Second, questions help customers make their first key buying decision, which is whether to buy you, the salesperson. Questions build rapport and demonstrate your interest in the customer. They uncover information about the customer’s needs, who to call on, the decision-making time-frame, your competition and how the customer will make a decision. When you ask the “best” questions, customers will view you as a consultant with their best interests in mind.

Third, questions help you manage the sales call. You can control the conversation and differentiate yourself from competitors by being the best listener.

But merely asking questions isn’t enough. You need to ask “The Best Questions.” For example, asking questions that draw out needs for your product’s strengths can position you as the best or only solution for the customer’s needs.

In marketing, effective questioning is also critical.

Many marketing people tend to focus on presenting their solution to a perceived need . . . but miss the mark completely. As in sales, we must ask ourselves: Who is the customer? What are the needs? When do they need it? Where does it hurt? Why do they need it? How can my solution help? These open-ended questions need to be answered correctly before any effective marketing takes place.

You want sales and marketing to get on the same page and work as one? Focus on the customer. Use the best open-ended questions, find the best answers and present your solution(s) that meets those needs. And both sales and marketing departments must have the same message.

We talk in Marketing about communicating with our audience – what about our internal audiences? When Marketing and Sales (and yes, IT Production) don’t talk, the customer loses.