Probing the Needs

Typically, these questions do not have "right" or "wrong" answers; they open up new areas of discussion, and will absolutely help differentiate your form your competition.

Needs-oriented questions get the customer talking and are far more open ended. They can be quite imaginative -- "if you could change one thing about the way you do business today, what would that be?'--or even provocative. Typically, these questions do not have "right" or "wrong" answers; they open up new areas of discussion, and will absolutely help differentiate your form your competition.

Responses from the customer will encompass everything from their objectives goals, hopes, expectations, and aspirations to their problems, concerns, worries, and fears As your relationship with the client evolves, you can ask progressively deeper questions that will help reinforce trust.

ACTION POINT: Use imaginative and provocative questions to uncover your customers needs.