5 Qualifying Questions You Must Ask Every Time

 

One of the most difficult parts of working in sales is learning to tell the difference between leads and prospects—that is, a qualified lead that has engaged with you and has the potential to become a paying customer. How can you determine which is which?

A good way of separating leads and prospects is using qualifying questions. Sales representatives who do this are more likely to identify a potential customer, meaning they can use their time more efficiently.

 

But what exactly are qualifying questions for sales leads? Why do they matter so much? And what are some good examples of qualifying questions that salespeople should incorporate into their conversations?

Read on to find out!

 

 

What Are Qualifying Questions in Sales?

So, what are qualifying questions in the world of sales? Simply put, they are the questions that salespeople ask leads to determine if they are likely to become a prospect.

Qualifying questions in sales can help sales representatives decide if continuing a relationship with a lead would be an efficient, useful way to spend their time.

 

While often neglected, asking qualifying questions is an essential part of sales. Qualifying questions can help make sales representatives more productive and help to boost conversion rates.

 

Why Is It Important to Ask Qualifying Sales Leads Questions?

Did you know that lead quantity and quality are one of the most difficult challenges to overcome in sales? It’s true. In fact, studies show that almost 70% of lost sales are lost due to sales representatives neglecting to properly qualify leads.

Clearly, then, one should not underestimate the importance of qualifying questions. Sales representatives should use incisive questions to establish the quality of a lead before taking the relationship any further.

 

Doing so will not only ensure that they are using their time most efficiently, but it will also provide a significant boost to sales conversion rates.

 

 

Effective Qualifying Sales Questions

Hopefully, you now have an understanding of why qualifying questions are so important. However, you may be wondering what types of questions are useful for qualifying sales. If so, this section will be particularly useful for you.

Below, we’ve assembled five of the best sales qualifying questions salespeople should ask their leads.

 

These penetrating questions should help you separate the wheat from the chaff and allow you to generate more useful leads for your business.

Please keep in mind that the below questions are just a few examples of the types of queries you should be making. This list is by no means comprehensive.

 

Five of the Best Qualifying Questions for Sales

 

1. “What was it about our company that caught your attention?”

The first entry in our list of lead qualifying questions, this query can help you determine what brought the customer to you. This is useful information, as it can help you better understand what it is they prioritize as a buyer.

For some, value for money is the most important factor when it comes to selecting a product.

 

Others might appreciate your company values more, or they may have heard your product is of a higher quality than that offered by your competitors.

Whatever their reason for considering you, having an insight into your lead’s thought process can help you be more effective as a sales representative.

 

2. “What are you hoping our product will help address?”

This is one of the most important qualifying questions sales representatives can ask. By understanding what problem your client is trying to solve, you will be better able to help guide them to the appropriate product or service.

Additionally, by encouraging the customer to reflect upon their reason for checking out your product, you might just encourage them to take action.

 

Once they’ve answered the question, summarize their response and repeat it to them; this will not only increase your own understanding but will, hopefully, push them toward making a decision.

 

3. “Have you tried other solutions?”

In all likelihood, your product isn’t the first one your lead has tried.

If you’re able to find out what hasn’t worked for them in the past, you’ll be better placed to give them useful advice, which, in turn, increases the chance of you making a sale.

 

Qualifying questions in sales are all about understanding where the customer is coming from and what prior experiences are influencing their judgment.

This question is great for just that.

 

4. “Do you have a particular budget in mind?”

Even the most lucrative company in the world still has to consider its budget when making business decisions. Your lead no doubt has a price range in mind, and finding it out can be extremely useful.

For example, your lead may have shown interest in a particular product but ultimately decided that it was too expensive for them. If you don’t know their price range, the conversation ends here.

 

However, if you know what budget they have in mind, you will be able to point them to alternative options that will get the job done without breaking the bank.

Of course, the opposite is true, too. If you know your lead’s budget is higher than the product they’re currently interested in, upselling becomes a lot easier.

 

5. “What are your priorities here?”

The above query is one of the most important qualifying sales questions you could ask. Some sales representatives make the mistake of assuming they know what a potential lead wants without asking.

Taking that approach is only going to lose you sales.

 

Find out what really matters to your client. This could be:

 

• Saving money
• Boosting efficiency 
• Improving performance

 

When you know what motivates your lead, whether it’s listed above or something else, you will be far more effective as a sales representative.

 

 

Ask Qualifying Questions in Sales for Better Results

Qualifying questions are a great way to determine how useful a sales lead is, which, in turn, can help you to make better use of your time and boost your conversion figures.

As such, make sure you use them to good effect in your sales calls; that way, you’ll be a fantastic asset to your company.

 

We hope that this article has answered any questions you might have had about this topic and that its list of qualifying sales questions has given you some ideas for the type of things you might want to ask during calls.