What is a closed question examples. The technique of setting open and closed questions
ASKING QUESTIONS
Monologue in sales is not allowed. The best strategy for every salesperson is the one with the right sequence of questions. However, not all questions are equally useful. At least at different stages of the sale and depending on the degree of trust the client has in us, the sequence and form of questions may differ significantly. Consider the main options.
ASKING PERMISSION
Used to neutralize a possible negative reaction of the opponent to your questions:
- Tell me, how do you usually recruit staff?
- Why are you asking me questions, tell me plainly what you need.
- What are you doing to promote your site?
- Why are you asking about this?
How do you usually motivate your employees?
- I don't think this is related to the topic of the meeting. What exactly did you want to tell me?
- Where do you usually keep your savings?
- Why should I tell you this?
- What would you like to change in the accounting system of your company?
- I don't want anything, everything suits me. And I only have ten minutes, so let's not waste time asking questions, just voice your proposal.
Before asking, justify that your urge to ask questions is solely due to the desire to help the client, and ask for permission.
So that we can find the right option for you, let me ask you a couple of questions ... (Short pause.) Please tell me ...
OPEN AND CLOSED QUESTIONS
Closed questions are those to which the client can answer either “yes” or “no”. In the vast majority of cases, inexperienced salespeople ask closed questions. There is no need to practice asking them, because the questions are formulated automatically.
- Are you interested in our offer?
- Would you like to try our products?
- Wouldn't you like direct deliveries?
- Maybe we can try to start working?
- Do you agree to our terms?
- Would you like to improve the quality of the product?
- Maybe we can agree?
- Do you want to invest in this project?
- Is this question relevant to you?
The seller himself creates a problem for himself, giving a chance to the client to answer “no”. Accordingly, there is a need to work with objections. In addition, it gives the impression of an interrogation: a long question - a short answer. The client answers briefly, without revealing at the same time. Therefore, it is very difficult to catch his needs, understand the train of thought and look for common ground.
Asking closed questions is acceptable with good rapport and/or clarification, and to get a more complete answer with the informational questions “Why?” or "What's the reason?"
- Have you tried using the integrator?
- No.
- Why?
Open-ended questions are those that the client is forced to answer more fully and extensively when he does not have the opportunity to answer briefly - “yes” or “no”. Asking questions in this mode does not happen automatically and requires the development of a certain skill.
An easy way to ask open-ended questions is to start the question with interrogative pronouns "who", "what", "what", "what", "why", "why", "how", "for what", "where", " in what", "when".
- What do you think about...?
- Tell me, what is the reason that you...?
- How do you usually...?
- How do you select staff?
- What should be considered first of all when drawing up a package of services?
- What is the reason that you decided to come to the master class?
- What is our task?
- What will be the next steps?
- How do you feel about...?
- How did you come up with the idea...?
- What can you get if...?
- How do your customers react to...?
- How are you currently...?
- What are you doing to ensure...?
When answering an open question, you get enough information to draw conclusions about the needs of the client, find intersection points, and join his values.
TECHNIQUE "FURNISHING"
Questioning technology (used mostly in sales) that allows you to have the client tell you the main points that are important to you. The main starting points are:
PRINCIPAL INTEREST IN YOUR OFFER.
"I take it you're interested in just such a system?"
"The price range is large, please check the price."
"Tell the deadlines so that we can deliver everything on time."
DECISION MAKER.
"Do we need to involve someone else in your company to discuss this issue?"
What happens in normal mode?
The customer asks you about the price and when you can deliver the goods. You tell him how good the product is, that it costs only 100 dollars, and you can put it anywhere and at any time. After that, the client, citing the fact that he does not make decisions, takes a time out to think about the price. If the client himself said that he basically needs your product, he has money and he plans to buy now and makes a decision himself, this forces him to buy. The challenge is to get the client to ask questions and get answers in which they formulate their thoughts aloud and state the main starting points that are important to you, after which it will be much more difficult for him to refuse your offer.
The use of technology means:
- GOOD ESTABLISHMENT OF CONTACT WITH THE INTERCOURSE;
- USING THE TECHNIQUE OF ASKING PERMISSION TO ASK QUESTIONS;
- USING THE QUESTIONNAIRE FOR THE CLIENT.
INTERCEPTION OF THE INITIATIVE
The question is a tool of power. Who asks questions, he owns the initiative. The one who answers takes the leading position. In normal selling or negotiating with a weaker position, the initiative usually belongs to the opponent.
If your original phrase is:
We would like to offer you...
then the standard question that the opponent is forced to ask you:
- Which Proposition?
And then comes the next conventional scheme: the seller talks in detail about his offer, the buyer is silent, listens and asks clarifying questions. The main mistake sellers make is that after answering a buyer’s question, he pauses, during which the client either expresses an opinion or objection, or (in the vast majority of cases) asks the next question.
- How many items from this assortment do you have in stock?
- Fifteen.
- And how quickly can you deliver them to us?
- During two days.
- How much does it cost?
- Ten thousand dollars.
- I understood everything, thanks. I'll think about it and call you back.
It all ends with the fact that the client, having received all the information, informs you that he is not interested in your offer, or refers to the fact that he needs to think.
