Ask the Right Probing Questions to Make Your Sales Strategy More Effective

Difference Between Discovery and Probing Questions

Asking discovery questions (in a discovery call) will be more related to inbound leads. These questions are used to understand why the customer came to you; thus, you will also have an answer to some of their needs. Examples: Why have you signed up with us or started a free trial? Why did you contact us? Etc.

While probing questions are more related to a needs assessment, what questions can you ask to see if they have any underlying needs they don't even know about or aren't addressing now? These questions are more important for you to sell a higher quota and help the customer to the bone.

Probing Questions From a Consultant's Point of View

This means you will ask how their processes or product purchases are now. Ask as many questions as possible to understand their current situation completely. Once you did this, from your professional point of view and your business point of view, how would you do things differently? What could increase their profit or help them in a certain way?

Do active listening and confirm some of the things they said to ensure you understood everything correctly. As a salesperson, you are completely dependent on this skill and don't want to take this lightly.

Uncover Your Prospects' Core Needs

You have understood their business process (at least the part your business offers solutions to), and now confirm with them which processes or products are not the best nor most efficient option for them. You are not pitching yet; you're reviewing their process and products to clarify what you can improve together. However, you can throw some ideas at them or warm them up by making them excited about the products/services you'll offer them.

Now you have confirmed the exact products and processes which are not the best, but what about everything else they have told you? Are there other processes or products you could help them with? Make touchpoints with those observations you would change to increase their productivity or profit. Maybe you can suggest other weak points in their processes/products without breaking them down. This allows you to help them even more and sell more.

Discovery Questions in Sales (Inbound)

• "How may we help you?"
• "What led you to us?"
• "How do you believe we can solve your problems?"
• "How much is your company willing to invest in solving this problem?"
• "When would you like to start this process?"
• "Is there anything specific you would expect from us?"
• "What are you most excited about regarding this?"
• "What are the products/services you were looking into?"
• "What are you currently using?"
• "Why are you looking for a replacement?"

Probing Questions in Sales

• "Could you please give us some background information about this?"
• "What is your current situation/problem?"
• "Tell me more about it."
• "Is this something you have been considering for a while?"
• "What are your current challenges and why?"
• "What goals and objectives do you have for this?"
• "Is there a timeline bounded to these goals and objectives?"
• "What are the key outcomes you want to see with this?"
• "What do you like about your current supplier?"
• "What would you like to see better than your current supplier?"
• "What are you using/doing now?"
• "What are you using/doing now to reach your goals & objectives"?
• "What are your preferences regarding the solution?"
• "Can you please tell me more about that?"
• "Can you give me some examples?"
• "Could you be more specific?"
• "What do you think about my proposal?"
• "How does that sound for you?"
• "Could you confirm the following information for me?"
• "Is there seasonality in your business? How does it affect your business?"