{"id":9253,"date":"2013-09-01T18:42:27","date_gmt":"2013-09-01T22:42:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/?p=9253"},"modified":"2014-11-02T18:56:08","modified_gmt":"2014-11-02T23:56:08","slug":"the-most-important-questioning-technique","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/enx-features\/2013\/09\/the-most-important-questioning-technique\/","title":{"rendered":"The Most Important Questioning Technique"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONING TECHNIQUE<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>One of the biggest benefits of my recruiting business \u2013 to me, at least \u2013 is that it keeps me sharp on my listening skills.\u00a0 You have to be a good listener when you\u2019re hiring salespeople for one big reason \u2013 salespeople will usually tell you how they will fail (or what excuses they will use when they do fail); the key is to listen and hear those reasons.\u00a0 This happens in nearly every interpersonal dialogue between people.\u00a0 People will tell you how things will go wrong, if you\u2019re tuned in.<\/p>\n<p>The problem isn\u2019t that people don\u2019t say things, it\u2019s that we don\u2019t listen \u2013 or that we mentally change what they DO say into what WE WANT them to say.\u00a0 For instance, the salesperson who says, \u201cI really don\u2019t like prospecting, but I\u2019m willing to do it,\u201d is really telling you, \u201cIf you need me to prospect, we\u2019re both going to be very disappointed.\u201d\u00a0 Too often, however, the hiring manager likes this person and mentally changes, \u201cI don\u2019t like to prospect,\u201d into, \u201cI\u2019ll prospect if you really need me to.\u201d\u00a0 Do you see how far fantasy and reality separate?\u00a0 Good listeners know that words mean things, and that it\u2019s important to derive the real meaning.\u00a0 Let\u2019s talk about a technique to get what you really need out of the conversation if you\u2019re unsure.<\/p>\n<p>Recently, I was interviewing a salesperson for a different position and he said to me, \u201cI\u2019m a little concerned about the size of the territory \u2013 I don\u2019t know that it\u2019s big enough.\u201d\u00a0 Now, this was a salesperson that was changing industries, so he wouldn\u2019t know the potential of the territory.\u00a0 Yet he was already complaining about it.\u00a0 Upon further questioning, I found out why he was leaving his current job \u2013 you got it, the size of the territory.\u00a0 Same with the one before that.\u00a0 So it was reasonable to assume that, should he fail on my job, that would be the excuse again.\u00a0 Candidate eliminated.<\/p>\n<p>The problem is that too many people settle for the face value of what\u2019s being said, instead of making sure they know what the facts are.\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t have to be that way; one of the best questioning techniques out there is called \u201cDrilling Down.\u201d\u00a0 Essentially, it means following a line of questioning until you know what is really meant, and then making your decisions from there.\u00a0 This works for selling, for interviewing, and sometimes even for dealing with your spouse (until she catches on and says, \u201cDon\u2019t use that sales stuff on me!\u201d \u2013 but I digress).<\/p>\n<p>Drilling down is simple.\u00a0 There are no fancy questions involved \u2013 just questions like these:<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCan you tell me more about that?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhy do you feel that way?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhy is that important to you?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCan you elaborate?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWould you define that, please?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhy?\u201d (or) \u201cWhy not?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, the point of drilling down is to <strong>eliminate ambiguity<\/strong> in the conversation.\u00a0 Ambiguity or vagueness are our enemies in selling or hiring; in selling, we want a complete understanding of the customer\u2019s needs and situation.\u00a0 In hiring, we want a complete picture of our candidate.\u00a0 Why doesn\u2019t everyone do this?\u00a0 There are a few reasons:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>They don\u2019t know how.\u00a0 You no longer have this reason available if you\u2019ve read this far!<\/li>\n<li>They don\u2019t feel like making the effort.<\/li>\n<li>They\u2019re afraid.\u00a0 Fear, of course, is the #1 obstacle of good things in selling.\u00a0 Sometimes, drill-down questions probe in areas that are intentionally left vague and some people are uncomfortable asking for more detail.\u00a0 Just know this \u2013 <strong>most of the time, those unstated details can cost you money.<\/strong> That alone should make it worth asking.<\/li>\n<li>They don\u2019t want to hear the answers.\u00a0 This happens most often in interviews, when the interviewer is worried that whatever the unstated detail is, it disqualifies the applicant for their job.