ERRORS IN ASKING QUESTIONS
Approach from afar
An inexperienced or poorly trained salesperson, while understanding the need to ask and identify needs, does not know exactly what questions to ask.
And accordingly, questions are asked not so much for the cause, but for the sake of asking questions.
They usually start from afar:
- How long have you been on the market?
- How did you start?
- What difficulties do you face?
Questions of this kind can be used in small talk to establish contact and find ground for conversation when the subject is not clear. With a specific, understandable meaning of the meeting, such questions can cause irritation on the part of the opponent and an internal reaction like “why is he madpot mco questions, the answers to which lead nowhere.”
In order to avoid such a mistake, it is necessary to carefully consider corporate scenario sales.
"Kalashnikov"
The mistake is that an inexperienced seller asks several questions in a row in one "clip".
Tell me, do you have experience in organizing such events? And who was the organizer? Well, I mean, what would you like to see there?
The client does not have time to catch the meaning of all questions and answers only the last one. Usually this disadvantage is inherent in sellers with increased energy, overly talkative. Behavior gives the impression of fussiness, frivolity. Corrected by awareness of behavior, training. Slowing down the pace of speech, working with the client according to the script and training in the "cold" mode in front of the camera are necessary.
"How are you?"
Asking "lengthy" questions, when the client does not really know what to answer, and, perplexed, loses the thread of reasoning. He feels awkward, in limbo.
- What would you like from us?
How do you like our trainings?
- How do you generally work with your staff?
This happens because the seller, mentally building his own line of behavior, wants to hear the desired answers from the opponent. But the client does not always have time to figure out what they want from him.
The interlocutor answers in monosyllables and just as incomprehensibly - in the mode “what is the question, this is the answer”:
- How are you?
- Fine.
- Well, how do you like the proposal?
- Nothing.
In order to get out of this situation, give the interlocutor several answers if you see that he is “hung”. It's best not to fall into this position.
The mistake is that by asking a closed question, the negotiator gives the opponent an opportunity to say “no”. In addition, these questions are often used in the mode of so-called "insult questions".
Are you interested in getting better quality products at lower prices?
- Would you like to earn more money?
- Do you agree that our offer is the best?
The lower the opponent's status, the easier it is to influence him with these questions. The higher the status, the greater the chance that by asking such questions, you will lose authority in the eyes of the interlocutor, you will cause overt or covert aggression, hostility, and rejection.
Explanation: a status, influential person, even with internal consent, does not want to externally confirm his interest in anything. Answering such questions, he loses the role of "the one who allows things to happen" and changes it to the role of "the one who is forced to agree".
"Jumping Hare"
The mistake of an inexperienced seller when asking questions: the answer to the previous question has nothing to do with the next question. Questions go randomly, not obeying a certain sequence, canvas, which leaves a feeling of incoherence of the conversation, the uncertainty of the seller and can cause unconscious irritation in the client. The interlocutor does not see confirmation of the significance and necessity of his answers for further conversation.
- How many years have you been on the market?
- Ten years.
- What do you specialize in?
- On the supply of equipment for the chemical industry.
- Do you have a specialized department for working with difficult clients?
Such an order (disorder) is acceptable with a good establishment of contact, an accurate understanding of the purpose of asking questions in this sequence, and the justification expressed to the interlocutor why he needs to answer these questions. In the usual case, the rule is used: "The next question comes from the previous answer."
- How many years have you been on the market?
- Ten years.
- What do you specialize in?
- Supply of equipment for the chemical industry.
- Say, equipment supplies require highly qualified from your employees?
- Yes, sure.
- How do you select them?
Asking questions in sequential mode can be divided into segments.
For example, you first ask questions about the services that the client needs:
- How do you train employees?
- They are taught by our corporate trainer.
- If they are already being trained, what is the reason that you decided to contact the training center?
- We would like to get more effect from training.
- What exactly is meant by effect?
Then you switch to another segment. For example, if you agree on terms:
- Do you have a specific training schedule?
- Not. There is no strict binding.
- Based on what considerations will we set the date of the training?
It is necessary to pay attention to the fact that improper adherence to this rule can lead the conversation far away from your immediate commercial offer. This usually happens if the seller has not been able to find a starting point to determine the buyer's greatest benefit.
Often the seller himself has a feeling of inefficiency in asking these questions. He doesn't know what to do next.
- How many years have you been on the market?
- Ten years.
- Have you been here in Moscow all ten years?
- No, we moved here from Arkhangelsk.
- And how many were in Arkhangelsk?
- Two years, but there were difficulties.
- What are the difficulties?
- Lack of personnel.
- And for what reason?
You can get rid of this shortcoming by compiling a corporate sales scenario.
INFORMATIONAL AND DECISIVE "NO"
When asking closed questions, it is necessary to distinguish between the following options for the answer “no”.
Informational “no” - an answer in which you only receive information that the client (for example) is not familiar with this problem, has not encountered it, does not know the details, has not used something, etc. The positive point is that that no matter how the interlocutor answers your information question, positively or negatively, you always have the opportunity to continue the conversation in the way you need. You get a decisive "no" by asking a direct closed question, forcing (often pushing) the client to make a decision by answering with an automatic refusal. This response puts the client on the defensive, complicates the negotiator's task, and escalates tension.
