Open questions to identify client needs. Techniques for asking questions in sales with examples

In this article you will find the main weapon for identifying needs. Of course, we are talking about questions and, first of all, open ones.

When you get the hang of it secret weapon, identifying needs will be a cakewalk for you!

First, let's learn to distinguish between closed and open questions. Closed questions imply an unambiguous answer like: yes, forty-five, red, Ivan, and so on. Such questions are not suitable for our task; they serve more to lead our interlocutor to the desired thought or topic of conversation. But more on that in another article.

Open questions require a detailed answer and allow you to “talk” to your interlocutor. They are exactly what we need to identify needs. For education open questions It is best to use particles: why, why, how, what and their derivatives. Remember little children! They bombard us with open-ended questions so sincerely that it is simply impossible not to answer them. This is roughly what is required of you.

Funnel of questions

The first thing any salesperson should know about identifying customer needs is what a question funnel is. Not all coaches teach this term. Although in my opinion it is he who fully reflects.

A question funnel is a sequence of asking questions to maximize precise definition client needs. First, you need to ask open-ended questions that will allow you to understand what exactly the client is interested in about the product or service. For example, if you ask:

- Tell us why you bought this particular car?

In response, the person will begin to say what is important to him in the car. And he will not mention anything that is not personally interesting to him. As a rule, from 2 to 5 main characteristics of the product are decisive. But as a rule, the client will only mention 2-3 characteristics in his answer, so you need to ask a few more open-ended questions. This will allow you to create a list of what you will talk about with the client and, most importantly, you will understand what should not be mentioned.

IMPORTANT!!! EXCESSIVE QUESTIONS KEEP YOU AWAY FROM THE SALE, WEIGH THE NEED FOR EACH OF YOUR QUESTIONS.

Once you understand the client’s range of interests, we begin to ask clarifying questions. They can be open-ended, but closed and alternative types of questions are more often used. You shouldn’t ask too many of them; as a rule, asking 10 clarifying questions is enough. Moreover, the less you ask, the more strength will remain for the presentation of the product. This applies not only to you, but also to the client. There are times when a client is so tired of discussing a product that there is simply no emotion left to listen about the product.

When all the questions have been asked, you can draw a kind of line by drawing. This will allow you to once again remind the client what you talked about. Show that you heard him and achieve some kind of agreement to what you said.

Examples of open-ended questions to identify client needs

We have looked at the main types of questions, now you can go directly to sample questions. Let's start with examples of open-ended questions to identify needs.

What is important to you in a product?
What will you use it for?
How will you use it?
What have you used before?
What do you like about your product?
By what criteria do you choose a product?
Who else will use the product?

Good open-ended questions should get the client to say what's important to them. Such questions begin with the phrases: tell and describe. It is very useful to identify previous operating experience. If it was, then the client will proceed from it. For example, you are selling a TV, you have identified a need and are bringing a Sony to the TV, and the client tells you I had one like this, a TV and it broke. Agree, the situation is not clever, your authority falls in the eyes of the client.

It is also important to understand who will use the product. Often people buy goods not for themselves, but as a gift. In this case, the sale will be conducted completely differently.

Examples of clarifying questions to identify client needs

Each product has its own characteristics that will need to be discussed in any case. Can't make it without them proper presentation. The seller should know clarifying questions well and ask them to all clients. Here's an example of clarifying questions that should be used when selling a washing machine:

Ask about size. A machine is always purchased for a pre-prepared location, and without knowing the dimensions it is impossible to make a proper presentation.
Built-in or free-standing. That's it now more people people choose built-in appliances and washing machines are no exception.
Loading. For big family A machine with a load of 6 kg or more is relevant.
Question about the availability of drying modes and spin speeds. Often people have nowhere to dry things and a machine with a dryer or a good spin is very important.
Find out the color. Modern technology It’s no longer monochromatic, and if a client chooses a machine to match the design, this is important for him.

These are the most basic points, but not all. Make a list important criteria for your product. This will help you not only choose the right product, but also save valuable time.

Identifying needs for accessories and services

Often the seller has goals to sell not only the product, but also accessories or Additional services. The most the right decision will prepare the ground for the presentation of these goods and services and ask leading questions to the client. Here are examples of questions that can be asked to identify needs for services and related products using the example of a washing machine.

Ask about installation and delivery. You put washing machine in place of the old one? Who will do the delivery and installation?
Washing powder and detergent. What detergent do you use for washing? Have you heard about liquid detergents?
About descaling cleaners. Do you know how to care for your washing machine?
About network filters and hoses with aquastop. Do you know what is required to install a modern washing machine?

