Best Ways to Use Open-Ended & Closed-Ended Questions in Sales

It’s easy to think you’ve asked an open ended question when, in reality, you haven’t, which can affect your CRM pipeline in a negative way. And you don’t fully realize it until you get a flat “no” response back. For example, this may feel like an open ended question: “Is there more I can do to answer your questions?” You may be expecting your prospect to generously respond with a list, when instead they can just as easily respond with, “No, thank you.” Generally, open ended questions are the “where,” “what,” “why,” and “how” questions. For example, in the previous example, the open ended version of the question would be, “What more can I do to answer your questions?”

• How are things going for your business these days?
• How have things been going this quarter?
• What kind of changes are you seeing in 2022 vs. 2023?
• How do you think the next six months will be?
• Where would you like to see your sales, operations, marketing, etc. results be in the next two months?
• What do you think your leadership team is looking for in a product/service?
• Where is your current provider failing to meet you needs?
• What do you perceive will be the biggest challenge for your business this year?
• What are you sales goals for this month, quarter, year?
• In your ideal scenario, what would you like to see happen?
• What sorts of obstacles are you facing?
• How do you measure success?
• Tell me about what you liked/disliked about the previous service.

Asking closed ended questions – those that elicit a “yes,” “no,” or short answer response - is a great way to get a precise answer from your prospect. An example is, “Are you still in the market?” or “May I send you a proposal today?” In general, closed ended questions begin with a verb, such as “are,” “did,” “will,” or “won’t,” “didn’t,” “aren’t,” etc

• Is this the kind of product you’re looking for?
• Are you considering purchasing in the next two months?
• Are you evaluating different vendors right now?
• Does this make sense?
• Is this a good time to talk?
• Are you aware of the promotion we have going right now?
• Who else needs to be involved with making this decision?
• Would you like to give this a try?
• Which option would you like to proceed with?

It’s important to use common sense when talking to your sales prospects and learning about their needs, just as it’s equally important to be natural in your conversation as you gather buyer intent data. However, spending some time to practice asking both open ended and closed questions, even through role-play with colleagues, is a great way to ensure you have a productive conversation and can build a successful relationship with your prospect.

As a sales professional, asking the right questions is essential to understanding your clients’ needs and closing more deals. There are two types of questions that you can use in sales: open-ended and closed-ended questions. Open-ended questions encourage your clients to elaborate on their needs and provide you with more information, while closed-ended questions can help you to clarify specific details and gather quick, precise answers. If you aren't getting high quality leads or are noticing higher attrition in your client base, you may be asking the right questions in the wrong way. Following are the best 5 ways to use open-ended and closed-ended questions in sales:

Establishing Rapport with Open-Ended Questions

Open-ended questions are an excellent lead management strategy to build rapport with your prospects and clients. These questions require a more in-depth answer and encourage the client to share their thoughts and opinions. By asking open-ended questions, you show that you are interested in their needs and are willing to listen. This can create a sense of trust and help build a long-term relationship with the client. For example, you can ask questions like "How did you get started in your industry?" or "What inspired you to start your business?" These questions can lead to meaningful conversations that can better help you understand the client's needs and goals.

Clarifying Details with Closed-Ended Questions

Closed-ended questions are excellent for clarifying specific details. These questions require a simple "yes" or "no" response or a specific piece of information. You can quickly gather information critical to the sales process by asking closed-ended questions. For example, you can ask questions like "Are you the decision-maker in your company?" or "What is your budget for this project?" These questions can help you better understand the client's needs and ensure that you provide them with the right solution.

Identifying Pain Points with Open-Ended Questions

Open-ended questions can help you to identify the client's pain points. These questions encourage the client to talk about their challenges and issues, which can help you identify the best solution and reduce wasted spend in your B2B marketing efforts going forward. By asking open-ended questions, you can better understand their needs and tailor your pitch to address their pain points. For example, you can ask questions like "What are some of the challenges you are facing in your business?" or "What keeps you up at night?" These questions can help you identify areas where you can value the client.

Confirming Solutions with Closed-Ended Questions

Closed-ended questions are also helpful in confirming solutions. Once you have presented a solution to the client, you can use closed-ended questions to ensure they understand the solution and are comfortable with it. For example, you can ask questions like "Does this solution meet your needs?" or "Would you like to proceed with this solution?" These questions can help you to confirm that you are providing the right solution to the client and moving the sales process forward.

Encouraging Action with Open-Ended Questions

Open-ended questions can also be used to encourage the client to take action. These questions encourage the client to think about their goals and take steps to achieve them. For example, you can ask questions like "What are some of the benefits you will see if you implement this solution?" or "What steps do you need to take to achieve your goals?" These questions can help the client visualize your solution’s benefits and take the necessary steps to move forward.

In sum, both open-ended and closed-ended questions have their place in the sales process. Open-ended questions can help you to build rapport, identify pain points, and encourage action, while closed-ended questions can help you to clarify details and confirm solutions. By strategically using both types of questions, you can better understand your client's needs and tailor your solutions to meet their goals. Remember that the key to success in sales is to ask the right questions,