Question Based Selling – Your Step By Step Guide
One of the best ways to improve your sales conversions, is by implementing a sales strategy based on question based selling.
Question based selling is highly effective, because instead of assuming what your potential client may be interested in; you can ask questions and get the exact answer instead.
In this article, we’ll be answering what question based selling is, why question based selling is an excellent strategy, and examples you can use throughout your sales process.
Question Based Selling – Your Step By Step Guide
What Is Question Based Selling?
Question based selling is the process of using well thought out, targeted questions to uncover your potential clients needs, and find out what it is in fact they’re looking to solve.
On the surface, potential clients can give you a variety of reasons as to why they’re in the market for your product or service.
However, using well thought out and deep diving questions, you can uncover information to better assist them with their true underlying desires, and potentially position yourself as the solution.
Why Is Question Based Selling An Excellent Strategy?
As mentioned, question based selling is an excellent overarching strategy to use in your sales process, because it takes away any assumptions you may have prior to going into your sales conversations.
Assumptions; and assuming what your potential client wants, or needs is a key reason as to why so many Sales Professionals don’t close more sales.
Making assumptions not only breaks rapport; but can potentially have you present something that your potential client has no interest in.
Another reason as to why question based selling in an effective strategy, is because when used correctly – you can help potential clients sell themselves on the need for a solution.
When you make a statement; there’s a 50/50 chance your potential client will believe you. To put it into perspective, that’s like playing roulette at the casino.
If you ask excellent questions, you can lead your potential client to reply as to why they need a solution; which in turn helps them sell themselves. Because people believe what they say, their response will sell themselves on the need for a solution.
Furthermore; there are other benefits by using a question based selling strategy. These include:
- More engagement
- Builds rapport and empathy
- The potential client is more motivated
- It positions you as a specialist; rather than an ‘order taker’
Your Sales Process
Prior to looking at some question based selling examples, it is imperative that we first dive deeper to understand why so many Sales Professionals make a grave mistake with their sales conversations.
This mistake – is that they wing it with their sales conversations, and don’t use a proven system.
Simply put, they lack a sales process.
The most important tool you can use as a Sales Professional or Business Owner, is to use a consistent sales process to guide you while having your sales conversations.
An excellent sales process will be based on question based selling; where you can ask clearly defined questions at various times during your conversation, which not only helps your potential client to sell themselves, but helps you get a clear understanding as to how (and if) you can serve the potential client.
The sales process should cover each of these important elements:
- Qualifying questions
- Decision makers
- Situation questions
- Pain searching
- Desired results
- Objection handling questions
To learn more about implementing a sales process, read the related article below.
Related article: The Sales Process – A Step By Step Guide
Question Based Selling Examples
As mentioned; your sales process should take your potential client on a journey, which allows you the opportunity to ask the right questions during each step of the process.
Below is a list of categories and some examples to help you implement your question based selling strategy.
Sales Discovery Questions
“What’s currently going on in your business right now?”
“To ensure you leave with great value today; what do we need to ensure we cover?”
“Help me understand how I can help you today?”
Further reading: 10 x Powerful Sales Discovery Questions To Add To Your Toolkit
Assumptive Close Questions
“If you could, would you like to get more leads?”
“Would it make sense to find a better way to convert more sales?”
“Sales can be hard at times; would you like to learn a better way to help convert more prospects into buyers?”
Further reading: What Are Assumptive Close Questions? (With Examples)
Rapport Building Questions
“What are you currently working on at the moment?”
“Where did you work before you started working here?”
“Why did you decide to make the change and work here?”
Further reading: 10 x Questions To Ask A Potential Client
Qualification Questions
“What’s prevented you from solving the issue until now?”
“Who else should generally be involved, before your company makes a buying decision?”
“Can you please share when you’d like to have this fixed by?”
Related article: BANT In Sales – How Does it Work?
Closing Questions
“Would you like me to help you solve this issue?”
“If we could find a way to help solve this issue, would you be happy to proceed?”
“What happens next?”
Further reading: 5 x Closing Questions To Win More Sales
Question Based Selling & Tie Down Techniques
Question based selling is an excellent strategy, because not only does it enhance empathy, enthusiasm and rapport, but it can help potential clients sell themselves on a need for a solution.
In sales; there is a technique called sales tie downs; a step by step questioning approach that turns a shaky belief, into a definite yes.
Also known as assumptive close questions, tie down sales techniques is a process that turns your statements into questions – which help transition your belief about your product or service, to your potential client.
Read the article below to implement tie down sales techniques in your sales process.
Related article: The Down Sales Techniques – Your Ultimate Guide
Final Thoughts
Question based selling is a very effective strategy to implement in your sales conversations; particularly if you’re selling high end and high-ticket products.
If you have a consultative sales role, question based selling should be a must if you wish to have consistent sales success.
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