Information "no"
Do you use XXX methods in your work with personnel?
Decisive "no"
Do you want to apply XXX methods in your work with personnel?
For any answer to the information question (“yes” or “no”), you can say:
- Well, then we have a common topic for conversation.
Questions that can lead to a decisive "no" can be used in a good rapport or in a tough negotiation mode.
QUESTION "WHY?"
In most cases, the question is pronounced automatically at the moment the opponent refuses or disagrees with you:
We will not agree with you.
I do not agree to these terms.
No, why?
This scheme will not work.
Failure to establish contact leads to:
- UNCONSCIOUS AGGRESSION OF THE OPPONENT;
- AUTOMATIC REACTION "BY HEAD";
- STATEMENT (LOUD) THE REASON WHERE THE CLIENT DOES NOT AGREE WITH YOU;
- OPPONENT'S TAKING STRICT STANDS AGAINST YOU.
Often as a result of the question "Why?" you ARTIFICIALLY get a PREMATURE and maybe not yet fully considered answer, which, when expressed in some form, forces the opponent to stick to it. The interlocutor does not have the time and/or inclination during the conversation to think carefully about the real reason for the refusal, and the pressure of your question leads to the fact that he expresses just the first suitable objection that comes to his mind.
Opponent-buyer receiving goods from a factory owned by relatives:
We are not interested in your offer.
The assortment is too narrow, the color scheme is too faded, and the material is not of the highest quality.
An investor who is afraid to admit that he did not understand what the profitability of investments is:
For me, the question of investing money is irrelevant.
I have already invested in another project.
Buyer whose wife offered to buy a tour from another operator:
I will not buy this tour.
Well, I don't like the hotel and the beach is far away.
The question "Why?" can be used with good contact, as in this case it allows you to quite fully find out the REAL reason for the failure and, accordingly, get the opportunity to work with it.
It is better to use the wording "What is the reason?", or, for example: "How is it that ...?"
GENERAL PRINCIPLES FOR GETTING THE RIGHT ANSWERS FROM THE OPPONENT
Technique of asking questions "Labyrinth"
It is used very effectively when working with a group and making presentations in which interactive work with the audience is acceptable. It is necessary to write questions from the audience in advance and possible answers to them. The basis of the technique is that you ignore answers that don't work for you and purposefully talk about options that lead you further to the conclusion or action you need.
Example.
The task is to recruit several advertising agents from among the undergraduates by holding a presentation.
Standard Solution:
Hello, I represent a large company. We have been on the market for a long time, we work in such and such an industry, with such and such companies.
We need only a few employees, whose tasks will include: ..............................
Our requirements for employees:...........
If you join our company, you will receive:.......................
If anyone is interested, fill out the form and contact us.......................
Another example of a presentation:
- What is necessary in life?
Health, happiness, money, success, freedom, etc.
- Let's talk about money. Where do they come from?
Win, rob a bank, work for a salary, open your own business, etc.
Let's talk about our business. What is needed to get started?
Desire, money, idea.
- Let's talk about the idea. How would you prefer to start a business? starting capital or without?
Socrates method. Receiving the required answer ("yes" or "no")
The application of the method requires a fairly good contact with the opponent. In some cases, the interlocutor's answers are implied without receiving verbal confirmation from him.
Common use:
Are you already working with someone in this area?
And you chose the most profitable option for yourself?
That is, when you chose, you compared?
Do you know that the market is constantly changing?
And it may well turn out that someone provides better conditions?
And to refuse more favorable conditions - means to lose money?
In order not to lose money, it is necessary to consider offers, and the sooner the better, right?
Another example.
I take it you've been driving for a long time?
And, probably, they changed more than one car?
Did you get into trouble on the road?
Do you think this could happen again?
Have you heard that reliable car security systems save lives?
That is, it makes sense to refuse to save on your health and invest money once to protect yourself just in case?
A more modified technique involves getting the desired answer in any case. If it can be assumed in advance that the opponent will object in response to your statement, then you ask a question in the mode: “as a rule, you do this, but you also know that there is an exception to the rule, right?” Further construction of the conversation is based on the answer that is more preferable for you, beneficial. During the conversation, you can choose any option: either "as a rule" or "exception".
Formative (informing) question
The ability to ask formative questions requires serious preparation and is an extremely effective tool in sales, negotiations, presentations, debates, arguments, etc.
The use of this technique allows, depending on the need:
- INFORM (OPPONENT OR OUTSIDE OBSERVERS);
- FORCE TO A FAVORABLE ANSWER FOR YOU;
- DECREASE OR INCREASE IMPORTANCE;
- SET THE REQUIRED ACTION PROGRAM.
- Will you find something to do when I sometimes go away on business?
Direct question: "Find something to do?". Info: "I'm going to leave." The subtlety is that the opponent, answering the main question, automatically gives the embedded information the status of “correct”, “truthful”, “taking place”.
FUNNEL TECHNIQUE
The classic technique for identifying customer needs graphically resembles a funnel that narrows downward.
