The Art of Using Open Ended Questions

Have you ever found yourself in the right place at the right time with a prospect or potential business partner and you draw a blank? It seems as though things are going in a positive direction and you don’t quite know what to do next. Well before you can get a Yes from all those No’s, you still have to do a bit of discovery to gain trust and credibility.

And in any selling opportunity, we all know there is a certain amount of knowledge that you must have to successfully close the transaction. Now I’m not just speaking about closing a sale for a product or service, I’m also speaking about closing the sale for a new business partner. I like to refer to those folks that you introduce to your MLM opportunity as your “Business Partner,” it has a more professional sound, don’t you think.

So one of the most important tools you’ll need to have is knowledge of how to use Open Ended Questions during the discovery process. When you are actively pursuing any type of sale, you have to find out what the needs are of the prospect or potential business partner. Our main purpose is to gather information. You can do this be asking open ended questions that begin with What, When, How, Who and Why. Focus the question on the prospect not the product or service.

For example, here are a few open ended questions you might ask after presenting the product, service or business opportunity:

What did you like about what you have heard so far?
What is your current job situation?
What do you like about what you are doing right now?
If you could change anything about your current situation, what would it be?
Share with me what your overall expectations are about (company)?
How would you benefit from (company)?
What price range would you be comfortable with?
Who would you have to consult with to make a decision to go forward with (company)?
When would you like to get started with (company)?

These are a few examples of open ended questions you can use to put the prospect at ease and get them to talk about themselves. When you gain their trust, it allows them to share their real needs, wants and desires, which in turn will provide you with a wealth of information helping you get to know them better. Prove to them that you really care and raise their comfort level where they will want to purchase from you or partner with you.

Having vast knowledge about your service or product is great. However, mastering the art of using open ended questions can pull you out of the stumped…I don’t know what to do next phase once the presentation is over. It can be a useful tool in moving you forward toward a successful sale or new business partner.

Wishing You Much Success!

Karen McPherson