Some questions uncover hidden objections and place your company in a better position to close. Other questions do nothing to help, and the information they uncover may muddy, delay or even kill the sale.

Question audit

Here’s an audit that’ll help your people measure the effectiveness of the questions they ask prospects. If they can’t answer “yes” to at least one of these, it’s time to ditch the question.

1. Will the answer help you validate the data you already have?
2. Will the answer help you update information, fill in the gaps, resolve discrepancies and get information you need to close the sale?
3. Will the answer give you more information about the values, attitudes and needs of the prospect?
4. Will the answer tell you where you are in the sales process and what you have to do to move to a successful close?
5. Will the question shift the focus from you to the prospect?
6. Will the answers help you decide when more questions are appropriate and in which areas?
7. Will the question get the prospect emotionally involved?
8. Will the question help you uncover the prospect’s needs?
9. Will the question help determine if the prospect has any decision-making authority?
10. Will the question identify the prospect’s personal needs, values and timetable to buy?
11. Will the question uncover competitive disadvantages that may stand in the way of closing the sale?
12. Will the question help you look at your proposal from the prospect’s point-of-view?

Tags: audit, marketing, objections, sales