Sales is all about asking the right questions. But sometimes, even with the best of intentions, we can end up asking the wrong ones. I know I’ve been there before. You’re in front of a potential customer who seems interested in what you have to say. You start rattling off your elevator pitch but something feels off.
They keep nodding along but their body language says otherwise. Suddenly, it hits you: you’re not quite sure if they qualify as a good lead yet because you haven’t asked any sales qualification questions! Qualifying questions are an essential part of any sales process yet so often they get overlooked – especially in those high-pressure situations where we feel like we need to make a sale fast.
But trust me, taking that extra few minutes to ask some key qualifying questions upfront will save you hours (if not days or weeks) down the line chasing after leads that were never going to convert anyway…
Qualifying Questions
A qualifying question is a question used to determine whether a person meets the criteria to participate in a study. Qualifying questions are often used by sales teams in surveys and other research to identify a target population.
Asking good, open-ended, and probing sales questions about a sales prospect’s business and needs can help you determine whether they’re a good fit for your product or service.
Asking questions to unqualified sales leads is a waste of time.
What You Should Know Through Your Sales Prospect’s Answers.
At the beginning of a sales qualification process, your goal is to figure out which sales prospects are worth your while and which aren’t. The answers to these questions will help guide you to making smarter decisions about where to spend your precious time.
Even though some sales pitches are successful, some deals will never be closed.
You can tailor your offerings to your sales prospects’ needs by asking questions that reveal their priorities and concerns.
Here are some great questions b2b marketers can ask their sales prospects to get to know them better.
- What problem is your business trying to address?
- How will you know when you’ve addressed it?
- Why are you taking this action now?
- What will happen if you don’t take action?
- Who is involved in making this decision, and
- what are their priorities?
As you refine the questions that you ask your sales prospects, you’ll learn how to make the most of each conversation and make more sales.
Conclusion
Asking the right qualifying questions can mean the difference between a successful sale and an unsuccessful one. By taking the time to ask these key questions upfront, you can save yourself a lot of time and energy chasing after leads that won’t convert. So next time you’re in front of a potential customer, make sure to ask some sales qualification questions to ensure they’re worth your while!
Request a Data License and Access the World's People + Company Data
Want 300 million+ profiles at your fingertips? Updated monthly with the data on your own server/host!
Including personal emails, business emails, mobile numbers, mailing addresses and more.
You get net worth, ages, company data, and more.
Use it for cold outreach, paid ad campaigns, direct mail, social selling or even cold calling.
Use it with unlimited access for your own app, outreach campaigns, or as a client service.
Oh, and did I mention we can identify individuals visiting your, or your client's, website?
Contact us for how you can access the entire dataset, on your own server. No more API limits, no price per contact.