Why Are Open-Ended Questions the Secret to Powerful Prospecting?

Are you missing out on the best way to question prospects? Open-ended questions can be the key to really getting buyers to open up and share valuable information.

While most reps know that the best way to qualify prospects is to dig in with questions, they may not realize the type of questions matters.

“The right question doesn’t just get a prospect talking,” explains Michael Welch for HubSpot.

“It gives you the raw material you need to position your solution in a way that actually matters to them.”

There’s major opportunity for sellers to level up their questioning, especially as only 32% say they prepare questions before sales calls.

Open-ended questions: Why are they better?

These questions have an edge because they encourage dialogue. Buyers have to give a response that is more than “yes” or “no.” They invite more details because responses have to be more than a single word.

Plus, they demonstrate that you have done your homework. Your questions, based on pre-call research, show the buyers that you have taken the time to learn about them.

It also helps establish credibility and build trust. Asking about a recent expansion or strategic decision shows genuine interest and makes them the focus.

Start each discussion with these questions

Open-ended questions are the best way to initiate any dialogue with a prospect. They should be your first line of questioning as they will guide and shape the rest of the conversation.

Welch suggests starting with lighter questions to warm up the prospect.

“The biggest mistake I see new reps make is going too deep, too fast,” he writes. “Prospects need to warm up before they’ll talk about priorities, budget or timelines.”

Then, evolve your questions to probe a bit more and let the responses guide each subsequent question.

Welch offers specific questions that sellers can integrate into their own conversations.

What are your goals for the next [3, 6 or 12] months?

A question like this digs a little deeper, giving you insight into what the prospect’s goals include. You can learn more about where they hope to grow, as well as their timeline.

You can then follow up by asking about their boss’ goals and how all the goals align with your product or service.

How does your company evaluate new products or services before buying?

This is one of the most important open-ended questions you can ask a prospect. You will find out how new purchases evolve and who has a hand in the purchasing decision. Again, it’s a basic, non-threatening question that gets the prospect talking while also helping you learn more.

If nothing changes in the next 6–12 months, what’s the risk?

Asking this open-ended question allows sellers to highlight the risk of no action without being pushy.

As Welch explains, “Either doing nothing is risky and likely to cost them, or it’s not particularly dangerous and there’s very little chance I’m selling anything.”

Let curiosity guide you

The foundation of excellent questioning is curiosity. Sellers must be genuinely curious about their prospects and how they can help. Tapping into this emotion can fuel your conversations and help uncover insights that will win you the sale.

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