Here are the best questions for conducting a “conversational” sales call – one that seems natural and that just ‘flows’. Each question is powerful yet non-threatening, making it easy to both ask and answer.
About the first question: people have a natural inclination to say ‘no’ to questions, especially if they don’t know the other person. If you phrase the question in a way that a ‘no’ answer is beneficial to you, you’ll get better results.
• [For unscheduled calls] Did I catch you at a bad time?
• Would a quick discussion to find out if there is a potential business fit be a waste of time?
• May I ask how your team or department is organized?
• [Regarding a competitor] Yes, they’re a great company. Are you interested in our points of difference?
• If you were me, how would you sell to your organization? Who else would you talk to?
• Do you have your calendar open?
• If the demo or presentation is successful, would anything prohibit us from moving forward?
• What else should I ask about? What have I missed?