Management & Sales Training Newsletter

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“Problem, Probing and Solution Questions”

-Problem Questions-

After discovering information regarding your prospect’s current situation by asking situation questions, the next step in the sequence of your sales conversation is to ask questions that will elicit problems that your prospect has that your product can solve.

These so-called problem questions will be harder for you to ask and harder for your prospect to answer. Why? Because situation questions merely define certain benign aspects about your prospect’s circumstances. On the other hand, problem questions draw out negative feelings about their current situation. Keep in mind that many of your prospects don’t realize how bad off they are in their current situation until you’ve done a good job for them.

Some examples of problem questions are:

Do you mind if I ask what motivated you to invite me in today?

If you were ever going to upgrade or change in the future, what would cause you to do so or what would you have to be convinced of first?

Where do you expect to be in 2-3 years and how will your needs be different at that time? What steps would you be thinking of taking between now and then so that you’ll stay ahead of the curve?

Are you completely satisfied with the way it’s working now?

What sort of issues or frustrations are you experiencing?

What types of challenges does your current product or service give you?

I sense that you’re frustrated by that…am I right?

Am I hearing you say that you’re not able to get the turn around time you need?

What other concerns do you have regarding follow up and support?

-Probing Questions-

Once you find what the problem or pain is, the next step in the sales process is to help the prospect find the true cost or significance of their problem. You achieve this by asking probing questions. These questions will define the so called depth of the problem. Remember, once you discover the pain or problem, you must bring it to the surface, stir it up, press on it and magnify it. Why? Now your prospect is motivated to do something about the pain or problem.

Probing questions are characteristically more difficult to ask than problem questions because they delve into the pain associated with the problem.
These questions are so important because you must be able to show your prospect the gap between where they are and where they can be, how you’re the bridge to that place and most importantly, what it’s going to cost them to not be at that place.

In certain sales conversations you may even witness prospects actually getting angry or cry. Why? Because you are helping them relive the pain of their problems and the consequences of those problems. Part of your job as a professional in selling is to give your prospect the binoculars so that they can see the dead-end sign at the end of the road they’re on.
Obviously, that can be painful sometimes.

Examples of probing questions are:

If you don’t do anything regarding this problem, how will that affect you?

What do you mean by saying that it’s not working?

Tell me more about the responsiveness issues?

Would you elaborate on the problems with your current contract?

Give me an example of your service issues?

What are the disadvantages of no local service?

How do you feel about your problems with coverage?

What does that cost you?

What happens if you continue this way?

What all is involved in dealing with your current issues with this product or service?

What are you going to do if you cannot solve that?

How will this affect your future financially, emotionally?

How much is it increasing costs, decreasing income, or wasting your time?

-Solution Questions-

The last set of questions to ask your prospects are far easier to ask and often times enjoyable because they focus on exactly how the customer will benefit from your product or service.

Solution questions explain how your product or service solves their problems and the consequences of those problems. These questions also show how your product or service works and what it does specifically for the customer in terms of how they benefit. Keep in mind that benefits mean different things to different customers. Benefits can mean more money, more time, more productivity, more efficiency, ease of use, better looking, etc.

Following are some solution questions:

If you could alleviate that problem what type of impact would that have?

What would it mean to you if you were able to solve the turn around time issue?

Have you thought of the difference our response time would make?

Have you thought of how much better off you’d be with our guarantee?

Have you thought of the cost, savings, and value?

If this could improve your sales by 20% what would that mean for you and your company?

Suppose you had 24 hour availability, how would that help?

Would you explain how better terms would help?

Would that be the most important benefit of more coverage to you?

What other benefits do you see?

Are there any other ways this tracking system could help you?

Do you see the benefits of having one point of contact?

Would it be of value to you to be able to get immediate delivery?