Let’s face it:

In the world of B2B sales, the difference between a great sales opening and a missed opportunity often comes down not to the sophistication of your product or your service, but to the quality of the conversations you have with your prospects.

Today's buyers crave meaningful, value-driven sales interactions that address their unique challenges and goals.

To facilitate such conversations, we need to shift from a sales-centric approach to a buyer-centric dialogue.

Sellers need to stop focusing on what they want to sell, and instead focus on helping buyers to buy from them. Viewing the sales engagement from your Buyer’s perspective opens a whole raft of new opportunities.

Here’s a tip, ask yourself this:

If I were in my Buyer’s shoes…
What would I want a seller to talk about?
What would I want to know?
What’s important to me?

Killer Sales Engagement Questions.

Without further ado, here are four killer sales questions that can transform your sales openings into engaging business conversations.

1. "What are you looking to achieve?"

Why ask this question?

Because this question sets the stage for a business-focused discussion by immediately turning the spotlight on the prospect's goals. Instead of diving into your sales pitch, you invite the prospect to share their vision and objectives. This approach not only shows that you care about their success but also provides valuable insights into their priorities and how you can align your offerings to meet their needs.

2. "What will success look like for you?"

Why ask this question?

By asking this question, you encourage the prospect to first imagine and then articulate a vivid picture of their desired outcomes. It not only helps them to identify WHY they want the solution to their challenges, but also helps you understand their definition of success, which can vary greatly from one buyer to another.

This insight allows you to tailor your solutions to ensure they align perfectly with the prospect's vision of success, making your offering more relevant and more compelling for them.

Suddenly, you’re not selling a solution, you’re now selling a desired outcome for your buyer.

3. "What’s been holding you back?" or: “What Have You Tried So Far?”

Why ask this question?

Identifying your buyer’s obstacles is crucial for any meaningful business conversation.

This question invites the prospect to open up about the challenges and barriers they face, what they may have tried before, and what hasn’t worked for them so far, and why it hasn’t worked.

Understanding these pain points not only helps you to avoid proposing ideas that have previously failed, but to position your solution as the ideal remedy.

This question also helps to build trust, as the prospect will see you as someone who’s genuinely interested in solving their problems, rather than just making a sale.

Pro Tip: A great follow-up question is this:
“What would happen if you can’t get there?”

This question makes your prospect imagine their worst case scenarios. But it will also remind them that you’re there to help them to a successful outcome.

4. "What would it mean to you if you could get there sooner?"

This question taps into the emotional aspirations of your buyer. It also makes them imagine the practical implications of achieving their goals ahead of schedule.

You are helping your prospect to first imagine, and then aspire, to a quicker resolution of their issues. Whether that’s gaining a competitive edge, boosting revenue, improving operational efficiency, lowering cost, or whatever else is in it for them.

By framing the conversation in this way, you instil a sense of urgency, highlighting the importance of taking action now, and paving the way for a shortened sales cycle.

Summary

Each of the four questions is designed to steer the conversation away from your traditional sales pitch and towards a deeper, more meaningful business dialogue.

Here’s how they work together to create a compelling narrative:

• Focus on the Prospect's Agenda:
  Starting with their goals and vision ensures that the conversation is centred on what matters most to them. This builds rapport and positions you as a partner in their success.

• Define Success:
  Understanding their vision of success allows you to tailor your solutions to meet their specific needs. It also helps you measure the potential impact of your offerings, making your proposal more tangible and personally relatable.

• Identify Challenges:
  By discussing obstacles, you uncover the pain points that your solution can address. This not only helps in positioning your product or service effectively but also builds trust as the prospect sees you as a useful problem solver.

• Highlight Urgency:
  Discussing the benefits of achieving goals sooner creates a sense of urgency and importance. It helps the prospect see the immediate value of taking action, making them more likely to move forward in the decision making process.

Conclusion

In today’s competitive B2B sales landscape, the ability to engage in meaningful business conversations is what sets successful sales professionals apart from the rest.

By using these four killer discovery questions, you can transform your sales interactions into value-driven dialogues that resonate with your prospects and drive better outcomes for both parties.

These questions help you understand your prospects on a deeper level, tailor your solutions to their specific needs, and build stronger relationships that are based on mutual trust and joined success.

Start incorporating these questions into your sales process and watch how they elevate your conversations from mere transactions to strategic business engagements.

Your Have 3 Options To Go From Here…

Learn how to open effectively and to build rapport, even trust,
right from your first point of contact with a new prospect!

I look forward to hearing from you.

Peter Strohkorb

PS: Many of my clients have been where you are now. Take a look at what they experienced…