Turning open questions into closed ones
Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2025 8:03 am
The difference between open and closed questions is often imperceptible. It is not without reason that studies of the latter essentially examine the former. It is difficult to understand at first, but in reality everything is simple and familiar. Any closed question that scares off a client easily turns into an open one, which develops communication in the right direction. Compare the businesslike: "Do we arrange delivery?" with the open form: "To what address should the order be delivered?", "At what time should the purchase be delivered?"
The following four simple steps will make honduras mobile phone numbers database the new salesperson a thoughtful, successful, psychologically prepared sales professional. Use the diagram:
You have an idea, write it down.
Verbally formulate the idea in the form of a closed question.
“Turn over” the question so that it becomes open-ended and requires a detailed answer.
Come up with several variations of an open-ended question to find the most motivating one that will encourage the client to buy.
We offer a training table for beginners. Task: by analogy with the example, write at least ten constructions "idea - closed - open - selling open question":
Idea, suggestion Closed question (the simplest) Open question (the simplest, most logical) Best open-ended question (selling)
The customer is unhappy with the delivery times of his supplier Are you completely satisfied with your supplier? What are you not satisfied with in the work of your supplier? What do you consider to be the most important thing in the supplier’s work, what needs to be improved, and what should be left as is?
Your options…
The essence of alternative questions
The system of closed and open questions is not limited to these two types. There are also alternative questions that can also be closed and open. Such a question can work as a closed question and limit the customer's choice. Sometimes the buyer is offered only those options that are beneficial to the seller. Questions about the method of communication, delivery times and others related to the convenience of the consumer are simply ignored.
But alternative questions also have big advantages, facilitating communication and speeding up decision-making on the part of the client. The buyer is offered several specific logical options: he does not need to rack his brains, to figure out. For example, filters when ordering food products are always built on alternative questions "either - or".
Alternative questions, like closed ones, are more suitable for websites. But in the process of live communication, sellers offering an alternative often lose, since they offer to choose according to the principle of "the least evil". People are uncomfortable obeying an algorithm invented by someone.
It seems that alternative questions are more pleasant than closed ones and more convenient, easier than open ones, but in fact, the seller secretly manipulates the client, putting him before a tough choice. The buyer feels and understands that this is an imitation of choice, and it is always in favor of the seller. In order to win the client's trust, you should take into account his vital interests on an equal basis with your own. For example, in the b2b system, the consumer will not be satisfied with strict time frames. Successful sales is to offer a truly wide choice that suits a wide variety of buyers.
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The following four simple steps will make honduras mobile phone numbers database the new salesperson a thoughtful, successful, psychologically prepared sales professional. Use the diagram:
You have an idea, write it down.
Verbally formulate the idea in the form of a closed question.
“Turn over” the question so that it becomes open-ended and requires a detailed answer.
Come up with several variations of an open-ended question to find the most motivating one that will encourage the client to buy.
We offer a training table for beginners. Task: by analogy with the example, write at least ten constructions "idea - closed - open - selling open question":
Idea, suggestion Closed question (the simplest) Open question (the simplest, most logical) Best open-ended question (selling)
The customer is unhappy with the delivery times of his supplier Are you completely satisfied with your supplier? What are you not satisfied with in the work of your supplier? What do you consider to be the most important thing in the supplier’s work, what needs to be improved, and what should be left as is?
Your options…
The essence of alternative questions
The system of closed and open questions is not limited to these two types. There are also alternative questions that can also be closed and open. Such a question can work as a closed question and limit the customer's choice. Sometimes the buyer is offered only those options that are beneficial to the seller. Questions about the method of communication, delivery times and others related to the convenience of the consumer are simply ignored.
But alternative questions also have big advantages, facilitating communication and speeding up decision-making on the part of the client. The buyer is offered several specific logical options: he does not need to rack his brains, to figure out. For example, filters when ordering food products are always built on alternative questions "either - or".
Alternative questions, like closed ones, are more suitable for websites. But in the process of live communication, sellers offering an alternative often lose, since they offer to choose according to the principle of "the least evil". People are uncomfortable obeying an algorithm invented by someone.
It seems that alternative questions are more pleasant than closed ones and more convenient, easier than open ones, but in fact, the seller secretly manipulates the client, putting him before a tough choice. The buyer feels and understands that this is an imitation of choice, and it is always in favor of the seller. In order to win the client's trust, you should take into account his vital interests on an equal basis with your own. For example, in the b2b system, the consumer will not be satisfied with strict time frames. Successful sales is to offer a truly wide choice that suits a wide variety of buyers.
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