ACTION 1: ASK RELEVANT, OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS

The investigation with the buyer is an opportunity to prove to Them your expertise, professionalism, and character. You prove these qualities when you ask relevant, open-ended questions.

Begin this Action by first identifying the information you need to know and your buyer needs to discover. For example, you need to determine if they are a qualified buyer and they may need to discover that they have a risk for something that they were not aware of. With a clear understanding of the information that needs to be discovered and uncovered, you can more easily develop potential questions to ask.

Open-ended questions solicit more information than closed questions. Open-ended questions draw out facts, emotions, motivations, and the degree of urgency. The right questions solicit great information, get the person talking, show your expertise, and allow you both to identify potential opportunities.

Closed questions ask the buyer for one piece of information or data. They narrow the focus of the conversation. “Do you have a problem with your _________?” is a direct, closed question that may lead to qualifying the buyer, but it doesn’t lead to an open collaborative conversation.

Open-ended questions begin with words like “who,” “what,” “how,” and “why”—for example, in questions such as:

• “What would happen if _________?”

• “What approach would you use to _________?”

• “How would you use _________?”

• “What is the relationship between _________?”

• “What evidence have you found that _________?”

• “Why is _________?”

• “What could be changed or improved in _________?”

• “Where do you see _________?”

• “What way would you design _________?”

• “What outcome would you predict for _________?”

• “How could you select _________?”

• “How do you prioritize _________?”

• “What information would you use to support _________?”

You can also open the conversation with a request for information such as:

• “Please tell me about _________.”

• “Help me understand _________.”

• “Please share with me _________.”

These Investigation thought-starters help buyers discover and discuss important information you will need to first identify if there is an opportunity, and then connect your solution to their POWNs.

TIMELY TIP

Uncover Problems, Opportunities, Wants, and Needs

The POWNs are what we need to uncover and sometimes, more importantly, help Them discover. The buyer’s problems, opportunities, wants, and needs are all potential sales possibilities.

Uncover the problems that are hurting or hindering the buyer in some way. This is the “pain” that may create enough discomfort that they are open to a solution to alleviate it. Sometimes buyers aren’t comfortable discussing their problems because they believe that leaves them vulnerable to being “sold to.” If you focus only on their pain, you risk alienating them or making them so uncomfortable that they won’t want to speak with you again. In addition, discussing problems is not always viable. Perhaps the buyer doesn’t recognize a problem or want to address existing ones. Some people also like to phrase their problems more gently, calling them issues or challenges—well, the term doesn’t matter as long as they talk about the information, so use the terms “issues” and “challenges” if necessary. And in this case, focusing on opportunities might work especially well.

Uncover the opportunities your buyers are dreaming of, don’t know about, or have no idea how to capitalize on. Get them talking about what they wish for, how they would like things to be, their vision for possibilities, and their ideas. Use your expertise in your industry to discuss opportunities they may not be aware of.

Uncover your buyers’ wants. What your buyers want may be more powerful than what they need. Wants tap into emotions and often influence their sense of urgency in taking action.

Uncover your buyers’ needs. What do they need to do, have, stop, or start? What must happen or be acquired? Not everybody has a specific need—or they don’t perceive that they do—which may mean that they feel they would be wasting their time reviewing your solution. Before moving on to other sales possibilities, explore potential problems, opportunities, or wants.

Often I’m asked, “What’s the difference between a want and a need?” The simple answer, as an engineering seller said: “I may need a vehicle, but I want a Ferrari.” A need is a necessity, a want is most often a desire or emotionally driven need.

You open sales opportunities when you discuss more than problems or needs with your buyers. For instance, a group in the financial services industry shared information with me about their current sales training program. They mentioned how comfortable they were facilitating the sessions, how the developer had customized the course for them five years earlier, and how satisfied they were with their current process. All their responses suggested they had no problem or need for my solution.

Then I asked how they kept the skills sharpened after the original seminar and they explained they spent considerable time creating reinforcing activities, messages, and support materials. That was my opportunity opener! I used their unacknowledged needs to explore the value they would find in having such items developed for them. We were able to collaborate on the possibilities and potential implementation and timing. The buy decision was made within a week.

The way you phrase your questions and explore problems or opportunities affects the responses you receive. The POWNs acronym ensures that you cover what you need to know and what they may need to discover in the Investigate step.

To elevate the value you give the buyer and to differentiate yourself from your competition, explore the complete story of their POWNs; this will let you identify the details that allow you to collaborate with Them regarding your solution.

Get the Full Story with a Four-Point Investigation™

Imagine you have finished your investigation with a potential buyer and are committed to providing a recommendation or proposal. As you work on the recommendation and plan your next call, you realize you don’t have all the information you really need. Sound familiar? This happens too often!