- General situation, somehow related to your commercial offer.
- The presence of a problem or several problems in this situation that your client would like (could) solve with your proposal.
- Possible variant (options) of solving his problem.
- The choice of the optimal this moment decisions, fixation on the first action of a technical nature.
SITUATION QUESTIONS
Questions, answering which the opponent is forced to describe the usual standard process, to clarify the situation, which is indirectly somehow connected with your commercial offer.
How do you usually choose your supplier?
Tell us, if possible, in more detail about how you allocate the budget.
Sometimes a question is asked in order to get the opinion of the interlocutor about current situation. If you receive a positive response, encourage the client and continue the conversation. When you receive a negative answer, you "push" the interlocutor's opinion with the fact of a meeting or with an appeal to the highest benefit.
As the client responds, ask clarifying questions. If he doesn’t talk enough, use “nudge” techniques if necessary:
What else?
But more about this.
Example:
How do you usually organize promotions?
We usually recruit promoters and hand out flyers.
Anything else?
Yes, we set up stands in public places.
Oh, but about this, if possible, in more detail.
When you ask situational questions, you solve several problems at the same time:
“PUNCH” THE CLIENT WITH QUESTIONS, SO THAT THEY START TALKING MORE AND BECOME MORE OPEN;
SCAN THE CLIENT'S SPEECH FOR SEVERAL PROBLEMS, NOT JUST THE ONE YOU SUGGEST. IT IS POSSIBLE TO RETURN TO THEM IF THERE IS NO AN AGREEMENT ON THE MAIN ISSUE;
MAXIMUM "JOIN" TO THE INTERVIEWER.
Pay attention to the mistake of novice sellers - they can also ask situational questions, but not related to the main offer, leading away from the topic of conversation.
PROBLEM ISSUES
Questions that clarify the essence of the client's specific problem in the current situation, or questions about what is the decisive factor for him in choosing, the determining criterion. Depending on the degree of establishing contact, choose the degree of directness of questions about problems. With good contact, questions are as direct as possible and can be asked almost from the very beginning of the conversation, without preliminary introductions.
What do you dislike about your current position?
What exactly is the problem with recruiting?
What would you like to change?
In the absence of contact, direct questions about problems turn into questions that devalue the partner. By asking them, you automatically put the client in the position of "a person who has problems" and get an aggressive or defensive response.
To avoid this, formulate the question more gently, offering the client the position of "a person who is already doing well, but if it gets better, he will not refuse."
What do you pay special attention to when organizing a promotion?
CLARIFYING QUESTIONS
There are several types:
- DEEP;
- ABOUT IMPORTANCE;
- LEADING FROM A KEY POINT;
- PROVOCATE TO THE ANSWER YOU NEED;
- ABOUT CONSEQUENCES;
- SUGGESTED;
- ABOUT ADDITIONAL NEEDS;
- TECHNICAL, ABOUT THE FACTS.
The last two types of clarifying questions are discussed below.
Clarifying questions about additional needs
Questions you need to ask after a core need has been identified and a fundamental interest in your proposal has been shown. Often the opponent does not think about any details, and the seller's task is to make him think about the expediency of acquiring additional benefits. Leading questions are recommended to be used after a fundamental interest in the main product has been fixed.
Algorithm for developing these questions:
1. What is a basic need?
2. What additional components would we like to offer to the customer?
3. What questions should be asked to the client so that he agrees to our offer or shows interest in additional components?
Salon conversation:
As I understand it, this phone model suits you perfectly, and this is a gift for a girl.
Yes exactly.
Tell me, does she have a car, does she drive herself?
How do you like the idea of giving her a hands free headset so that she can talk calmly with her hands on the wheel and not be distracted? She's comfortable and you're comfortable. What do you think?
I think, yes.
Clarifying technical questions about facts
Questions concerning the identification of technical details, facts, characteristics. The use of these questions does not require special skill, and therefore they are used by poorly trained salespeople almost from the very beginning of the conversation, which is a mistake.
The problem is that the seller, having failed to achieve a fundamental interest, begins to ask about specifications choosing a service or product. Then he receives from the client the answer "I'll think about it" or "we're not interested." You can ask such questions immediately with good contact, customer loyalty, or after preliminary work on all counts: "driving a hook", "asking permission to ask questions" IT. d.
- What is the number of employees in your company?
- What program do you use most often?
- What volumes do you process per year?
- What are the deadlines?
- What mechanisms do you use?
- How many vehicles does your fleet contain?
- How many tons of cargo do you usually transport?
- How many goods do you usually put on display?
- What tools do you use?
It is very convenient to use the form with prepared questions.
EXTRACT-FIXING QUESTIONS
Questions that take advantage of the client's previous responses, summarize those responses, and capture the client's need at the same time.
If I understood you correctly, would you work with a company that, without being a brand, would be able to provide the highest level of service?
QUESTIONS FOR TECHNICAL COMPLETION
The question is asked in order to lead the client to determine specific aspects of the transaction.
Will you take?
Well, are we working together?
Deal?
Ask questions about clean technical details, implying the consent of the client to cooperate:
When is the best time for you to see our designer?
