Questions that Move Sales Forward

[scott]

I'm certainly not the first to propose that in sales, questions are gold.

I used to ask wimpy questions:

--What do you like about your insurance program?

--What does your current agent do that you like?

--What one issue is your biggest headache?

--What led you to enter this business?

Zzzzzzzzzz!

I've learned that provocative questions engage my prospect "" make them think about things they have never thought of before - jazz them up. An engaged prospect sees value in the questioner:

--What's your motivation for bringing me in?

--What pain are you trying to eliminate with my involvement?

--Five years from now, how will your company be different?

--Where is your future competition coming from?

--Most companies struggle with people issues "" hiring, firing, training, motivating "" what issues do you wrestle with?

--Who will make the ultimate decision "" accept of reject "" on this proposal?

--Who initiated the request to bring me in?

--How would you, personally, be better off if we achieved your objectives?

--Has anything I've said surprised you?

--While I'm here, should we begin the preliminary work today?

What questions do you ask that build trust and rapport in clients and prospects?

[Porter]

I only ask one question and it is at the end of a conversation I have with a client. The conversation is top secrete however the one question I will share. It goes like this "would you like to pay with check or credit".

Very simple and straight to the point.