“Everyone says to ask questions but how do I discover my prospect’s needs or problems without sounding like I’m interrogating her?”

I hear some version of that question on a regular basis. The idea that questions are the key to uncovering opportunities is well established, but many sellers have difficulty applying the principle and some question whether questions are even the appropriate technique.

In a short article such as this, we can’t delve into the topic of questioning in depth but we can address the basic issue of the overall role of questions as a tool in the needs analysis phase of a sale.

Needs analysis

Even if we’ve done extensive research and believe we have uncovered an issue or a problem that our prospect may or may not know about but that they need to address, we have to speak with our prospects to discover what their needs and issues are; how important those issues, problems or needs are to them; and whether or not they are interested in investing time and money in solving the issue.