Open and Closed (Questions)
Most of you who've been in sales have taken a class or two along the way in which the topic of open and closed questions was introduced. I recently read a blog post on EyesOnSales in which a reader took issue with an author's example of a closed-ended question. This reader claimed that because a couple of the author's examples did not elicit a "yes" or "no" answer, it was not a "closed" question.
Clearly, somewhere along the way this salesperson was taught that closed questions meant "yes/no", and open questions were everything else. A closed question is one that can be answered with one word - whether that word is "yes", "no", "sixteen," or "2004." But what does it matter?
In and of itself, it doesn't. What does matter is that you understand the concept behind the term, why it matters, how you would use it to your benefit, and actually using it to your benefit. In this case, it's important understand the concept of open and closed questions (the former encourage your prospects to "open up", while the latter gets - or confirms for you - important facts concerning what the prospect just opened up about.) But more broadly, whether you master the definitions of any other sales term you come across - what's vital is that you "get it", and use it effectively.
But since the title of this article is Open and Closed (Questions), let's stick with it. For many of you, what follows may be review - but then even professional athletes find reinforcing the fundamentals to be valuable. As I've written about many times, skillful questioning is key to both making sure you're spending time with only well-qualified prospects and to ratcheting up their interest level so that it raises their desire level to "gotta have it!"
So how come so few of us do it? Why are we so eager to launch into a product description or demonstration before we even have a clue what aspect of our product is going to be meaningful and exciting to the prospect (because we haven't dug deep enough to know)? After all, your prospect most likely is not going to know as much about what you sell as you do (the internet notwithstanding). Particularly if you sell a product that is not well known or well-understood, or one that is purchased infrequently. It's your job to help them connect the dots between their problems, challenges, frustrations, or aspirations and your product's or service's capabilities. You do this by asking Open questions that get them talking while you listen, and Closed questions to lock down facts and confirm understanding. Then - and only then - can you reasonably proceed to demonstrating how the features of offering will make that connection.
ACTION ITEM
Take an honest look at how you interact with prospects once you get the appointment. After the small talk, do you launch into a product dump, or do you come prepared with a set of questions (in your head or written, it doesn't matter) designed to uncover your prospect's need (or lack thereof) for what you offer? Are you using a mix of open and closed questions (more of the former) and trial closes? If so, great - keep it going. If not, get started (for a list of all-purpose open- and closed-ended questions, click here). Before long, you'll find yourself having more meaningful and informative sales conversations (as opposed to pitches), more well-qualified sales opportunities, and - in the end - a higher closing rate and more sales.
Clearly, somewhere along the way this salesperson was taught that closed questions meant "yes/no", and open questions were everything else. A closed question is one that can be answered with one word - whether that word is "yes", "no", "sixteen," or "2004." But what does it matter?
In and of itself, it doesn't. What does matter is that you understand the concept behind the term, why it matters, how you would use it to your benefit, and actually using it to your benefit. In this case, it's important understand the concept of open and closed questions (the former encourage your prospects to "open up", while the latter gets - or confirms for you - important facts concerning what the prospect just opened up about.) But more broadly, whether you master the definitions of any other sales term you come across - what's vital is that you "get it", and use it effectively.
But since the title of this article is Open and Closed (Questions), let's stick with it. For many of you, what follows may be review - but then even professional athletes find reinforcing the fundamentals to be valuable. As I've written about many times, skillful questioning is key to both making sure you're spending time with only well-qualified prospects and to ratcheting up their interest level so that it raises their desire level to "gotta have it!"
So how come so few of us do it? Why are we so eager to launch into a product description or demonstration before we even have a clue what aspect of our product is going to be meaningful and exciting to the prospect (because we haven't dug deep enough to know)? After all, your prospect most likely is not going to know as much about what you sell as you do (the internet notwithstanding). Particularly if you sell a product that is not well known or well-understood, or one that is purchased infrequently. It's your job to help them connect the dots between their problems, challenges, frustrations, or aspirations and your product's or service's capabilities. You do this by asking Open questions that get them talking while you listen, and Closed questions to lock down facts and confirm understanding. Then - and only then - can you reasonably proceed to demonstrating how the features of offering will make that connection.
ACTION ITEM
Take an honest look at how you interact with prospects once you get the appointment. After the small talk, do you launch into a product dump, or do you come prepared with a set of questions (in your head or written, it doesn't matter) designed to uncover your prospect's need (or lack thereof) for what you offer? Are you using a mix of open and closed questions (more of the former) and trial closes? If so, great - keep it going. If not, get started (for a list of all-purpose open- and closed-ended questions, click here). Before long, you'll find yourself having more meaningful and informative sales conversations (as opposed to pitches), more well-qualified sales opportunities, and - in the end - a higher closing rate and more sales.
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