What address should I send to? Dictate, please.
QUESTIONNAIRE
A sheet of paper attached to a tablet (a beautiful leather folder) designed in the style of your company with a heading with the name of the client's company, date and place of the meeting.
On the sheet - a list of questions that you would like to ask the client. Performs several functions at once.
1. Gives you weight and solidity.
Gives the impression of seriousness and trustworthiness.
2. Gives you expert status.
In your hands is a sheet of questions, depending on the answers to which you need to “diagnose”, clarify the situation in order to help the client.
3. Gives you the initiative.
When a person sees that you have prepared for the conversation by making a list of questions, he is psychologically ready to answer, not ask.
4. Programs the result.
Correctly chosen questions often lead the client to the given answer you need.
5. Helps out in critical situations.
If the conversation has veered off into a dead end, you can use the questionnaire as a lifeline, clarifying some questions and answering them.
6. Gives you the opportunity to contact the client later.
You always have a mini-shortcut of your conversation at hand, which you can return to some time later. In addition, there is an opportunity to discuss secondary issues indicated in the questionnaire.
1. Firm, date.
2. Number of people
3. Average age.
5. Staff turnover.
6. What is being sold.
7. Is there a plan?
8. How many percent are they fulfilling the plan?
9. The main reason for the failure of the plan.
10. What is the main difficulty?
11. What does the current education system look like and what does it include?
12. Who teaches?
13. Is there a corporate sales scenario?
14. Who wrote the script?
15. What is the purpose of learning?
16. Do I need to write a corporate sales script?
17. Do I need an escort?
18. What is the budget allocated for training last year?
19. What is the maximum budget that can be allocated?
20. What budget would you like to meet?
21. How much time can be allocated for training?
22. What is the format?
Open questions imply a detailed response. They cannot be answered in monosyllables, “yes” or “no”. As a rule, they begin with questions: What? Who? How? Where? How? Why? Which?
Open questions are required to:
receive additional information from the client;
create a comfortable situation for maintaining contact;
take the first steps towards identifying needs.
Examples of open questions:
“What is important to you when buying a drill?”
“Tell me, what are your requirements for this material?”
“What is the relevance of business training for your company?”
Benefits of open questions:
encourage the interlocutor to answer without limiting him in anything;
orient a person to reflection, analysis of his actions, stimulates the birth of thoughts that may not have occurred to him before;
give the interlocutor the opportunity to voluntarily convey information, freely talk about their feelings, comment on events;
put the seller in front of the need to carefully listen and observe.
Disadvantages of open questions:
can provoke a long response, so they can not always be applied in a limited time;
able to confuse an interlocutor who is not used to answering general questions;
can cause a confused and chaotic response, difficult to understand;
conceal the need to ask clarifying questions, interrupting the interlocutor, which can offend him and lead to difficulties during the conversation.
It is good practice to ask open-ended questions:
at the beginning of negotiations;
to move from one topic to another;
if it is necessary to make the interlocutor think;
when it is necessary to find out the interests and needs of the client;
if you want to revive and strengthen the energy of the client's awareness of some phenomenon;
if you want to determine the cause of failures and doubts of the client.
All questions you ask the client should be conducive to constructive communication and be businesslike and friendly. A good question asked in a rude way will not only destroy the established contact, but can also lead to the failure of the transaction.
However, open questions give the interlocutor the opportunity to avoid a specific answer, provide only information that is beneficial to him, and even divert the conversation to the side. Therefore, in the course of a business conversation, it is recommended to ask, in addition to open questions, other questions.
Clarifying questions
Clarifying (semi-open) questions require short, concise answers. They should be asked if you are not sure about something or have doubts about whether you understood the client correctly.
Purpose of clarifying questions- restore the omitted information, find out the interlocutor's personal idea of a certain issue, double-check what was said.
These questions are necessary to:
receive specific information;
clarify the needs of the client;
bring the client closer to the purchase (to the completion of the transaction).
Clarifying (semi-open) questions include the words:
"Do I understand correctly that…",
"Why?" - one of the best clarifying questions,
"That is, ….",
"You want to say…",
"You mean...".
Examples of clarifying (semi-open) questions:
That is, you would prefer to go to Greece. Did I understand you correctly?
Do I understand you correctly that you would like to purchase a gift for your spouse?
Please let me know how much you would like to pay. I ask this question in order to choose the best option for you.
I told you the main advantages of this model (this product, this brand). Tell me which one suits you best?
You paraphrase the client's statement and clarify whether it was understood correctly. The interlocutor will confirm or refute your doubts and may provide additional information.
Feel free to ask clarifying questions if you do not understand something or are in doubt. Believe me, the client will not think badly of you. Rather, you will give the impression of a person striving to thoroughly understand the issue and not to miss important points conversation.
Question Types- types of questions used in the sales process, depending on the form of the question and the function performed. The questions are divided into open, closed and alternative questions. By function, questions can be clarifying, generalizing, inspiring, questions-hooks, etc.
