Questioning
The word Questioning refers to the ability to ask different type of questions in order to understand needs, pains and projects of the prospect.
There are several types of questions but 5 of them are especially useful in sales: we can picture them as a star.
The 5 types of questions are:
- Strategic Questions
Strategic Questions are one of the most useful in sales: they usually happen at the end of the Questioning cycle but, due to their relevance. it’s better to examine them now.
A salesperson is a change agent: his job is to help a prospect or customer to make a decision, to realize a movement from point A to point B. A is where a problem or project exists or where there’s a need to reach an objective while B is where the problem is solved, the project is completed or where the objective is reached.
The salesperson’s job is to generate this movement which is accomplished with the solutions she offers.
Strategic Questions are dynamic questions able to generate a movement towards a desired state and to bring a new, fresh, innovative perspective in a situation.
To be even more precise we can affirm that Strategic Questions are not aimed at putting ideas into a person’s head while at allowing that person to take what’s already in her head and develop it further. - Probing Questions
These questions ask the speaker a deep thought about the topic and are useful to guide to prospect towards an answer without forcing it or judging.
Probing Questions are useful to understand what’s ‘behind’ a problem, a request, a need or a project. - Confirming Questions
These questions are aimed at confirming what the prospect said in order to understand if you’re on the same path. The salesperson should use these type of questions to summarize what the prospect said, highlight his answers or evaluate his engagement.
Confirming questions are also useful for another reason: the prospect feels free to add more details and information so the salesperson can better understand his problems, concerns, needs, projects and help him with the right solution. - Clarifying Questions
As the words suggest, Clarifying Questions are aimed at clarifying what the prospect said so they usually require a short, fact-based answer.
They are used to paraphrase or emphasise a topic so the prospect can feel free to add a valid argumentation which leads the salesperson to the appropriate solution. - Redirecting Questions
Redirecting Questions help the prospect in focusing on the main topic or thinking about it from another perspective so he can elaborate his on answer.
These questions are mainly used when you move away from the main topic and run the risk of losing ‘traction’.
An effective Questioning training should not be focused on script that relates an answer to a certain question: it would be too theoretical and the salesperson would paralyze in front of the prospect losing empathy, which is necessary to deal with situation.
It turns helpful to provide the salesperson with the tools to:
- Know the different types of questions;
- Understand the situation he / she is facing;
- Show empathy and curiosity avoiding any kind of ‘interrogation’;
- Turn everything into a conversation.
Vista l’importanza della skill in questione, il Questioning è parte fondamentale dei nostri:
> Feel free to contact me if you need help or write a comment in the box below if you have any question.
