Questions Drive Sales

No need for expensive sales tools!

Want to close more deals?

Just start by talking less and asking better questions

Too often folk walk into calls with a pitch and a prayer
They fire off features, recite value generic props and hope something sticks

That’s not selling. That’s guessing

Great salespeople don’t 'pitch'
They diagnose. They coach. They guide

And the tools they use?

Questions

Not random, 'just curious' questions

But intentional, structured, well-timed questions that uncover problems, drive clarity and open the door to a real solution through shared understanding

Four types every salesperson should have in their kitbag:

🔶 Open questions – get the customer talking

You’re there to learn, not lecture (and help them to think)

- “What’s the biggest frustration in your process right now?”
- “How are you measuring success today?”
- “What’s changed for you recently?”

These questions open the door. Don’t rush to fill the silence

🔶 Probing questions – dig deeper

Don’t stop at the first answer.

- “What’s causing that?”
- “How long has that been happening?”
- “What’s the real impact?”

Go beyond symptoms. Find the root cause

🔶 Summary questions – confirm what you’ve heard

Clarify. Align. Keep things clean

- “So it sounds like missed deadlines are costing you deals. Have I got that right?”
- “Your priority is reducing downtime, not just improving reporting. Fair?”

Repeating back builds trust and makes sure you’re solving the right problem


🔶 High Gain questions – help them think bigger

This is where the lightbulb moments happen

- “What would it mean for your team if you fixed this?”
- “What’s the cost of doing nothing?”
- “If budget wasn’t an issue, what would you change tomorrow?”

Challenge the status quo without being pushy

One question is never enough

You job is to help them make sense of things 

- “Tell me more.”
- “Who else does this affect?”
- “What happens if this isn’t solved?”

Sales isn’t about having all the answers
It’s about knowing the right questions.

Ask better. Listen harder. Go deeper.
That’s how you find the real deal

What’s your go-to question to get a customer talking and thinking?