These questions can also be asked during the presentation. Nevertheless, it is worth noting that you need to fill the shopping cart with related products gradually; if you offer all this at the end of the sale, then there is a high probability that the client will refuse something. I offer accessories gradually, you will increase the number of goods in your receipt.

Examples of problematic issues that shape the client's opinion.

There are questions that will help you sell what you need simply by forming the client’s opinion. It is important to understand that the client does not know a lot and needs to use this for... Let me give some examples:

All people complain that clothes are difficult to iron, have you encountered such a problem? – by asking such a question, you will naturally find support from the client. And you can offer him ways to solve this problem. Such problematic questions are very helpful in directing clients' thoughts in the right direction.

Identifying customer problems is very important. You can use questions like: what problems have you encountered? What problems would you like to avoid? What would you like to improve? Once you find out what problems the client is concerned about, you can offer him solutions. In some types of sales, without problem questions there is simply nothing to sell. This type of sales includes and.

In any transaction, it is important not to skip identifying the client's needs. The examples of questions to identify needs and that we will provide in this article will help you make this stage more natural, smooth and comfortable for the buyer.

You should never rush to present your product or service until you have firm confidence in what the client really needs.

Do not hesitate to ask an extra question, listen - in the dialogue you will receive all the necessary information. If the client is alarmed by the abundance of questions you ask, you can always explain that you are acting in his interests and want to find optimal solution his question.

Mistakes of novice sales managers

at the stage of identifying buyer needs

They skip identifying needs altogether and go straight to the presentation;
ask questions that do not reveal the essence of the client’s needs;
interrupt the client, do not allow him to finish;
They believe that they already know everything and do not delve into the essence of the problem.

Examples of questions to identify client needs

As Examples of questions to identify buyer needs We will look at two well-known plan diagrams:

Client programming scheme to identify needs;
Scheme of sequential questions.

Example topic: the work of a real estate rental or sales manager (realtor).

Example 1: Client Programming Scheme

Phone call from mobile. “Sergey, so that we don’t drag out the conversation and not waste your money, I’ll ask you a few important questions to understand what apartment options we will consider. And then I’ll voice the most suitable proposals, okay?”… Consider that you have already received the first “Yes”.

Example 2: Pattern of sequential questions

Good day, Sergey! I see this object is of interest to you. Please tell us what criteria do you use to choose a room? (which object is chosen and for what - degree of interest)
What house do you live in now? (have you used it before)
What do you like there and what would you like to change? (preferences: likes and dislikes)
What must be in a new home? (principal points)
Are you currently working with other agencies? For example, for clients who have entered into an exclusive contract with our agency, there are special conditions for significant discounts. (special conditions for him are the formation of a trusting relationship)
Please specify your possible budget for buying a house so that we can choose the most suitable options? (we remove possible objections regarding price)
After viewing the options. Which of the houses you looked at suits you best? (we decide on the choice)

There is a stereotype that when selling, price is everything. Many novice managers believe that the client always buys where it is cheaper. That the issue of price is the most important. But experienced sales managers will disagree with them. And they will be right.

During the sale, it is very important to engage with the client and become close to him in spirit, “your” person. Therefore we present Examples of questions to identify client needs, which help the client express his opinion, speak out, relax and trust the seller.

The ability to professionally identify needs and direct the conversation to the desired result is the key to successful sales, high results and stable income for the seller.

By the way, before you even select suitable questions to identify needs, you need to determine the target group of customers who most often use your products or services. The following story will tell you how to do this:

When teaching sales skills to novice managers, we notice the same mistake in most of them - the inability to identify the client’s needs or even skipping or moving too quickly to the presentation of the product. A novice manager, as a rule, prefers to immediately present to the buyer a product that he either needs to sell first, or a product that for some reason he especially likes. For some reason, initially most people are accustomed to considering themselves right and knowing in advance what the client supposedly needs, without bothering to ask him about it directly.

Without knowing why the client contacted your company, without knowing what questions he has, what problems he has, the consultant will not be able to offer a solution and make the sale completed and the client satisfied. Therefore, it is very important to learn to ask the right questions when identifying needs.

It is necessary to begin the stage of identifying needs with a fundamental question, which allows you to clarify whether the client uses your product or service at all, whether he needs it at all. But it may turn out that, for example, you are trying to sell home Internet a person who does not know how to use a computer at all, or CASCO insurance for a person who is not going to buy a car at all. And you can find out only by asking questions!

