Getting Customer Conversations Unstuck – Use Explore Questions!

By Michael J Griffin

Customer resistance can stall the buying process. If not resolved properly, it can ruin the sale. One effective way to keep the buying conversation positive is to use “Explore Questions.” The purpose of these questions is to move the customer attitude from resistance to engagement. They help the customer see problems, needs and your solution from a different perspective, yet positive perspective.

Set the Stage for Explore Questions to make sure you understand the what, why and feelings of his/her resistance.

            Tell me why you feel that way?

            What’s your reason for this?

            Can you please elaborate?

Then Explore to collaborate by asking questions with these “explore” key words.

• Explore: Can we explore this problem from a different perspective?

• Analyze: Let’s analyze what happened? What might be the root causes?

• Compare: How would you compare your market pre and post Covid?

• Consider: Have you considered the alternatives?

• Contrast: How is this issue different from your normal production process?

• Evaluate: Let’s evaluate the pros and cons of moving forward. What might they be?

• Imagine: Can you imagine the changes on customer service and repeat sales?

• Reflect: If you were to reflect on how this problem came about, what comes to mind?

• Positive Effect: What might be the effect on your revenue if we solved this problem?

• Negative Impact: What would be the impact on your profit if sales were flat this year?

• Suppose:

–        Put on Restrictions: If you had to solve this by end June, what needs to be done?

–        Remove Restrictions: Suppose budget was not a problem, how would you solve this production bottleneck?

Explore questions get the customer to change his/her view on their problem and resistance to you and your solution. While you ask the questions, be keenly aware of any problems or issues in the customer’s answers or comments that Connect to these needs:

            Finance – Raise revenue or reduce cost

            Productivity – Increase performance, reduce time

            Image – Protect or improve organizational reputation

            Safety – Reduce risk and failure

            Order – Improve or streamline process

Empathize with these needs and introduce your product feature and benefit to resolve the customer problem or need.

Remember to move the sale forward, research shows that you must uncover and satisfy 3 needs. So you may have to repeat the Set the Stage, Explore, Connect and Empathize process more than once.

Develop your list of Explore questions and use them to keep your sales conversation moving from resistance  to collaboration and move the sales conversation to a positive close!

Have a good week “exploring” with your customers!

Michael J Griffin
Founder ELAvate!
Sales Productivity Consultant
Cross Cultural Sales Coach