Asking your clients questions that guide them to a solution is an effective sales tactic. Talking in-depth about their biggest needs helps you point out how your product can fill them. These are reasons why learning to effectively ask questions that unlock what your clients truly want is so important. You gain the insight and perspective needed to guide your clients to see how purchasing your product is in their best interest. This strengthens your client relationships and adds to your career success.
Consider using the following types of questions to determine and fill your clients’ most pressing needs.
1. Situation Questions
Situation questions ask your client about their most essential needs. The questions uncover facts about your client’s current state, processes, challenges, competitive strategies, and results. Examples include “What are your company’s goals over the next 24 months?” and “Which products are you currently using?”.
2. Problem Questions
Problem questions uncover the challenges and obstacles that must be overcome to alleviate your client’s pain points or reach their goals. The questions dig into your client’s needs and issues to gain more in-depth information about what they are looking for. This increases your understanding of the problems and enhances your credibility to solve them. One of the most effective ways to do this is by working backward from the solutions you offer to the problems, linking your products to your client’s areas of opportunity. Examples include “What is lacking in your current solution?” and “What would make things easier for your team?”
3. Implication Questions
Implication questions address the impact of a problem you uncovered. The questions combine your industry insights and critical thinking skills to help your client understand the magnitude of the issue and elevate their urgency to solve it. Examples include “What is the productivity cost of [this problem]?” and “Would your team be more satisfied if they did not experience the problems related to [this issue]?”
Need-Payoff Questions
Need-payoff questions focus your client on a potential solution and its benefits. The questions demonstrate the value and usefulness of your solution and guide your client to take advantage of the benefits. Your goal is to frame your solution in a way the prospect may not have considered. Examples include “Could solving [this problem] raise your productivity?” and “Would your team find value in fixing [this problem]?”
Are You Ready to Advance Your Sales Career?
If you want to work in a fast-paced, high-growth industry, talk with a recruiter from The Charis Group. As the leading sales recruiting firm for the industrial safety and PPE industries, we can help you take a step forward in your career.
