Questioning Techniques

General Information on Interviewing Techniques

The following skills are among the most important characteristics of successful salespeople:

• They empathize with customers individually and understand their needs.
• Helping customers make good and correct decisions
• Be confident and enthusiastic about your products
• Ask the right questions and listen
  They accurately present individual customer benefits and advantages

The needs analysis is a large part of the entire sales process, and the above qualities are particularly important. Unfortunately, even salespeople with strong communication skills often succumb to the temptation to take the lion’s share of the conversation. This phase is about identifying the customer’s problems, learning (or awakening) their needs, and exploring their requirements. This is so difficult because the person you are talking to is often not 100% sure of themselves. They often describe the symptoms, but not the cause. Your job is to guide the conversation with a minimum of talking, asking questions, listening, and getting details.

Your ability to ask the right questions at the right time is essential.

Reasons for questions

• Questions bring answers.
  From an early age, we are taught to ask questions: Questions are answered. We learn this long before we learn to write.
• Questions stimulate the other person.
  Our brains look for answers to every question. It even provides answers to rhetorical questions.
  Questions provide information
  Almost a by-product, but the answers count, of course.
• Questions lead the conversation.
  He who asks leads. Because the questioner sets the primary direction of the conversation.
• Questions deepen the relationship.
  We like to be asked questions. It shows interest in us as people and as experts. Questions are suitable for the soul.
• Questions make for better conversations.
  In terms of content and humanity, questions enrich our conversations and, thus, our relationships.
• Questions help the other person convince themselves.
  Everyone has their own choice of words and language. Those who answer good questions listen to themselves and begin to convince themselves of their statements.
• Questions are answered – they are rarely contradicted.
  You can use questions to convey information and anticipate content. This is because the other person focuses on an answer, rarely on analyzing the question. 

Clarify customer statements

Success in sales depends on the ability to have effective conversations. Only when we communicate effectively can we get the information that matters from our customers. To achieve this, inaccurate statements must be challenged to get accurate answers.
Words such as all, everyone, forever, always, nothing, never, constantly, and everywhere… are quickly uttered but are usually not meant to be so “general”.
In practice, it will often be the case that statements contain multiple generalizations. In this case, start at a point that seems particularly appropriate to you. And if the answer itself is still imprecise, keep asking until you get the information you need or find a solution.

Here is an example:

Customer: “I’m disappointed in your offer.”
Salesperson: “Why are you disappointed in the offer?”

Customer: “The training you offer is way too expensive.”
Salesperson: “Compared to what, the training is too expensive.”

Customer: “Compared to the other training options I have on the table.”
Salesperson: “And how are those offers comparable?”

Customer: “I compare them based on content, and they don’t cover some topics in enough detail.”
Salesperson: “Is it just the topics, or are you dissatisfied with other items?”

Customer: “No, it’s just the topics.”
Salesperson: “What if I spent more time on those topics?” 

Customer: “I would like that, and then I would book the training with you.”
Salesperson: “Would you like to discuss these topics again now?”
Customer: “Yes, absolutely.”

Question Types

The open question

Example Questions

• How important is this particular product feature to you?
• What do you think about the new offering?
• How often do you need to replace or upgrade the product?

Objective

To motivate the interviewee to talk. To gather as much information as possible, prepare the following questions or mentally prepare the presentation line.

Principle

W-question words (who, how, what, when, how often, etc.) do not dictate an answer and leave plenty of room for the other person to respond.

Good for

• Gathering information
• Deepening the relationship
• Showing interest

Less good for

• Concrete agreements
• Making confirmations
• Ending the conversation

Professional tip

• Avoid “why” as a question word; it can create pressure to justify.
• Make extensive use of open-ended questions. They are a driver of success.

The closed question

Some examples

• So you are free on Thursday?
• Can we do it then?
• Are there any other unresolved issues?

The aim

To avoid ambiguous formulations and to obtain explicit confirmation in the form of a yes or no.

The principle

Closed questions limit the scope and allow only a yes or no answer. You should already know the topic and the other person’s attitude – otherwise, the restriction is often counterproductive.

Good for

• Confirmation
• Specific information (which I already know)

Less good for

• Discussing unknown information.
• Topics that allow many answers: “Do you play table tennis?” is too specific to talk about sports preferences.
• Building rapport because closed questions don’t give the other person space. 

Some tips

• Use closed questions intentionally to get confirmation.
• Avoid closed questions when you want to open up a conversation.
• Use closed questions selectively and purposefully.
• NO means “more information needed. If you ask a closed question too early, you will quickly hear a “no” – but this is not the end of the conversation, but often a request for an open question.

The Alternative Question

Some examples

• Back to the Greek or the Italian?
• Is Thursday or Friday better?