Remember the situation when you are talking with someone you don’t like. What do you usually do? Are you silent? Or do you just nod your head? Or maybe you turn away and try to end the conversation as soon as possible? But, most likely, you will not ask this person questions, since you are not interested in his answers at all.

If we really feel sincere interest in our client, we will begin to find out his needs, which means asking questions, and we will find out from him everything that he thinks about the product that we sell or the service that we provide. Therefore, novice sales managers first need to learn how to ask the right questions and correctly determine the needs of the buyer, and only then move on to presentation options. Knowing what the client really needs, we can adjust our offer to the most effective way, choose suitable phrases and expressions so that they evoke the necessary emotions in the client and create a need to buy right now. At the same time, when asking questions, you should not go to extremes and turn a confidential, equal dialogue into an interrogation.

Well, now let’s give examples of questions to identify needs that actually help sell.

At the moment of meeting a client and at the very beginning of communication, it is very important to evoke his friendly disposition and sympathy, i.e. establish the so-called rapport. After which you can move on to general questions that are not directly related to the transaction.

If you work in a B2C direction and communicate directly with the client, start a conversation with the client on common topics. For example, an insurance manager might talk about new changes in insurance legislation and ask the client about his thoughts and views. When selling computer equipment, you can talk about new trends and at the same time find out the client’s preferences in the field of IT technologies. Or clarify the client’s awareness of your company, for example:

When was the last time you visited our office?
How often do you use taxi services?

B2C sellers build rapport by talking and asking questions about the client’s company, the state of affairs in the industry, economic development and prospects for business expansion.

How do you assess the support for entrepreneurship in the region?
What do you think about the government's technology policies?

You can ask about the state of the country’s economy as a whole, about the exchange rate of the ruble (dollar, euro), social policy and support for entrepreneurship, about the work of officials and current legislation. The main thing is that the topic is close to the client. Moreover, you absolutely do not need to be an expert in this area; the main thing is to let the client speak. You can also contact him for expert assessment situations, for example:

I heard that the government is preparing new law to reduce taxes for manufacturing enterprises. What do you think of it?

Look carefully at your interlocutor and watch his reaction. He should find a like-minded person in you, experience common interests and emotional support. If you notice a manifestation of negative emotions in a client, sound the alarm and take the topic in a different direction, otherwise you may feel this negativity directed in your direction. And the sale may fall through.

At the same time, you should not get carried away by the conversation on general topics - it should not take more than 5 minutes. Ideally, to establish rapport, 1-2 general issues, the discussion of which should last 2-4 minutes.

When a trusting relationship has been established, we clarify with the client the reason for his contacting your company, find out his problem and urgent need using mainly open questions:

What kind of house would you like to buy? Tell us more.
What is the most important thing for you when buying a new car?
How do you imagine your summer holiday?
What experience do you have working with transport companies?
What were you unhappy about working with your previous supplier?
By what criteria do you choose partners?
Why do you think your staff is not sufficiently trained?
And in general: what can we do for you to make you satisfied?

There are clients who express themselves precisely and clearly, who know what they want. Well, there are those who have not yet decided on their preferences. However, the sales manager still needs to get accurate information from the client, otherwise he risks doing the job in vain without achieving client satisfaction. To do this, the funnel of questions needs to be narrowed down with clarifications.

Please, at this point in more detail...
Do you have information about specific cases? Give some example!
To pick you up perfect option I need details...
And if you have to choose between functionality and appearance, what would you prefer?

After which it’s worth starting a conversation about the client’s price and budget. Don't be afraid to talk about money. There's nothing wrong with that. Moreover, the modern client is already accustomed to such questions.

By avoiding questions about money, you risk getting into trouble by incorrectly assessing the client’s budget, batch size, timing and prospects for cooperation. So feel free to discuss financial questions, since skillful handling of information on amounts and payments will allow you to understand the seriousness of the client’s intentions, his solvency, his interest in the service or product, the possible timing of the transaction, its amount and prospects for repeated cooperation. The more confident and clear the client talks about money, the higher his need for the service, the more promising he is for cooperation, the faster the transaction can take place and the faster you will receive your commissions.

What amount are we talking about?
In what price range do we choose a car?
Do you already have a budget decision?
What volumes and amounts will we be talking about?
Will we discuss financial issues with you or is additional approval required?

Now don’t forget to assure the client that you are the one who can do everything he needs, take into account the necessary nuances that the previous supplier could not comply with, order for the client exactly the car he needs, and generally find, get or make everything that he needs or likes (and that exactly corresponds to the previously identified needs).

