Here's how you can enhance sales communication by actively questioning.

Ask right probing questions and be patient to listen to the client's issues and requirements. Try to keep questions open for the client to share their opinion. Even if thoughts vary, try to understand their prospective. This helps create an environment for the client to speak up and share needs.

Asking the right questions not only helps you understand your client's needs but also builds rapport. The way you ask questions influences how the client will react and their interest in doing business with you. By diving deep into their main pain points, you show them that you are the solution they've been looking for to help them succeed.

In my experience and when coaching clients on sales, leveraging open ended questions is a great way to encourage clients to share more information and not just stay with the surface level. When someone gets into what feels like a natural conversation and where they're provided the space and given the time to just talk/say what's on their mind they'll often end up sharing more than if you asked direct questions. Open ended questions gives you the opportunity to allow them to share what they're really thinking or wanting, it also gives them the opportunity to feel heard and listened to.

Active Questioning - an under-utilized sales skill. By questioning a client, you help ensure the client is clear on their goals and knows what their looking for. Asking questions you already know the answer to - may seem counter intuitive, but it opens the door for you to guide the client to that same vision. It's always better to have the client reach your conclusion on their own, as opposed to you presenting it as yours. People are always more likely to prefer their own ideas to others. By allowing them to claim the idea as their own, you've now done your job. You sold.

Listen to understand. Discovery is arguably the most important part of the sales process because you get a chance to learn a lot of information that all future conversations are built upon

In my opinion building rapport is really just making someone feel as if they're being really listened to, you don't have to pretend to have had the same experience as them, be the same type of person as them etc that type of fake rapport building can be sensed a mile off too. Actively listen to the answers they give you, actively listen to what they're saying, encourage them to share more, check that you've understood what they're saying rather than just assuming. Then you can use the information you're gathering when actively listening to tailor your continuing questions in a more personalised way. Making them feel as if you're actually paying attention and not reading off some pre arranged script not paying attention.

Enhancing sales communication through active questioning starts with genuine curiosity. Don't begin conversations with your pitch in mind. Asking the right questions at the right time is key to truly understanding your customer’s challenges. By asking insightful questions, you ensure you’re not missing the mark. Clarify their goals, obstacles, and priorities to understand their situation fully. Remember, the goal is not just to sell a product but to solve real problems and add value.

Actively listening and using active questioning, gives you the opportunity to then tailor your pitches and solutions to perfectly fit your potential clients needs and desires. Tailoring your positioning of the offer, potentially even tailoring the product and service, using examples that would be relevant to your potential client to show ROI based on what they've shared etc all ultimately means that you'll spend less time having to convince them that this is the right product or service for them. When done correctly they'll essentially have sold themselves into whatever you're selling!

If you're asking the questions they're thinking. The more brain activity the more invested someone is. So if you can get them answering your questions. You're on for a winner

Modern sales extends beyond sales pitches, although they remain significant. It is essential to cultivate a conversational environment. Achieving success in sales relies heavily on a consultative approach rather than transactional.