The 3 Parts of a Dialog Question
A strong dialog question has three pieces: an observation about the prospect's business, a comparison to something similar and a genuine request for their opinion. For example, noticing that a company has 15 people in accounting and compare that to similar companies with only 8 to 10 and then asking how the extra staff actually helps them.
Use Questions to Confirm or Eliminate Problems
A well-built dialog question can also test whether a suspected problem is real. Referencing a trend you read about and then ask how the prospect is successfully avoiding that same trend often reveals far more than a direct, blunt question ever would.
Final Thoughts
Being informed enough to ask sharp, respectful questions is one of the most professional ways to build a real sales relationship. Practice building your own dialog questions using the observation, comparison and opinion structure before your next meeting. A few well-built questions will teach you more than an hour of talking ever could.
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