Five Qualifying Questions To Tee Up The Solution Kaboom
Are you a problem-solving professional looking to differentiate yourself from the amateur, the mediocre, and the “good enough”? Qualification skills enable you to identify the heart of a matter so you can accomplish decisive action. Win with empathy! Blow it up with these five icebreakers.
- What brought you to the point where you felt it was a good idea to get some help?
The professional asks powerful questions to get the client thinking on the problems they want solved. This question gets them to focus on the context of their problem, yielding a wealth of history. That history will prove advantageous to reference when it comes time to deliver your proposal for how you’ll solve.
- Tell me more about how things work today and where it falls apart.
The professional gets their client talking not only to collect information but also to build trust. Clients rarely reveal everything on the first pass. Questions such as this reveal that you really care about your client’s problems and that you want to listen to what they have to say.
- What are your top 3 objectives you’re looking to achieve?
The professional identifies not only the problems needing solved, but also the client’s priorities for the solution. The use of the number 3 adds power because it communicates to the client that you will not be satisfied with just one. The additional context will clue you in on what the biggest wins for the client might be.
For extra kaboom, pull the line with clarifying questions about how much those top problems are impacting their business today. Like magic, your client will start telling you how much your solution will mean to them. A client who discovers your ROI from their own mouth will be much more likely to move forward with your solution.
- What have you tried already to fix it before you came to me?
The professional avoids pitching a solution in such a way where the client feels like that’s already been attempted. Differentiate yourself from the amateurs who sling out suggestions before gaining complete understanding. Even if your solution does end up being similar to something that’s already been tried, you will be able to add nuance with your approach that keeps your client’s trust steady.
- If the solution checks all your boxes, what needs to happen before you can put it in place?
The professional anticipates irrational fears of the client by setting footholds in the solution timeline. Set a schedule, get a commitment, and hold your client to that commitment if they show signs of having second thoughts.
