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1. What are the top three goals for your company over the next 4 quarters?

Intent: Don’t tell – ask!  Get the prospect talking quickly – and use this focusing question to get to the heart of the matter right out of the gate.

2. What barriers, if any, must be overcome to achieve these goals?

Intent:  If there are issues you’ll need to address to win the business, find out now.  If there are no stated issues, you have some homework to do with the prospect to identify potential issues they have not yet considered – and how you will address them.

3. Our customers are focused on decreasing the sale cycle and cost of sales, and increasing the accountability of their sales people.  Are you looking at any of these areas in the next quarter?

Intent:  Without dragging a prospect into unnecessary details, simply tell them what your typical customers’ issues are.  Find out if they want the same things – if they do, you’ve already implied that others know you can help.

4. What would be the best way to see if we could help your company realize similar or even better benefits this year?

Intent:  Non-threatening question which in effect is asking for the business. Using a non-direct “ask” like this precludes a yes or no answer.  Rather, you can get a thoughtful response, or you can move them slowly to the right conclusion.

5. How can I help?

Intent:  A disarmingly simple question that is ultimately very powerful.  Rather than “telling” a prospect how you can help, just ask.  They will appreciate that you aren’t “selling” to them, and they like to be asked this question.  They may have a specific answer, or they may need some help figuring it out. Either way, you’ve opened the door in a way that makes it easy for them to walk through.

by Lisa D. Dennis

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