One of the essential steps of the sales process is prospecting. Unlike leads, however, prospects have been profiled as potential clients for a specific product or service for a business. This step is an opportunity to create sales and to find more leads that can be used in the future.

While prospecting can be time-consuming, it’s an effective way to find clients. Strategic communication and connections are some of the factors that make good prospecting. It can be done through different means such as phone calls or face-to-face conversations, but it can also be through emails or different social media platforms.

Preparing for connections and communication

Arming oneself with the right information can help in good prospecting. Knowing who the client is can prepare a person to ask the right questions and provide insights to encourage a closer connection with them. 

Some create spiels specific to a client to ensure that the client’s concerns are addressed during their conversation. If there are instances where more information is needed, the best source is to ask the clients directly.

Tips on how to ask the right questions

As some of these tips might be effective during prospecting, it’s also worth noting that these can also be used in different scenarios. It helps keep the conversation going and nurture a healthy exchange of information between the business and the client.

1. Use open-ended questions

These open-ended questions are typically queries that are not answered by a yes or no. Are you happy with the product? and Is it the right time to talk? are some examples of close-ended questions that should be avoided. 

It can get awkward if questions are framed with specific answers and it doesn’t give many opportunities for follow-up questions. Open-ended questions can help build rapport with clients with simple questions such as asking how their business is doing. It also provides richer, deeper insights into what the clients need and their current mood, which can be used to hold a conversation.

2. Ask about their goals and motivation

While most information about a client can be found online, things such as goals and motivations are usually not included in their profile. By asking these questions, you’re able to build a holistic profile for the client, which can be used to custom-fit strategies for sales. It can also be a way to understand what the client’s priorities are and if this can be aligned with the product or service that the business offers. 

Some examples of this type of questioning are: What are your plans for the year? or What are your priority items which we can help you with?

3. Get feedback

Aside from asking more about the client’s company, it’s also good to get their insights about your services. Be open and transparent about what your company can offer and how they can benefit directly from your services. Don’t overreach, but be confident in what you can truly deliver.

4. Look out for challenges

Asking about challenges experienced by clients can be tricky as not everyone is open about these instances. But when the opportunity calls for it, it can open a new perspective on how to deal with clients. This encourages conversations to lean toward how the business can help improve its situation by providing concrete solutions through products and services. 

Questions such as What are the challenges that you’re currently encountering? or What stops you from running your business smoothly? are some examples.

5. Digging deeper through follow up questions

Conversations are not always linear where a question is asked and answered, and then moved to the next topic. It can branch out to different ideas to get more information about the client and what will make them buy or invest in a product or service. Knowing what and when to ask takes experience and practice, and can be different from client to client. It also helps for you to set goals before the start of the conversation to formulate the questions with the right phrasing and tone and get the right and most useful answers.

There are other tips that can be used during good prospecting. Aside from these, it’s equally important to be fully present in the conversation and not simply shoot off one question after another. 

Listening is an equally effective – and necessary - tool for communicating and connecting with clients as it shows genuine interest in understanding a client’s particular concerns and challenges. Asking the right questions can result from getting the right cues from the client, understanding them throughout the discussion, and providing genuine responses from listening.

Do you want your team to learn the vital skills in building a strong sales funnel and seeking out the best prospects? Get in touch with BT Partners today at partners@btpartners-asia.com.