Win New Customers by Asking Questions

Win New Customers by Asking Questions

A speed-dating study reported in the May/June 2018 issue of the Harvard Business Review analyzed whether asking many questions or very few questions would be more beneficial in getting a second date.

The study included two groups. The first group could ask their date at least nine questions in 15 minutes. The second could ask no more than four questions in the same time period. Researchers found the people who asked more questions were more memorable to their speed dating partners. They also were more likely to be asked on a second, more traditional, date.

Is it possible the same result could apply to cleaning contractors when first meeting with a prospective customer? After all, this meeting is a first “date” with a potential customer.

Very likely, the answer is yes.

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask

Questions are a powerful tool. They unlock learning and build relationships, trust, and bonding, all of which can turn a prospect into a customer. Some jansan distributors now use questions to better understand, analyze, and address customer needs.

Asking questions is a crucial part of consultative selling, also known as solutions-focused selling. This selling method doesn’t involve self-promotion or product promotion, which are part of a more traditional sales approach.However, it has proven effective for many distributors and can be useful for cleaning contractors as well.

Choose Your Questions Carefully

Randomly blurting out questions won’t get the best results. The questioning process needs to follow a sequence that begins with a social conversation.

Before meeting with building managers, find out as much as you can about them on LinkedIn. Read about their background, then put together a list of questions to ask about their past. Remember, people like to talk about themselves.

From here, gradually change your focus and ask more pertinent questions. But be sure to offer your prospects an escape hatch. For instance, start off with, “May I ask you…?” You are asking their permission, and this helps ensure the questioning process moves along comfortably. Here are some examples:

  • “May I ask how satisfied you are with your current cleaning contractor?”
  • “May I ask, are you considering making a change, such as hiring a new contractor, within the next few months?”
  • If you don’t mind my asking, “is there a specific task you would like your contractor to do, or a specific service you would like it to provide, which your current contractor does not offer now?”

It is imperative to pay attention to the conversational dynamics. If prospects look like they are becoming uncomfortable or defensive, back off and return to general friendly conversation. If they appear to be opening up, continue asking questions. This will help both of you gain a solid grasp on the facility’s needs.

It appears speed-daters and great salespeople have more success by asking questions. View the entire questioning process as a dance. The more in sync the partners become, the better the chance these prospects become customers.

 

           
Posted On May 30, 2018
Topics Tags
 

Also in Business and Management

Troy Harrison
May 27, 2025 Jeff Cross

Why Your LinkedIn Strategy Is Failing—And How to Fix It Fast

May 27, 2025 Troy Harrison

Training Tips for Resistant Sales Staff

May 21, 2025 Jeff Cross

Don’t Get Poached: 4 Rules to Keep Your Top Accounts Secure

May 19, 2025 Nate Lucht

Overcoming 3 Key Struggles Cleaning Business Owners Face

Sponsored in Business and Management

Sara Porter
October 7, 2024 Sponsored by Spartan

Transforming Clean: An Inside Look at the Healthy Green Schools & Colleges Program

October 1, 2024 Sponsored by Advantive

Operation Headache: How to Overcome Supply Chain Inefficiencies

September 13, 2024 Sponsored by Nilfisk

How Nilfisk Helped Jani-King Unlock New Revenue Streams

September 13, 2024 Sponsored by Precision

Supercharge Business Growth With Data Insights and Analytics

Recent News

vaccines for pregnant women

Doctors Worried About Health of Mothers & Children after HHS Covid-19 Vaccine Announcement

Chicago Housing Authority Creates Healthy Homes Division

CDC Accepts Recommendations for Mosquito-Transmitted Virus Vaccine

Cintas Names Runners-Up for the 2025 Custodian of the Year Contest

Win New Customers by Asking Questions
Share Article
Subscribe to CMM