Questions That Sell

Timing the Educational Question

There are three key times when an educational question will be most useful. First, educational questions can be used as a teaser on a voice mail message; second, as an icebreaker at the beginning of a meeting; and, third, as a way to stimulate conversation during a lull in a meeting.

The first instance is probably the simplest to execute. We have all experienced days almost entirely spent on the phone, leaving voicemail messages for prospective and current customers only to see none of those calls returned. Rather than simply leaving your name and number (or worse, a three-minute speech about your product), leave an educational question that conveys a sense of importance, even urgency. For example, consider a ...