It’s easy to get caught thinking “I have enough information and now it’s time to tell them what I have or how I can help them.” Premature recommendations, though, lead to extra follow-up activities and possible frustration for us and the buyer when the solution isn’t accepted.

The framework for a complete Investigation presented in Figure 7–1 allows you to focus on key information you need to move forward in the sales process and close the sale.

The graphic shows the framework of the four points. The points guide you through the questions that provide a full picture of the buyer’s situation and allow you to identify the sales opportunity. Connecting your questions into a cohesive and logical approach that explores the facts of Today and Tomorrow and the emotional and logical aspects of Risks and Rewards positions you as a collaborator.

The revolving center shows that an investigation can go in many directions. Where you begin your investigation doesn’t matter. What does matter is that you connect and cover all four points. This flexible framework guides a relevant, natural, and value-filled investigation.

Often the buyer’s first comments direct your conversation to begin at one point or another. They might start with discussing what they want or need. Or they may start talking about their frustrations Today or the vision they have for Tomorrow. They also might openly discuss the fears or Risks they are concerned about or the benefits or Rewards they seek from you, your product, or your service.

Following is a description of each of the points with thought-starter questions for you to build from. Tweak these questions to work in your situation:

Today questions ask for information about the buyer’s current state. This is the back-story of what is happening now and explains how and why they are in their current situation. Today thought-starters include:

• “What type of budget process do you follow when deciding on _________?”

• “Help me understand some of the challenges you are facing with _________.”

• “How does your decision process work?”

• “How well do your current systems integrate?”

• “What are your expectations from a _________ supplier?”

• “Please tell me about the _________ initiatives you are working on.”

• “What makes your current supplier your preferred source?”

• “What solutions have you considered?”

• “Which issue is causing the biggest problem and why?”

• “What have you done in the past that worked well for _________?”

• “What has been your experience with _________?”

Tomorrow questions ask what the buyers want to happen or where they want and need to be. The gap between Tomorrow and Today is important because that is where your opportunity lies. If your solution can reduce/remove the gap between what is happening Today and where the buyer wants/needs to be Tomorrow, you have a viable prospect and potential sale. Tomorrow thought-starters include:

• “What are your future plans for ________?”

• “What are your priorities for _________?” (fill in time frame)

• “What capabilities do you wish _________ had that it currently doesn’t have?”

• “From what you’ve already told me, how do you envision _________?”

• “What kind of strategy did you have in mind?”

• “What kind of help do you need?”

• “What is the ultimate intent for _________?”

• “How do you see yourself and others using _________?”

• “What are you trying to achieve?”

• “How would you like _________ to happen going forward?”

• “How will you measure ROI or results?”

• “What actions do you think we can take to improve the _________?”

• “What changes in the industry are causing the most trouble for you?”

Risk questions explore the potential downsides to moving to Tomorrow or staying in Today. Exploring the Risk of doing nothing is an effective way to identify the sense of urgency around the situation. These questions provide the buyer with powerful motivators to do something. Risk thought-starters include:

• “What types of liability are you exposed to if the situation remains unchanged?”

• “What will happen if you don’t address _________?”

• “How would this change help you reduce risk for _________?”

• “What are the major issues you foresee from taking this action?”

• “What might be the consequences if we take no action?”

• “What does that mean to your business?”

• “If we start this, what don’t you want to see happen?”

• “What are your concerns?”

• “Why do you feel this isn’t going to work?”

• “What might be the risks in deciding on a solution now?”

• “What are the roadblocks to your preferred schedule?”

• “Tell me about your competitors’ strengths? What risk does this pose to your company?”

Reward questions explore the benefits buyers are looking for when Tomorrow is reached and the potential benefits of them staying in Today. These questions help you understand the motivations that may drive the person to action and decision. Reward thought-starters include:

• “What can your company gain with the capabilities of this solution?”

• “What could you do with the time this solution will save you?”

• “How do you see this impacting your bottom line?”

• “With a decision to move forward, what type of advantage will you have over your competitors?”

• “What might you gain from having these newer _________?”

• “How much more efficient will your _________ be with these changes?”

• “How do you think this new solution will affect your marketability?”

• “How could this change help you meet your goals?”

• “How will your schedule improve if we make this change?”

• “What does success look like for you/your company?”

• “What do you want to enjoy once the solution is implemented?”

I’ve collected many additional thought-starter investigative questions for you on the www.conversationsthatsell.com website.

Covering all points in a Four-Point Investigation keeps you from moving the sale forward too soon and missing opportunities—for you and your buyer.

