Ask the Questions

In sales, asking questions is undeniably crucial. To effectively introduce our service, we need to understand what the customer wants, their problems, and what they're struggling to express. Simply pitching our service without prior inquiry is an inefficient sales approach.

However, we haven't been taught how to ask questions. We tend to avoid them and even frown upon those who do. Remember school? The teacher would ask, "Any questions?" before the end of class. An unspoken agreement would arise to avoid questions to make it to break time. But if someone broke that agreement and asked a question, many students would criticize them.

Because of this culture, we live in a society that avoids asking questions. In other countries, people generally ask more questions than in Korea. While this isn't a generalization, it's been my experience in my professional life. Even foreigners recognize that Asian employees don't ask many questions.

But as salespeople, we shouldn't fear asking questions. Besides rejection, not asking questions can derail a meeting. If asking questions feels difficult, ask a question about asking questions. "I might sound a little awkward, but would it be alright if I asked a question?", or, "My question might sound silly, but could you answer it for me?" Of course, these are just examples, and not necessarily the right answers. However, it's my personal opinion that when you're hesitant to ask, it's better to preface your question with a request for understanding.

Whether it's a customer or a sales situation, it involves people, so there's bound to be nervousness and consideration. It's understandable; we're human. With that said, I'm off to ask my leads and clients some questions. My clients, will you understand?