Ask questions and listen carefully to the client. Determine in your mind in 3-4 words what he needs, what is important to him and what problems he needs to solve. And only then, at the presentation stage, bring the dialogue to the point that it is your product or service that can solve these pressing issues, and that it is you, and not someone else, who can do everything right.

So, in order to solve the client’s problem you need to:

To set up a contact.
Find out his need or his problem.
Find out what he did to solve the problem. What brought the desired result and what didn’t. (Don’t forget to find out what result is still desired!!!)
Determine exactly what the client needs. (You may not be able to do this right away, but after some practice you will definitely be able to do it!)
Well, now offer him a solution to his problem. Remember, he needs sincere help in solving a pressing problem, give it to him exactly on time and on time. good quality- he will be pleased and grateful!

The above questions for identifying client needs are not a panacea. You can change them, shorten them, vary them at your discretion, see what is effective and works, and what needs analysis and improvement. The range of topics for this is quite wide: from industry development prospects to company plans, from the intentions of the organization’s management to current state affairs, from customer expectations to negative experiences, from personal preferences to strategic directions.

The more competently you learn to ask questions, the more accurate answers you will receive, which means you will be able to satisfy client requests in full. More satisfied customers - more profit - wider prospects for your development as a sales specialist.

Today, in this article I would like to talk about one training, or rather about one training exercise on. Exercise in my opinion correct implementation It can simply open your eyes, if of course this is required, it allows you to take a different approach to communicating with the client and conducting sales. After all, often, inexperienced sellers try to tell about all the advantages of their product, without even hearing the client himself. And such trainings are needed, such trainings to identify needs allow you to “correct” thinking. But first things first.

First of all, about the very phenomenon of identifying needs. For example, a visitor came to us. For what purpose he came, what his needs are, we do not know. And we can go two ways:

The first is to draw conclusions in advance and try to offer something. This path can be considered as an option. But if we don’t know how to read minds, then we may simply not guess. We can talk about the benefits of a product, but the client does not need these benefits. So it turns out either an objection or a refusal.

The second way is to find out why the visitor came to us. That is, find out the needs.
The second way will be discussed further.

Types of questions to identify needs

Questions will help us identify needs. There are three main types of questions:

Open questions

Open questions encourage the client to talk. More on this type of question below.

Closed questions

Closed questions require a monosyllabic answer of yes or no. This type of question is not very informative, but allows you to get a direct answer. Useful when we have received basic information and need final clarification. A canonical example of such a question is the completion of a transaction:
“Are you happy with this decision?” or “Do you like it? Will you take it?

Alternative questions

Alternative questions involve choosing from “either-or” options. For example, when we have received information and need clarification:
"Black or white version? or “Do you have two options or one?”

Types of open questions

Open questions are the most informative, so they should be used in more compared to the other two question types.

Issues of Priorities

Probably the most important view open questions. Questions about priorities allow you to understand what is more important for the client in choosing.
For example: “What is most important to you in your choice?”

Questions about identity

As noted above, we do not know how to read minds. Therefore, if in response to the first question about the client’s priorities, for example, he says that reliability is important to him, then this can mean anything.
Therefore, it makes sense to ask what “reliable” means to the client.

Questions about reasons

Open questions about reasons allow you to understand why the client decided to make his choice. Since the client came to us, there was a reason for this. Here's a reason to find out:
For example, “Why did you decide to choose...?” or “What didn’t suit you about what you had before?”

Questions about circumstances

That is, these are questions about how often the client plans to use our product, in what quantity, under what conditions. That is, here we find out the circumstances of the use of the product.

Questions as a tool

Questions are not needed to maintain dialogue. You need to hear the answers.
An example is a story that a friend told me. She walked into a clothing store, planning to buy a warm, black sweater. The consultant asked questions about my friend's needs and listened carefully. And then he brought a gray, transparent jacket. After which the friend left without buying anything.
The following exercise allows you to learn how to ask questions and listen to the answers to them.

Training exercise

The exercise is quite simple. Two people are participating. One prepares a simple drawing. The second must ask ten questions to understand what is shown in the picture. And after the tenth question, the second participant going through the exercise must draw the drawing that the first one prepared.
The point of the exercise is to develop the skill of asking questions. As the exercise progresses, the value of open-ended questions becomes clear.
The skill of listening is also honed. After all, asking a question and asking a question and hearing an answer are two different things.

TOP 10 open questions to identify needs