backfire. Prospects may say “yes” even when they’re not, leading to complications later.
- How a sales management course can help: You’ll gain skills in identifying decision-makers more subtly by asking questions that probe for more detailed information about their role in the decision-making process. You’ll learn to frame the conversation in a way that encourages the prospect to be upfront about who needs to be involved in the final decision.
Better Questions to Ask
If you want to get better results from your discovery meetings, you need to ask better questions. Here are a few alternatives you can use, which are covered in detail in SalesGuru’s sales management course:
- “The three main areas we help our clients improve are [X], [Y], and [Z]. Which one is most important to you?”
This question offers value upfront and allows the client to guide the conversation based on their specific needs.
- “Many of the customers I’ve helped were looking for [desired outcomes] but were frustrated with [common challenges]. Is this something you’re also facing?”
By showing that you understand their industry, you build rapport and open the door for a meaningful discussion about how your solution can help.
- “I understand you’ve been with [current supplier] for a while. What’s been your experience, and if you could improve three things, what would they be?”
This question helps uncover potential pain points without being confrontational, allowing you to present your offering as a solution to their challenges.
Elevate Your Sales Approach with SalesGuru
A sales management course from SalesGuru will equip you with the tools, strategies and insights to ask better questions, hold more productive meetings, and close more deals. By focusing on improving your discovery phase, you’ll not only enhance your relationship with potential clients but also increase your overall success in sales.
Ready to take your sales skills to the next level? Contact SalesGuru today to learn more about our courses and training services designed to help you succeed.
