If you want to truly engage a prospect or client, it's actually much more effective to listen than to talk. The key to engagement is interaction. The vast majority of salespeople are more than ready to talk about their products. But how do you persuade your prospect to talk?
When getting prospects to open up, it's helpful to employ different types of questions. Here are two:
1. Heart questions. It may not be what we say that affects our prospects in a personal way but rather how we respond to what they say. If we can get to the core of an issue and hear our prospect express pain or joy, we will have made a significant connection. If we listen and show we care about her situation without speaking, we will be perceived more positively. And in order to do this, we must pose questions that get to the "heart" of what matters most to her.
Examples of powerful "heart questions" are:
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- "What has surprised you most about being a grandparent?"
- "What were the biggest challenges you had to starting this career or business?"
- "What keeps you awake at night?"
- "What is your greatest accomplishment?"
- "Who are you responsible for?"
Almost everyone who answers questions like these will experience some kind of emotional response. If you ask these types of questions and are authentically concerned with the answers, you will forge a connection that will not easily be forgotten.