Types of Questions by Form
- Open-ended questions are those that do not allow a short answer "yes" or "no", requiring a detailed answer. Open-ended questions begin with interrogative words: who, what, how, when, where, why, why. For example, “How do you form the assortment of goods in your store?”, “How often do you order confectionery?”, “What soft drinks do you sell best?”, “What is most important to you in the work of a supplier?” etc.
- Closed questions - those that allow a short answer "yes" or "no" (in English language this type of question is called Yes/No questions). For example, “Did you have a merchandiser in your store yesterday?”, “Are you interested in holding a promotion?”, “And if we give you a discount, will you take the entire range?” etc.
- Alternative questions - allowing the choice of an answer from two or three proposed options. What distinguishes this type of question is the use or implied conjunction "or". For example, “Do you pay in cash or by bank transfer?”, “Which juice will you take, orange or pineapple?”, “How many packages do we include in the order - one, two, three?”, “What is your standard markup - twenty-five, thirty percent?” etc. Sometimes questions of this type are considered as a kind of closed questions, which is not entirely true, since the context of the use of closed and alternative questions is different.
The ability to ask different types of questions is one of the basic skills in sales. An experienced or sales manager knows how to choose the right type of question depending on the current situation in the sales process. Different types of questions have different information value:
- Open-ended questions are used when the client needs to be drawn into communication, to talk and get as much information from him as possible. An open question pushes for a dialogue, a detailed answer with the justification of one's opinion. A client may answer an open question briefly, but this is the exception rather than the rule.
- Closed questions are used when it is necessary to get a short and unambiguous answer from the client, “yes” or “no”. If you wish, you can get a detailed answer to a closed question, but for this the interlocutor will need to make an additional effort and overcome the context of the question, which implies a monosyllabic answer.
- Alternative questions provide more information than closed questions, but less than open questions. To answer an alternative question, one cannot simply say “yes” or “no”, one must name the option chosen, but it is not necessary to justify one’s choice. If the client wants to state the reasons for his choice, this will be his personal initiative.
Accordingly, open-ended questions are used at the beginning of communication with the client, for example, at the stage and analysis of needs. In particular, used at the stage of establishing contact, the form is open-ended questions. On the contrary, by the end of the sale, there is a growing proportion of closed questions that are asked, for example, in order to clarify details.
Similarly, the needs analysis phase first uses open-ended questions to provide a preliminary understanding of the client's situation, then closed-type questions to clarify information and confirm the correct understanding of the needs and requirements of the client.
In addition, different types of questions affect the client varying degrees psychological pressure:
- Open-ended questions have the least pressure on the respondent, they only define the topic of the conversation and do not set any framework for the answer. The respondent is free to decide what and to what extent he will answer.
- Closed questions put a high degree of pressure on the respondent, forcing him to move from an opinion to a decision: “yes” or “no”.
- Alternative questions also put the answerer in front of the need for a solution, but give him space to choose a solution. In this sense, alternative questions give the respondent a higher psychological security than closed questions.
Thus, choosing the type of question, the questioner chooses the degree of psychological pressure that he will exert on the respondent. For example, this is important when choosing a deal:
- when communicating with a client who has demonstrated a clear purchase, you can use questions that are closed in form to complete the transaction,
- when communicating with a client who has a generally positive attitude towards the proposal, but there are still minor doubts and hesitations, it is better to use questions that are alternative in form to complete the transaction,
- when communicating with a client who has not yet clearly expressed his attitude to the proposal, it is preferable to use questions that are open in form to complete the transaction.
As you know, the initiative in the conversation belongs to the one who asks questions. Questions of any form allow you to keep the initiative in your hands. However, the risks of losing the initiative are different: when using closed and alternative questions, the initiative is retained more tightly. When answering an open question, the client receives a higher degree of freedom, respectively, there are risks of intercepting the initiative.
Thus, open, closed and alternative questions differ in three parameters: informational value, the degree of psychological pressure exerted on the interlocutor, and the degree of retention of the initiative in communication.
Types of questions by function
informal interpersonal communication can be carried out without clearly defined goals, "just like that." In contrast, business communication (including sales) always has clear goals and a plan of action. Therefore, each question in business communication performs a certain function, helps to achieve the goal.
The selection of types of questions according to their functions is due to the techniques and methods in which these questions are used. For example, general and focused questions are distinguished in a number of techniques, there are concretizing questions in a number of techniques, four types of questions are used in sales techniques depending on their function (situational, problematic, extracting, suggestive), etc.
Many probably realize that even confidentially When talking with unfamiliar people, you need to avoid questions that are:
- purely personal and
- questions that touch on deeply personal issues.
Although many people do not know this. Or maybe they don't care?
For some reason, it is believed that conducting a confidential conversation immediately involves turning the soul inside out. For this, Russia even uses a special catalyst - vodka. Indeed, after drinking vodka, we are no longer embarrassed when strangers ask us the above types of questions and we ourselves willingly answer them - even more than they ask.
However. Long-term trusting relationships cannot be established in this way. The atmosphere of such "trust" quickly disappears, leaving behind a bad aftertaste in the morning for both participants in the conversation.
How to build trusting and long-term relationships using this most important communication tool - a confidential conversation?
In order to understand this, we must become familiar with
OPEN and CLOSED questions. To know what to avoid and what to strive for.
