Using questions as a critical component of successful selling is nothing new. Even those that just pay lip service to it know that it is the right thing to say. However knowing it and saying it are only a small step in the continuously evolving challenge of executing it in a winning way.

There are a couple of things that reps need to focus on to fully unleash the power of questions. In fact before you resolve to take your questioning skills to the next level, you should buy a great book that can help you in selling or raising teenage kids The 7 Powers of Questions, by Dorothy Leeds.

One thing that many can work on is the skill of asking questions that are less about the seller and more to the value as the buyer views it. To the credit of the profession many more reps are taking advantage of questions in selling, but more need to step back and think about asking questions that help the buyer make a complete decision. Many are still using questions are used to corner and coral clients in to fitting the product.

Questions should facilitate an exchange and discovery process that helps the buyer reach a decision based on their criteria, not the specs of the seller. This is not as difficult or mysterious as it sounds or some make it out to be. It does however require that the seller have an understanding of the business issues facing the prospect and build the sales around those. The good thing is that this approach once adopted is very inclusionary and as a result shortens the sales cycle because you have a willing participant and partner in the process.

At the same time, sellers need to be more willing to ask the tough questions. I am not sure if it is a result of sales people wanting to nurture “relationship” and feel they may offend the buyer asking direct, tough but necessary question.  Again let’s be clear we are not suggesting being difficult or controversial, but asking those things that are impacting the buyers business and realities they are facing day to day.

Often these questions are the most obvious things to ask, but maybe uncomfortable in some ways, so reps back away. However when done right, it is an opportunity to differentiate yourself from the others in the same sale. As an example, many reps will ask what the buyer’s priorities are, how they define success. Once they have an answer they use it as a launching point for their pitch rather than going a bit deeper. Why not ask why they are not where they want to be; why not ask what they attribute their inability to achieve certain things. Partly it is because we bring our assumptions and luggage with us and use the buyer’s initial answer as validation and a reason to jump in to our pitch. But by following through asking how they measure things, what they attribute things to, where they want to be and potential impact and risks involved in getting or not getting to where they want to and more. All these things will show you the buyer’s assumptions and preconceptions, their decision and action process, and with that what it takes to get the buyer to buy.

So it is true, questions are a powerful tool in sales, and as with any tool, make sure you use the right and best one for the task at hand.