Hey, 👋 Scott from The Sales Mastermind here.

Today’s edition only takes 3 minutes.

The quality of the answers you get is determined by the quality of the questions you ask.

Today we'll cover:

• Storytime
• Lead with Questions
• Types and Examples

Storytime

During the week, I was reviewing the slides for a webinar I regularly run, which reminded me how low the bar is for being great at questions.

Because most sellers outright suck at asking questions.

And it's not their fault, just like everything, there is a framework and a structure to asking great questions.

Today is a hyper-practical list of question types and styles you can use in your next sales meeting.

Lead with Questions

An average seller closes more deals per month than an average buyer purchases in a year.

Which means even average sellers are experts on what it takes to buy, and even more so on what it takes to buy their product. And buyers know this.

Therefore, buyers expect sellers to lead sales calls. They expect the seller to guide them, since the buyer doesn't know what is needed to pitch your product.

And specificity in your questioning is the only way to lead effectively.

Example, never start a sales meeting with:

Always start with a specific ask, bonus points if it's well researched or directly related to their industry, such as (fill in the blanks):

Types and Examples

Below is a list of question types, their intended purpose, and an example for each.

1. Soft Closes

At every stage of a sales journey, you need to ensure the buyer sees value. The more value you build, the simpler it is to close a deal.

Soft Close questions can be Closed (Yes or No) or Open (soliciting a deeper response).

Examples:

​More here​

2. Clarifier

Most buyers suck at asking questions; therefore, before you answer a buyer's question, make sure to clarify that you are answering their actual question.

Example:

​More here​

3. Objection handling

Often, buyers will ask for something hyper-specific you don't have (example: "Does it come in blue?").

However, they're almost always trying to solve a deeper objection, and if you use a question to shift the focus, you should be able to answer the deeper objection.

Example:

4. "No" Questions

From an early age, children learn that the answer "Yes" is dangerous, especially to a salesperson. And by extension, "No" is safe.

Use this childhood programming to your advantage by asking questions where "No" is the best answer for you.

Example:

5. Commanding Statements

Replacing questions with statements can allow you to ask for a hyper-specific piece of information that is hard to do with a traditional question.

Example:

​More here​

6. Assumptive

Used in moderation, assumptions can move a conversation forward and position you as an expert in the industry.

Example:

7. Wrong Assumptions

Buyers love to correct sellers. If you occasionally make wrong assumptions, buyers might correct you with the right information.

Use Wrong Assumptions exceedingly sparingly because they have the possibility of making you look incompetent and untrustworthy.

Example:

8. Really Bombs

Robert Cialdini's "Law of Consistency" means people have a deep need to be consistent with their past words or behaviours.

By dropping a Really Bomb immediately after a buyer says something positive, you give them a chance to be consistent with their words.

The answer to a Really Bomb provides you with insight into your buyers' real thinking.

Example: When they say something positive, respond:

​More here​

9. Confusion

When you are unsure what to ask or how to move a conversation forward, use the ultimate "get out of jail free" question. Simply ask:

"What do you mean?"

Pick one of the above question types and use it in your next sales meeting.

Until next week,
Scott Cowley

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