The aim

To confirm one of our alternatives.

The principle

People like to have a choice. The alternative question gives them one. Experience shows that decisions are accelerated when the question is “Do you want the red or the blue?” instead of “Do you want the blue?
By choosing the alternatives, the questioner significantly narrows the answer space and directs the answer. Therefore, the alternative question should be used with moderation and purpose. But those who master it can achieve a great deal with the alternative question.

Good for

• Speed up decisions
• Comparing two alternatives
• Making appointments

Less good for

• Finding information
• Building a relationship

Some tips

• Give two maximum of three alternatives.
• The last alternative is chosen more often. 

The Linking Question

Some examples

Person 1: “… and of course, ease of use is also an issue”.
Person 2: “I see… Ease of use. What experience have you had with it?”

Objective

By asking this question, you encourage dialogue. The other person realizes that you are listening. Often, the follow-up question prompts the other person to make a truly personal statement rather than a canned one.

Principle

Immediately follow up on the last point and ask a question, usually open-ended.

Good for

• Deepening the relationship
• Gathering information
• Professional chat

Less good for

• Making agreements
• Concluding the conversation
• Speed up a decision

A few tips

• Repeating the other person’s last words deepens the relationship. It shows “I have listened” and “I am on your side.
• Asking this question often significantly increases the other person’s conversational skills. You can gather important information this way. 

The Conducting Question

Some examples

The other day I promised you information about … I have the documents with me today, shall we look at them…?

Objective

To focus on or switch to a topic.

Principle

Changing topics in the middle of a conversation can have “side effects. We can minimize the risk by referring to what was said before or earlier. In this way, the change of topic does not seem arbitrary but is entirely focused on the person we are talking to.

Good for

• Focusing on one point.
• Changing the subject to a more promising argument.
• Showing our professionalism: we have listened, possibly taken notes, and are professionally guiding you through the topic, keeping the focus on the other person and what they have said.

Less good for

• Conclusions or agreements, as this usually opens up a new topic
• Arguments, such as “But you said that before” can damage the relationship.

Some tips

By opening a conversation this way, you show that you have been professional in taking issues from one meeting to the next, working on them, and bringing them back. This indicates not only professionalism but also respect. Anyone who wants to use this method should take notes. 

The Isolation Question

Some examples

• “Assuming we agree on the price, can I expect the order?”
• “If we hold the next event on a Thursday instead of a Friday, will you come?”

The Goal

When we get stuck in a conversation, the isolating question helps us to delimit obstacles and clarify objections. Misunderstandings and vague wording (obfuscation arguments) are clarified in this way.

The principle

When dealing with an objection, we take a last, seemingly insoluble objection and isolate it from other possible obstacles.

Good for

• Agreement and closure
• Clarification
• Handling objections

Less good for

Not very helpful if used early in the conversation, as it can encourage “objection thinking” in the other person.
It is also dangerous if there is no room for maneuvering on a specific issue. This is because the objection is fixed after the isolation question, and even small stumbling blocks can become significant obstacles.

A few tips

• Clarify beforehand with open and alternative questions.
• Use the isolation question, especially with decision-makers.
• Clarify beforehand that there is some wiggle room.

The Confirmation Question

Some examples

• “If I summarize once, then we have …. Is that correct?”
• “Okay, that means the next steps are concrete… Is anything else missing?”
• “Are these documents sufficient for you?”

Goal

The facts are summarized at the end of a formal needs assessment or interview. This avoids misunderstandings and ambiguities, such as who needs to do what.
In a sales meeting, the other party may add a point at this point, saving us a lot of work.

Principle

A short, to-the-point summary followed by a closed question – the closing question. The follow-up question is a broader closing question.

Good for

Confirmation, agreement, closure.

Less good for

• Clarifying needs
• Gathering information

Tips and tricks

• Put the most potent argument at the end of your list.
• Be direct and emphasize the benefits to your counterpart. “Mrs. Meier, so that we don’t miss anything, let me summarize: …”

The presenting question

Some examples

• “Did you know that we offer free shipping on orders of 6 or more?”
• “Did you know that our latest product is now being used in xxx?”

The aim

Anything you can say, you can ask. The leading question hides information for the customer in a question.

The Principle

The presenting question “piques” the customer’s interest. We present information, which is wrapped up in the question and immediately prompts the other person to respond.

The question is closed, the typical response is a “did you know” or “have you heard” response – and is usually something like “Oh really” or “I didn’t know that”. This response is an invitation to explore the topic further.

Good for

• Longer sales conversations
• Sales calls where we want to get out of a passive role

Bad for

Gathering information

Sales tips

• For these types of questions, be prepared with customer-relevant news.
• Information a third party can verify is more powerful than a mere statement.
• The question should resonate with something new and exciting.