Building trust with your sales prospects is essential to winning their business. When prospects trust you, they are more likely to be honest with you about their needs, listen to your recommendations and select your product or service. One of the best ways to build trust with prospects is to ask the right questions. By asking the right questions, you can unlock valuable information that can guide you towards a successful sale or a potential dead-end. In this sales training article we highlight the types of questions to ask to build rapport with your prospects:
Ask open-ended questions
Open-ended questions require more than a one-word answer, and they can help you build trust with your prospects because they demonstrate that you are interested in understanding their needs and that you are willing to take the time to listen. Examples of open-ended questions include, “What challenges are you facing in your business?” and “How has this impacted your business?”
Ask discovery questions
Discovery questions are designed to help you uncover a prospect’s pain points, motivation and concerns. By asking these questions, you will be able to better understand your prospect’s needs and how your product can solve their problems. Examples of discovery questions include, “How much is that costing you?” and “What are the consequences of not solving this problem?”
Ask preference questions
Preference questions help you understand how your prospects like to be sold to, what they value and what their buying criteria are so you can tailor your pitch accordingly. Examples of preference questions include, “What is most important to you when making a purchasing decision?” and “What do you value most in a partner/vendor?”
Ask uncovering questions
Uncovering questions are designed to help you identify potential objections or obstacles to closing a deal. By asking these questions, you can address any concerns your prospects may have and help them make an informed decision about your product. Examples of uncovering questions include, “What would prevent you from selecting our product?” and “What are your biggest concerns about partnering with us?”
Ask empathy questions
Empathy questions show your prospects that you understand their perspective and are willing to work with them to find a solution that meets their needs. Examples of empathy questions include, “Is there anything important that we have not covered yet?” and “Is there anything I have missed that is important to you?”
Keep in mind that your questioning is not an interrogation, so make sure you deliver them with sincerity and empathy. We cover how to refine your questioning in greater detail in our sales training programmes. Ultimately the answers to your questions will open and close doors for discussion. Pay close attention to them and do not probe further when there is no clear opportunity to actually solve the prospect’s problems. If you find yourself struggling to find an open door for further discussion, we recommend asking the following question: “From what I understand, I can’t see anything that I can assist you with. Is there something that I’ve missed?”
Asking the right types of questions can help you build trust with your sales prospects and ultimately win their business. Open-ended questions can demonstrate your interest in understanding their needs. Discovery questions can uncover a prospect’s pain points, motivation and concerns. Preference questions can help tailor your pitch to your prospects’ values and buying criteria. Uncovering questions can help you address any concerns your prospects may have. Finally, empathy questions can show your prospects that you are committed to finding a solution that meets their needs. By incorporating these types of questions into your sales process, you can build stronger relationships with your customers, increase sales and grow your company in the process.
Are you looking for answers to your sales questions? Check out our Sales Training and Sales Management programmes or contact our team today!