\u00a0 This is all the more reason to ask; just because it isn\u2019t stated doesn\u2019t mean that the detail doesn\u2019t exist.\u00a0 Take the example of our \u201cDon\u2019t like to prospect\u201d guy above.\u00a0 If he <strong>won\u2019t<\/strong> prospect, and you\u2019re hiring for a prospecting job, why wouldn\u2019t you want to know now (while it\u2019s still free) that this is the wrong person for you?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<br \/>\nIn 2005, drilling down made the difference between winning a nice piece of business and walking away empty-handed for me.\u00a0 I was meeting with the owner of a printing company, and the conversation went like this:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Me:\u00a0<\/strong> \u201cHow have you trained salespeople in the past?\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Him:<\/strong>\u00a0 \u201cWell, for years, we sent our new salespeople out with our existing people to learn the ropes.\u00a0 That worked okay.\u00a0 Then, three years ago, we brought in an outside sales trainer, but he was expensive and didn\u2019t deliver results.\u00a0 So, now we\u2019re back to doing it the old way.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Hmmm\u2026I\u2019m an outside sales trainer.\u00a0 I can be expensive.\u00a0 Based on that answer, my chances of winning the business are slim to none \u2013 and Slim just left the room.\u00a0 However, I knew how to drill down.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Me:<\/strong>\u00a0 \u201cWhy do you think the past sales trainer didn\u2019t deliver results?\u201d\u00a0 (Note that I didn\u2019t ask why he was expensive.)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Him<\/strong>:\u00a0 \u201cWell, he just came in with a canned program, and he didn\u2019t take any time to learn our business.\u00a0 So, he wasn\u2019t speaking our language and didn\u2019t relate to our people.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Now I have something to work with, don\u2019t I?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Me<\/strong>:\u00a0 \u201cWell, what if I spent some time with you and your people learning the business?\u00a0 I might even go out on a sales call or two?\u00a0 You\u2019d pay for my time to do it, of course, but we could have a really impactful and targeted program.\u00a0 Would that be of interest?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Fifteen minutes later, I left with a training engagement and a check.\u00a0 I had that client for three years, until he sold out to a national company (due to growth).\u00a0 The difference was <strong>one question<\/strong> that started with the word, \u201cWhy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Good salespeople know enough to get the details of the conversation.\u00a0 So do good interviewers and hiring managers.\u00a0 That\u2019s the difference between \u201caverage\u201d and \u201cgood\u201d or \u201cgreat.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONING TECHNIQUE One of the biggest benefits of my recruiting business \u2013 to me, at least \u2013 is that it keeps me sharp on my listening skills.\u00a0 You have to be a good listener when you\u2019re hiring salespeople for one big reason \u2013 salespeople will usually tell you how they will fail (or what excuses they will use when they do fail); the key is to listen and hear those reasons.\u00a0 This happens in nearly every interpersonal dialogue between people.\u00a0 People will tell you how things will go wrong, if you\u2019re tuned in. The problem isn\u2019t that people don\u2019t say things, it\u2019s that we don\u2019t listen \u2013 or that we mentally change what they DO say into what WE WANT them to say.\u00a0 For instance, the salesperson who says, \u201cI really don\u2019t like prospecting, but I\u2019m willing to do it,\u201d is really telling you, \u201cIf you need me to prospect, we\u2019re both going to be very disappointed.\u201d\u00a0 Too often, however, the hiring manager likes this person and mentally changes, \u201cI don\u2019t like to prospect,\u201d into, \u201cI\u2019ll prospect if you really need me to.\u201d\u00a0 Do you see how far fantasy and reality separate?\u00a0 Good listeners know that words mean things, and that it\u2019s important to derive the real meaning.\u00a0 Let\u2019s talk about a technique to get what you really need out of the conversation if you\u2019re unsure. Recently, I was interviewing a salesperson for a different position and he said to me, \u201cI\u2019m a little concerned about the size of the territory \u2013 I don\u2019t know that it\u2019s big enough.\u201d\u00a0 Now, this was a salesperson that was changing industries, so he wouldn\u2019t know the potential of the territory.\u00a0 Yet he was already complaining about it.\u00a0 Upon further questioning, I found out why he was leaving his current job \u2013 you got it, the size of the territory.\u00a0 Same with the one before that.