Pointed questions help connect the dots between their challenges and the solutions your services can provide.

By Alex Yewdell

You probably won’t find much success with sales calls that wrap up in two minutes or less. A productive sales conversation requires an engaged dialogue in which both you and the marketer on the other end of the line are learning and, most importantly, asking questions. Now this isn’t just asking questions for the sake of keeping the conservation going. This is knowing what your prospective client does and giving them the opportunity to reveal any challenges they are currently facing.

Oftentimes, the success of a call is determined before you even pick up the phone. With due diligence, you should already know if your services will be useful to this particular prospective client. You are not calling to find out what they do; you are calling to find out if what you do can help them alleviate a challenge or overcome an obstacle.

Now you may know right off the bat that this organization could benefit from your services. But just because you know, that doesn’t mean it is apparent to the prospective client. You must help them connect dots between your services, their challenges and ultimately the solutions you are able to provide.

Now how do you do this?

You ask pointed questions that will steer the conversation in the direction you want it to go:

• “What challenges are you currently facing?”
• “Has this always been an issue?”
• “Is it slowing down your growth or progress?”
• “What are you currently doing to address this?”
• “Have you ever considered looking to outside help?”

Be genuinely curious. Ask questions that will help you fine-tune your pitch. Then, ultimately, know where you want the conversation to finish.

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