And we will strive for a spontaneous (because worked out) ability to ask only open questions, in every possible way avoiding bad habit ask closed questions... So how do they differ?
Closed questions are questions to which the person is forced to give only an alternative answer: “NO” or “YES”.
- Do you love Brahms?
- Have you heard how the thrushes sing?
- Do you smoke hookah?
- You are watching TV?
- Do you have a dog?
It would seem - innocent questions, and even demonstrate a genuine interest in the interlocutor. But it only "seemed". In fact, such questions demonstrate interest not in the interlocutor at all. Why? And to what is spinning in your own head! You are interested in the question of the hookah, the question of Brahms, the question of modern television, the “dog question”. You are not interested in what questions your interlocutor is interested in!
That's right - gradually, but firmly, we impose our format of conversation on a person. And then she ceases to be trustworthy!
This is taught to journalists and psychologists, but everyone needs to know this.
If you have an unconscious habit of asking a person only about what interests you (setting closed questions0), then do not be surprised when a person answers in monosyllables and soon loses interest in communicating with you.
I make a reservation...
Of course, we cannot do without closed questions, and they have the right to exist. But remember two rules:
- They should never prevail;
- They should never be first, only second.
Let me explain the second point.
Let's say you are really interested in the question: does a person love Brahms? Then the series of questions should look something like this:
- What kind of music do you like? (open question - suggesting the possibility of a detailed answer)
- How do you feel about classical music? (opportunity to give a detailed answer remains)
- Which composer do you like? (and again a person is able to give a detailed answer) And finally...
- How do you feel about Brahms?
See: from four questions only the last, fourth was closed.
We are very impatient. Why don't we like to ask open-ended questions? Because we know from experience: if our interlocutor suddenly talks about his own, then you may not get to the Brahms that interests you personally. For example, when answering the question “How do you feel about classical music”, our interlocutor may get carried away with a long story about how he was forced to play the piano as a child, how he fell asleep as a student at a concert at the Philharmonic, where his girlfriend dragged him, etc., etc.
You are not interested in listening to all this. Brahms is on fire for you.
With such an approach to the philosophy of communication, we will never learn how to conduct confidential conversations, make friendships - that is, build long-term trusting relationships.
But if you still want to learn it, remember: your Brahms can wait! It is possible that neither during the first nor during the second conversation you will never know whether the person loves Brahms! Well, to hell with him. This Brahms was given to you. Then you will know.
It also happens that at the very first question “What kind of music do you like?” the hope of talking about Brahms "vanishes forever."
Because any person has every right to an open question, which involves a detailed answer, to answer something like: “No. I don't like music, it gives me a headache."
Note that only a person has the opportunity give detailed answers to open questions put before him, but does not always use it. He has the right to mutter something short and thus close the topic.
And after a month... And after a month, your man (who "has a headache from music"), suddenly hears a soft melody from the speakers at your house - it's you who put your favorite Brahms on him. And this person will suddenly listen and say: “What a pleasant music! Leave it."
This is how (naturally and non-violently) you will find out the answer to the question that has tormented you for a long time: “Does he love Brahms?”
Let's take a look at some typical open questions:
1) What is your favorite drink? (Instead of: " Do you like beer?)
2) How do you spend your weekends? (Instead of: " Are you on Saturday at home or with friends?»)
3) How often do you go to the cinema? (Instead of: " Do you go to the cinema?»)
Some readers will object to me: how can journalists be taught this? After all, they come to an interview in order to find out a very specific number of questions, and they have no time! No, it's not.
Yes, indeed, it happens that a certain media really needs to get a list of clear answers to very specific questions from a certain person. But then usually such questions are sent to a person by fax... There is no need for a live journalist and a conversation.
But as soon as it is assumed that two Personalities will meet in an interview: a Journalist-Person and an Interviewed Person (also a Personality), the conversation immediately takes on a different character.
Having admitted, we prepared a number of burning questions at home. And the conversation went so that these questions of yours were left without attention, but completely different, much more interesting topics surfaced.
A conversation is a living organism, you can’t force a high-quality interview into the rigid framework of your blanks! You can’t spoil a person’s mood with your low professional level! With your closed questions, you can ruin an interview that promised to be a bestseller!
Journalists are taught this. Well, what about us, people who have conversations in ordinary life? Where are we going? WHAT genre are we trying to limit ourselves to? What other such "homework" do we bring with us to the conversation, like an immature journalist incapable of improvisation?
Only the detective has the right to ask closed questions during the preparation of the protocol.
If you do not want your interlocutor (having a "heartfelt" dialogue with you) to feel like in the police, try to let go of the reins of the conversation and be patient - to hear a long, lengthy answer that leads you far away from the desired Brahms...
All psychologists who train their clients to be communicatively competent insist that their clients learn to ask "open questions" and avoid "closed" questions.
As many as two extensive articles on our site are devoted to a detailed explanation (with examples) of what types of questions (in the psychology of communication) stand out and why it is important to be able to ask open-ended questions. These are the articles: “Confidential conversation: open and closed questions” and “The ability to ask questions: psychological educational program”.
Let us briefly recall what it is.
