Learning how to ask the right questions is an important skill in sales. You can even call it a game-changer if you master the art of questioning. It transforms the sales process so potential clients end up choosing your offer as the best solution to their problems.

When done right, you won’t have to force the sale. Your clients can make that decision for themselves because you’ve made them realise the worth of your product or service.

In this article, I want to open your eyes to the power of questioning and how you can use it as an effective sales tool. You’ll get practical tips that can help you master the art of questioning so you can enjoy higher sales and revenue.

Why Asking the Right Questions Matter

In the past, salespeople immediately talked about the features of the product or service that they were selling. They focus on hyping the product so it seems like the best option.

That technique no longer works and it even leads to a higher rejection rate.

Nowadays, the sales process has become more customer-centric. Your sales pitch shouldn’t revolve around what makes your product special. Your pitch should be more about what the client needs.

Asking questions shifts the focus from the product to the customer. You’re not just selling. You’re trying to understand and dive deeper into the specific needs and desires of your clients so you can highlight the value of your offer.

Telling is not selling

Don’t get me wrong. The features of the product or service are still very important. However, you can’t lead the sales pitch by telling clients they need your offer.

Talking too much is no longer the best way to sell. Consumers have evolved and they want to feel like they’re in full control over the sales process. That’s why they don’t want to be told that they need your offer.

The pitch has to be done in a way that makes them conclude that your product or service is exactly what they are looking for. The key is to make them form their own thoughts about your offer. The feeling of control makes them more open to accepting your offer.

Nowadays, it’s more effective to have a conversation than a presentation. Ask the right questions to uncover the pain points of the client. Get them to talk about their preferences.

For instance, you’re selling software. Don’t start by explaining the features of the product. Begin the conversation by asking what problems the clients are trying to solve. Listen to how they answer your questions. This will make them feel heard and important. This will help establish trust. By the time you’re ready to discuss the features of the software, you know enough about them to tailor your pitch to focus on solving their specific issues. They’ll also be more trusting of your ability to solve their struggles.

The power of persuasive questioning

The success of your pitch will rely on the type of questions you’ll ask. Remember, you’re not just after basic inquiries. You want to get a deeper understanding of the client to gain their trust.

Persuasive questioning is the best way to achieve this. As you ask questions, you’re also guiding the conversation so it leads to a realisation of their needs and the value of the solution you’re offering.

Going back to the software product, let’s assume the product automates the company's billing and collection process. You might want to ask, “How would it impact your business if you could automate the billing and collection process?” or “Would it increase the productivity and monthly revenue of the business if the billing and collection is automated?”

These types of questions allow the client to visualise the benefits of your offer and how it solves the issues they struggle with. You are planting thoughts in their head without directly doing it. This will make them more likely to see the value of your offer and increase the chances of closing a deal with them.

How to Use Questioning as a Powerful Sales Tool

Being strategic with your questioning is not just for closing deals. First and foremost, it allows you to determine if the potential client is the right fit for your product or service. It saves you precious time because you won’t waste your resources pitching to the wrong people. You’ll only focus on those who can appreciate and see the real value of your offer.

To make your questions a powerful sales tool, it has to accomplish two things. The first is to get information about the customer. The second is to help you guide the conversation so you’ll end up with a signed deal.

Here are 7 tips that can help you accomplish these goals.

Listen to understand

Active listening is the key to asking the right questions. Craft your questions based on how they answer previous ones. Pay attention, not just to what the client is saying, but also to how they say it. Their body language, gestures and facial expressions can sometimes tell more than what they are saying.

The more attentive you are, the more the client feels valued. This leads to trust and eventually, a yes from them. At the very least, they’ll be open to listening and considering your pitch.

Treat it as a conversation, not a pitch

Every sales meeting should revolve around the conversation and not the presentation. This mindset shift leads to a more natural and engaging dialogue that’ll make potential clients feel at ease. Let the questions flow organically so they feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and opening up about their concerns.

The more they reveal, the more you can tailor your pitch to suit their specific needs.

Use open-ended questions

Avoid asking questions answerable by yes or no. Opt for open-ended questions so clients are encouraged to provide detailed answers. Instead of asking, “Do you need this software to make your billing and collection easier?” ask “What challenges are you facing in your billing and collection processes?”

This allows you to collect valuable information that can shape the next questions you’ll ask. This will also give you deeper insights into their needs.

If you ask the right questions, you might even uncover issues that the client isn’t aware of. If you can solve these as well, it’ll show them you’re capable of solving their problems.

Influence the customer’s thinking

This is why listening to the answers of your customers is important. It allows you to come up with follow-up questions to subtly influence the perspective of the client. For example, “How will your monthly revenue improve if you can shorten the collection process?” This question plants the idea that it’s possible to shorten the collection process to increase the monthly revenue of the customer. Based on their answer, follow with a question that’ll present your software as an effective tool to expedite collections.

Build the foundation for a strong relationship

How does every relationship start? With conversations. The way you converse with potential clients will form the foundation of your future relationship. If you can gain their trust and impress them with your expertise, it’ll be easier to gain their loyalty.

You can influence the quality of the conversation by inserting questions. Of course, the way you converse is also important. But the questions themselves already show your genuine interest in the client’s welfare. Opt for future-centric questions like “What are your long-term goals?” This fosters trust and loyalty early on because it shows your interest in their success. This will get stronger once they start using the product or service you offered.

Convey competence and expertise

The questions you ask will also reflect your knowledge and expertise. This can boost your credibility and convince clients you know the industry and the challenges they face. This will encourage them to trust your recommendations and think of you as a necessary partner in improving their business.

You can showcase your competence and expertise by asking “How do you handle (specific problem) if statistics show that (industry figures)?” This type of questioning will show that you have a deeper level of insight and you have done your research well.

Finally… practice and keep learning!

Mastering the art of questioning takes time and practice. Be committed to keep learning to improve your ability to come up with the right questions to keep the conversation going. Create a script to act as the baseline - but practice deviating from it. Come up with different scenarios so you can practice. Make sure all possible scripts are documented so everyone says the same thing.

Regularly review your questioning techniques and get feedback to see if it’s effective or not. Don’t stick to an old script just because it worked before. Pay attention to how clients evolve so you can make adjustments.

Learn to Use Strategic Questions in the Sales Process

Strategic questioning can be a powerful sales tool that can lead to higher sales and revenue. This requires careful planning and an understanding of your client’s profile. Once you learn how to use this skill in the sales process, you can turn even the sceptics into loyal patrons.

If you want to master the art of questioning, get an expert to train you and your team. Attend workshops to hone your skills and uncover strategies that you may have missed.

Partner with a business coach to help you enhance your sales skills so you can leverage the power of questioning.

If you’re ready to learn more, let’s talk. Book a complimentary 15-minute call here: https://www.butleradvisory.com.au/time-with-trent.