TFT: The Power of Asking the Right Questions in Sales
How Asking the Right Questions Will Help Your Sales.
TFT: The Power of Asking the Right Questions in Sales
Subtitle: How the Right Questions Can Lead to the Best Solutions
Sales is not just about pitching your product, it’s about solving a problem. And solving problems starts with understanding them deeply. Whether you are troubleshooting an engineering issue or addressing a customer’s challenge, asking the right questions can uncover the real needs behind the symptoms. Today, let’s dive into why asking great questions is one of the most powerful tools you have in sales.
Sales Is About Diagnosing, Not Just Selling
Think about how you approach troubleshooting in engineering. You do not jump to a solution without first diagnosing the issue. Sales is no different. Your job is to understand what is really going on with your customer. This requires asking questions that are open-ended and designed to guide the conversation, not dominate it.
For example, instead of asking, “Do you want to solve X problem?” you could ask, “What is the biggest challenge you face in your operations today?” This opens the door for your customer to share more, allowing you to uncover the real pain points they might not have even articulated yet.
The art of asking the right questions starts with preparation and curiosity. Consider these approaches:
Ask Open-Ended Questions: These encourage dialogue and give your customer the space to share more than just a “yes” or “no” answer.
Examples:
“What challenges have you encountered in your current process?”
“Can you walk me through your goals for the next quarter?”
Sometimes the answers aren’t in the words themselves but in how they’re delivered. Are they hesitating? Do they seem more animated when discussing certain topics? These are non-verbal clues you can use to guide the conversation further.
Pause and Let Silence Work for You: Great interviewers know the value of silence. After your customer answers, wait a beat or two longer before moving to your next question. Often, they’ll fill the gap with even more valuable information.
Learn From the Best Questioners
If you want to master this skill, study how great interviewers and salespeople operate:
The Question Behind the Question (QBQ): This book is a fantastic resource for learning how to get to the heart of a challenge. It’s all about understanding what’s really driving the problem.
Think About Your Own Sales Experiences: Reflect on a time when you had a positive experience with a salesperson. What questions did they ask to get you to open up? How did they steer the conversation without being pushy?
Observe Sales in Action: Watch how sales pros conduct their calls or meetings. Notice how they balance listening with questioning and how they make their customers feel understood.
Learn from Interviews: Great interviews are another resource. Pick your favorite interviews on news or podcasts or YouTube and watch how they get from surface level “Hellos” to the meat of the interviews.
Do Your Homework Before Asking Questions
While asking great questions is essential, it’s equally important to show up prepared. Before you even start a conversation, ask yourself:
What Do You Already Know About the Company?
Research their business model, recent news, or challenges in their industry. Show them you’ve done your homework.
What About the Industry?
Are there broader trends or issues affecting their space? Bringing up these insights can position you as a knowledgeable and helpful resource.
Have You Tried to Work With This Company Before?
If so, revisit your past interactions. What worked? What didn’t?
What Do You Know About Their Competitors?
Understanding their competitive landscape can help you frame your questions in a way that highlights your product’s unique value.
Let the questions do the heavy lifting. Sales isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about knowing how to ask the right questions to get there.
Action Step
Take 30 minutes this week to review your last 3 sales conversations. Think about the open-ended questions you could have ask and prepare a list of three open-ended questions you can ask during your next call. Practice pausing after you ask them and actively listen to your customer’s responses.
Reflect on the following:
Did your questions uncover any unexpected insights?
How can you refine your approach for the next call?
What did you learn about the customer’s real challenges?
The more intentional you are with your questions, the better positioned you’ll be to build trust, uncover needs, and ultimately close more deals.
Additional Reading
“The Art of Listening: How Great Salespeople Build Trust” – Harvard Business Review