Open-ended questions are questions that require a detailed answer-the speech of the interlocutor. Open-ended questions begin with the words:
- which,
- why,
- why...
The meaning of an open question is that you give your interlocutor the opportunity to speak, to speak for a long time and in detail. This, in turn, indicates that you respect the interlocutor and give him the opportunity to express his point of view, allowing him to speak freely.
Closed questions imply short and precise answers like:
- twenty people
- on Wednesday.
Sometimes such questions and such answers are necessary, but psychologists advise to avoid their prevalence in the dialogue. Otherwise, the conversation turns into an interrogation, and your interlocutor begins to feel like a subordinate, called to the carpet.
Even if this is true... The philosophy of modern management, business communication and personnel management, which is focused on equal (democratic) relations between superiors and subordinates, prescribes to build your own speech etiquette so that your subordinate does not feel like a "boy" or "girl" when communicating with you. AT Western countries- this is already a norm, violating which you will simply show yourself as an incompetent, illiterate leader.
Moreover, closed questions should not be allowed to prevail if you are just talking, if you are not a boss, and your interlocutor is not a subordinate, and you are not talking about work at all.
However, it is easier for us to ask closed questions, even for children and spouses. But it is very difficult for us to ask open-ended questions (and spend time listening to a whole speech), we have to relearn, learn whole speech patterns.
But those who have trained to do it naturally and masterfully, they immediately feel how their relations with others are changing for the better - these people immediately feel the benefits of such communication.
Let's look at the typical wording of both open and closed questions. These formulations (formulations of open questions) can be periodically simply memorize so that they more often fall on our tongue during spontaneous speaking.
What wording should be avoided (Closed questions)
- So you want to cancel your business trip?
- Are you more interested in working with Muscovites?
- Are you dissatisfied with my work?
What should be said instead? (Open questions)
- How can we resolve the issue with your business trip?
- Which regions would you like to work with and why?
- What do you mean when you say...
- What result would you like to see yourself?...etc.
All these are the basics that every person needs to know .. But there are also nuances.
But it is precisely the nuances, or rather, their ignorance, that lead to the fact that the technique, which seems to be performed word for word, does not work or works exactly the opposite.
Remember, please, right away - the first basic rule of open questions.
An open question should be formulated in such a way that your interlocutor WANTS to answer your question.
Psychologists-practitioners have noticed that very often their clients formulate their open-ended questions in such a way that they start to sound like:
- hidden accusation, reproach,
- "free advice"
- false interpretation of the thoughts and actions of the interlocutor,
- or in general "an unambiguous invitation to scandal".
So what's the deal?
But the fact is that in the Russian language and in the current Russian culture of speech (speech pragmatics), questions are not simple requests for information ...
we (unlike other peoples) use questions not for their intended purpose, but as hidden reproaches and accusations.
Psychologists and linguists even talk about the special status of the question in the Russian language!
In Russian speech culture, the one who asks questions is that gentleman. The right to ask questions is a privilege, it is a marker of the speaker's high status.
We even have such an expression-saying: "I ask questions here." I hope now everyone understands how the person who is addressed with questions immediately begins to feel?
Russian speech pragmatics has ruined the reputation of the interrogative sentence...
From childhood, we hear instead of:
- "Don't Take It" / "Why Did You Take It?"
- "Don't go there" / "Where did you go?"
Then, when we grow up, insulting questions begin to rain down on us like from a cornucopia:
- When will you stop being late?
- Where were you brought up?
- Why do you think that...
- Where did you take it?
- Where did you see...
- When you have learned...
All these scandalous rhetorical questions do not really require an answer. These are not open questions. But they are outwardly formulated as open, and in their structure they do not differ from them in any way.
Our people have developed an original way of dealing with such rhetorical questions, the purpose of which is to humiliate or cause a scandal.
This method is called "Turn on the Fool" or "Captain Obvious".
The one who is asked an insulting rhetorical question begins calmly, scrupulously and pedantically (as if he were a computer) on this question to answer, thereby exhausting the interlocutor and leaving him no chance for an escalation of the scandal.
The most brilliant "Captain Obvious" response is still considered to be one real dialogue between an angry customer and the sales department of a certain firm. I'll reproduce it in full:
- I would like to know how such deceitful managers as Andrey Rezakov work for you?
- Andrey works from Monday to Thursday, from 9 to 19. Sincerely, Sales Department.
So, if you find yourself in a situation where you are asked "open questions" that look more like an insult, there is only one recipe: the "Captain Obvious" technique.
We have dealt with this.
But what if you want to ask open-ended questions yourself and do not want to get a negative reaction from the interlocutor when your partner:
- closes in on itself
- becomes discouraged
- looking for a trick.
Just discard the following list of ambiguous dangerous-sounding open-ended questions:
- Why didn't you do it?
- Why do you think so?
- Why do not you...
- How could you...
And, finally, when asking even the most harmless open question, try your intonation and facial expression in every possible way to demonstrate to the interlocutor your disposition towards him.
Then questions like:
- And how do you imagine it?
- Why do you think it's impossible?
- How?
- What did you say to him?
They will sound like real open-ended questions, as they are supposed to sound.