\u00a0 So it was reasonable to assume that, should he fail on my job, that would be the excuse again.\u00a0 Candidate eliminated. The problem is that too many people settle for the face value of what\u2019s being said, instead of making sure they know what the facts are.\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t have to be that way; one of the best questioning techniques out there is called \u201cDrilling Down.\u201d\u00a0 Essentially, it means following a line of questioning until you know what is really meant, and then making your decisions from there.\u00a0 This works for selling, for interviewing, and sometimes even for dealing with your spouse (until she catches on and says, \u201cDon\u2019t use that sales stuff on me!\u201d \u2013 but I digress). Drilling down is simple.\u00a0 There are no fancy questions involved \u2013 just questions like these: \u201cCan you tell me more about that?\u201d \u201cWhy do you feel that way?\u201d \u201cWhy is that important to you?\u201d \u201cCan you elaborate?\u201d \u201cWould you define that, please?\u201d \u201cWhy?\u201d (or) \u201cWhy not?\u201d Ultimately, the point of drilling down is to eliminate ambiguity in the conversation.\u00a0 Ambiguity or vagueness are our enemies in selling or hiring; in selling, we want a complete understanding of the customer\u2019s needs and situation.\u00a0 In hiring, we want a complete picture of our candidate.\u00a0 Why doesn\u2019t everyone do this?\u00a0 There are a few reasons: They don\u2019t know how.\u00a0 You no longer have this reason available if you\u2019ve read this far! They don\u2019t feel like making the effort. They\u2019re afraid.\u00a0 Fear, of course, is the #1 obstacle of good things in selling.\u00a0 Sometimes, drill-down questions probe in areas that are intentionally left vague and some people are uncomfortable asking for more detail.\u00a0 Just know this \u2013 most of the time, those unstated details can cost you money. That alone should make it worth asking. They don\u2019t want to hear the answers.\u00a0 This happens most often in interviews, when the interviewer is worried that whatever the unstated detail is, it disqualifies the applicant for their job.\u00a0 This is all the more reason to ask; just because it isn\u2019t stated doesn\u2019t mean that the detail doesn\u2019t exist.\u00a0 Take the example of our \u201cDon\u2019t like to prospect\u201d guy above.\u00a0 If he won\u2019t prospect, and you\u2019re hiring for a prospecting job, why wouldn\u2019t you want to know now (while it\u2019s still free) that this is the wrong person for you? &nbsp; In 2005, drilling down made the difference between winning a nice piece of business and walking away empty-handed for me.\u00a0 I was meeting with the owner of a printing company, and the conversation went like this: Me:\u00a0 \u201cHow have you trained salespeople in the past?\u201d Him:\u00a0 \u201cWell, for years, we sent our new salespeople out with our existing people to learn the ropes.\u00a0 That worked okay.\u00a0 Then, three years ago, we brought in an outside sales trainer, but he was expensive and didn\u2019t deliver results.\u00a0 So, now we\u2019re back to doing it the old way.\u201d Hmmm\u2026I\u2019m an outside sales trainer.\u00a0 I can be expensive.\u00a0 Based on that answer, my chances of winning the business are slim to none \u2013 and Slim just left the room.\u00a0 However, I knew how to drill down. Me:\u00a0 \u201cWhy do you think the past sales trainer didn\u2019t deliver results?\u201d\u00a0 (Note that I didn\u2019t ask why he was expensive.) Him:\u00a0 \u201cWell, he just came in with a canned program, and he didn\u2019t take any time to learn our business.\u00a0 So, he wasn\u2019t speaking our language and didn\u2019t relate to our people.\u201d Now I have something to work with, don\u2019t I? Me:\u00a0 \u201cWell, what if I spent some time with you and your people learning the business?\u00a0 I might even go out on a sales call or two?\u00a0 You\u2019d pay for my time to do it, of course, but we could have a really impactful and targeted program.\u00a0 Would that be of interest?\u201d Fifteen minutes later, I left with a training engagement and a check.\u00a0 I had that client for three years, until he sold out to a national company (due to growth).\u00a0 The difference was one question that started with the word, \u201cWhy.\u201d Good salespeople know enough to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":73,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1649,1814,1866],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9253"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/73"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9253"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9253\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9256,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9253\/revisions\/9256"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9253"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9253"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9253"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}