When a buyer called specifically to inquire about sales training, I acknowledged his request and asked permission to explore information at a higher level to give me context. Instead of jumping into a presentation of training solution offerings, I used the Four-Point Investigation framework to guide my questions.

First, I asked, and received, permission to question him further for information not directly related to the training he called about. (Getting permission is important: I didn’t want him to feel I had hijacked the conversation.) I asked Today questions that focused him on his overall business and sales. I also asked Tomorrow questions that focused him on the goals and objectives most important to him personally. When those responses uncovered a more immediate business opportunity and the frustration and costs associated with it, I asked Risk questions about not addressing this opportunity before he invested in training, and Reward questions about what he would do with his time when a new sales leader was hired.

Using the four points as my guide expanded the conversation and uncovered underlying problems that were more pressing to my buyer and needed to be addressed first. What happened? We moved forward that day on the larger picture or problem—benchmarking and recruiting for a sales leader.

Although using the Four-Point Investigation framework is extremely helpful, it does not guarantee an easy Investigation with every buyer. Buyers generally have their comfort zone about what they are willing and ready to discuss. For this reason, knowing what to ask needs to be matched with how to ask questions they are willing and able to answer.

Ask Questions Buyers Want to Answer

While what you ask is important, how you ask open-ended questions is equally so. Used incorrectly, even open-ended questions can make an investigation seem like an interrogation. They can be leading, forced, narrow, product-focused, or irrelevant. Sellers can come off as militant when they drill questions directly at a prospect to gain the information that allows them to pitch their product without bringing the buyer into the collaborative process.

Instead of becoming an interrogator, you demonstrate your investigative professionalism when you incorporate the four I’s into your questions: Make your questions Intentional, Intelligent, Interesting, and Indirect. Let’s look at each of the I’s in more detail.

Intentional Questions Intentional questions provide context to the buyer. They connect directly to the WiifT. I’ve seen sales pros launch right into their list of prepared questions, and I’ve watched their buyers give them a look that says, “What’s this have to do with anything?” The buyer had no idea why these questions were being asked, what the seller’s intent was, or if they should really answer the questions.

When you explain the intent of your questions, it gives the buyer perspective, which means the buyer can answer thoughtfully. The context of the line of questions gives clarity to the request, eases any discomfort, and opens a collaborative conversation.

I received a sales call some time ago in which the caller immediately asked, “So, what are you working on?” My reply? “Wow, that’s broad. In what context?” He responded, “Whatever context you choose.” Well, I was confused. I knew what this person was selling and wondered if I should answer based on that narrow interest or whether he was really trying to find out more.

So I turned it back to him and said, “What are you working on?” He responded, telling me in great detail what he was doing and about his services. After five minutes I knew where he really wanted the conversation to go—to his solution—and I wasn’t interested.

Sharing intent, after a buyer has agreed to spend time with us, sounds like this:

“We scheduled time to talk about your human resource needs. We’ve learned that understanding how HR fits into your overall company’s goals and objectives helps us narrow the information that will be useful to you, and we’ll then be able to give you a more accurate picture of how we might help. The first questions are focused on that broader picture. Then we’ll get more specific.”

Now the conversation moves into your list of open-ended, relevant questions.

Intelligent Questions Intelligent questions draw from your experience and research. They differentiate you from the competition and most other sales pros. They are timely and help Them discover or clarify information or situations that are relevant. Buyers do not want their time wasted and asking them irrelevant and common questions can shut down your conversation and eliminate your potential sales opportunity. Your research about the market, value of your solutions, and this buyer all contribute to asking intelligent questions.

Here are a few tips on asking intelligent questions:

• Look at the company’s website for recent news, the company’s mission and vision, biographies of the people you will speak with, and financial results.

• Prepare a list of questions that will broaden the conversation beyond your product or service. For example, instead of asking, “What kind of an issue do you have with _____?” ask “In reviewing your company’s website, I’ve noticed that your ________ is a strategic focus for next year. How does your __________ contribute to that focus?”

• Know the value your solution provides versus just the features. For example, if you sell a technology solution, a request for information about the impact of their current technology might be, “Please share with me how your technology service (or platform) impacts the daily operations of your facility.”

• Know your industry and competitors. This allows you to ask questions such as, “How is the trend for _________ impacting your position or results?”

The questions asked during the Investigate step directly reflect your expertise on the topic of discussion. You demonstrate your brilliance—or lack thereof—during the investigation more than during the presentation of your solution!

TIMELY TIP

Interesting Questions Interesting questions are relevant to the situation and the person. When it’s about Them, it’s interesting to them and they will share more information and be more open to how you can help them. Every aspect of the sales process should be WiifT focused—What’s in it for Them?—and this includes your questions!

