Effective communication starts with great questions.

If you've read any of my sales articles, you'll know that I use a simple 4-step process to communicate with prospects and clients. This can be used on all calls but especially the notorious "cold call".

The 4-step process is:

1. Build Rapport
2. Get Information
3. Give Information
4. Get Commitment

This process is effective because it's simple and easy to use. The key to executing the process is asking great questions. To illustrate a way to use this process, here's an example of questions you can use for each step.

1. Build Rapport - There are hundreds of effective ice breakers, so the key is asking an open-ended question that comes natural to you. The goal is to ask an open-ended question that may will lead into more question asking for step #2. We are simply getting the conversation starting to flow. The question you open with would depend on several factors. Is this a first call? Is this a scheduled call? Do you have any rapport to expand on? If it is a first call and it's a scheduled call, we'll use rapport that we can expand on. Typically, you'll have a contact in common and can start there. A simple question like, tell me about what you and Matt have been working on? can get things started. The key is, we want to discuss things that get your prospect to relax and open up. As the relationship develops, it's crucial to use your notes that you have taken to remember key rapport building factors. Next time, you talk you can start with the rapport you have established on the last call. For example: Last time we talked you told me you and Melissa were heading to the Desert, where did you end up going?
2. Get Information - On every call, we want to understand how much time you have to talk. If the call is scheduled for 30 minutes, confirm by asking, "What does your day look like today, are we still good for 30 minutes?" For this section, we want to ask open ended questions about what your client is looking to accomplish. This will establish the motivation that led to the call and start to uncover needs. Here are three good questions to start with. #1 "What specific outcomes are you aiming to accomplish in the next year?" This question encourages the prospect to think about measurable and tangible goals, helping you understand their key objectives more clearly. #2 "What potential obstacles do you anticipate could hinder achieving these goals over the next year?" This wording makes the question more forward-thinking and helps uncover specific concerns that may need to be addressed. #3 "Which goals or initiatives are top priorities for you to achieve within the next year, and why are they important?" Adding "and why are they important" invites the prospect to explain the reasoning behind their priorities, giving you deeper insight into their motivations and decision-making process. The more information, the better. The key is getting information that you can respond to with a solution involving your product or services.
3. Giving Information - With the information you have gathered, we can start to hint at solutions to any needs that have been discussed. A good question to use to start this section is simply, based on a few things you've mentioned, I have a solution that may work for you, are you open have you heard of xyz?
4. Get Commitment - As you start to discuss solutions, it's time to ask for more time to look at each solution. A simple question may be, can we schedule a call on Monday to discuss next steps?

This process is great because you can use a slew of questions in each section. You can try different questions and see what works best.

Please leave a comment if this info is helpful. If you try the process, I would love to get feedback on how it works for you.