What questions do you need to do to profile your customer?

There is a say in sales, the 80 /20 rule. Listen more than talk, but when you talk you need to know what questions to do and how to get the results you are looking for. How? Behavior applied to sales-Open and End Questions. How to do it?

You can find more information about your clients and the company you dealing with by learning what questions to do, even if they are lying.

Open-Ended Questions

These are questions that require explanations, details and recollection of facts and data. They allow you to build a storyline of events. Some examples of good open-ended questions include:

  • What was the reason the client chose you?
  • Why do you believe you got the job?
  • How do you plan to approach this situation?

Close-Ended Questions

These are questions that require a short answer, a single word or even a sound. For example:

  • Who was in the meeting?
  • Did you attend the meeting?
  • When was the meeting?

Avoidance Questions

These are questions posed in answer to another question. The person changes the subject or questions the person asking the question or the question itself.

  • So, you want to know how much I charge?
  • Didn't you go to Harvard? (This would be in response to someone asking what school this person attended.)
  • You know who would be an even better person to answer that question?

Questions That Don't Demand A Clear Answer

These are questions that are intended to be answered with a yes or no, but allow someone to respond otherwise. An example would be if you asked, "Have you ever had an office romance?" and a person replied, "It was against the company rules." Allowing someone to state that it was against company rules does not actually answer the question.

Similarly, it's the same if you asked, "Do you know who took the money?" and someone replied, "I wasn't there." Be mindful of how you ask questions so you can more effectively get at the truth. Never ever ask two questions in one, as it could give the person an opportunity to get away with only giving you one answer.

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