Information you gather about the buyer’s position, company, and situation can be used to ask questions that are relevant to the person. You don’t typically ask the facility maintenance person the same questions in the same way as you would ask the facility administrator. The focus of their roles, their experiences, and their POWNs are different—and thus so should the questions.

Indirect Questions Indirect questions draw out the intent, emotions, and preferences of the buyer. To explain the importance of this type of question, I’ll use an example of someone planning a vacation.

First, read the following questions:

• “How many people are in your family?”

• “What’s your budget?”

• “Where do you want to go?”

• “Who will be traveling?”

• “What are your dates of travel?”

• “What airline do you prefer?”

• “Why do you want to stay in this location?”

Notice the tone of this series of questions. They begin with how, what, where, who. And at first they appear to be open-ended, yet they are really closed and direct. They lead directly to narrow specific information responses.

Now, read the following questions related to helping someone plan a vacation:

• “Tell me about the type of vacation you want to take.”

• “What is your travel experience?”

• “What type of activities do you want to include in your trip?”

• “What is your budget?”

• “Who will be traveling with you?”

• “What places do you want to explore as options? Which do you want to stay away from?”

• “How many days do you have available for travel?”

• “What concerns do you have about traveling outside the country?”

• “What is one thing you want to experience?”

Notice how they ask for information, not just data. The responses to the second series of questions allow the vacation planner to collaboratively discuss options with the traveler.

Adjust Your Questions to the Tribal Type

Tribal Type preferences come into play during the Investigate step as well. When you speak their language, the questions and conversation are more rewarding.

Commanders and Achievers often prefer “thinking” words in their questions:

• “Please share with me your thoughts about _________.”

• “What do you think is creating _________?”

Reflectors and Expressers respond to “feeling” words in their questions.

• “How do you feel this will _________?”

• “How does your team prioritize _________?”

Years ago I was working with a group of high-level financial professionals. At the end of an activity I asked, “How do you feel that activity worked for you?” and directed the question to a woman in the group who stared blankly back at me. I waited for her response . . . five seconds, ten seconds, and then another participant said, “You asked a Commander a feeling question!”

I smiled and immediately restated the question, “Lisa, how do you think that activity worked for you?” She answered within moments.

Adjusting the questions to fit different Types isn’t that difficult. Jeff Eigner, a Business Development Advisor, easily adjusted a question seeking a buyer’s priorities to best resonate with the different Tribal Types:

• Commander: What does your analysis indicate are the top three issues facing you?

• Reflector: What has your team determined to be the top three issues?

• Expresser: How would you prioritize your top three issues?

• Achiever: What are the top three issues facing you?

Notice how the questions seek the same information, yet are phrased differently. Making your questions interesting means they are relevant and adjusted for Tribal Type preferences. In addition to word choice, the buyer’s Tribal Type factors into what information they want to focus on.

The Commander and Achiever Tribal Types may be comfortable discussing problems and reviewing risks because they want to “fix” things. They want to address problems by tackling them head-on so they don’t get in the way of success. This isn’t always true for Expressers and Reflectors, who may want to avoid potential conflict.

Expressers and Achievers like to “dream” and are comfortable talking about opportunities. They are generally more open to being early adopters of ideas and solutions. Discussing hopes, dreams, and possibilities is energizing for them.

Different phrasing makes a profound impact on how easy your questions are to answer. If you speak with multiple decision makers, this personal example may sound familiar.

Many years ago when my husband, Jon, and I started working with our financial advisor, Mike Haubrich, he asked us, “What are your dreams for the future?” My husband, a Commander/Reflector, was confused: What did this have to do with our money? Wasn’t Mike a financial advisor? Why would discussing our dreams for the future play into a review of our portfolio? He wanted Mike to narrow that question down into a time frame with more concrete specifics.

On the other hand, I am an Achiever/Expresser and I loved the question. I wanted to talk about the vacation home I hoped we would have, funding the kids’ college education, and the plans for expanding my business. I was frustrated that Jon didn’t want to discuss the wonderful opportunities for our careers, finances, and family.

Jon also is very comfortable exploring and focusing on potential risks and problems, while I quickly sort through risks and minimize them, focusing more on the potential rewards. Mike has his hands full working with us, allowing each of us to explore our combined and individual POWNs in ways that are interesting to each of us.’

Asking great questions is a very important action in the Investigate step, and we’ve just covered the whats and hows of asking these questions. Prepare to make your questions productive and then pair the great questions with Actions 2, 3, and 4 of the Investigate step to be an investigator rather than an interrogator.