Effective communication, both in business and daily life, hinges on asking the right questions. Mastering this skill is crucial for achieving success. Asking a question and actively listening to the answer is the best way to understand someone’s needs.
Consider Oprah Winfrey, Larry King, and Barbara Walters. They excel at making people feel comfortable and encouraging them to share information through insightful questioning. Customers and potential clients are willing to share their preferences regarding pricing, products, and services when asked the right questions. Increased questioning leads to more conversation, revealing their core interests.
Remember that most people primarily focus on their own needs and interests. To start a productive conversation, remember these seven keys to good questioning:
1. **Why?** Delve into motivations. For example: “Why would you choose software A over software B for your small business?”
2. **Who?** Explore referrals and target audiences. For example: “Who would you recommend this product to, and why?”
3. **Where?** Understand information sources. For example: “Where did you first hear about my small business?”
4. **When?** Establish timelines. For example: “When were you hoping to have project A completed?”
5. **What?** Identify issues and needs. For example: “What troubleshooting issues have you discovered while using this program?”
6. **How?** Gauge opinions and feelings. For example: “How do you feel about our new shipping policy?”
7. **Is it?** Verify understanding. “Is it” confirms information gathered from the previous six questions. Verifying customer statements proves active listening and demonstrates that their input is valued. This reinforces understanding and enhances its application.
Asking questions is an art. Using the 7 keys is a good start but remember to keep your questions focused, to elicit responses that are tailored to the information you want to discover. Most people naturally pose general questions. However, in business, detail is key to a more valuable response. By using detailed questions, you can also demonstrate you are actively listening.
A detailed question doesn’t have to be verbose; it should simply be framed to elicit the desired information. For example, asking “How do you start a small business?” is too broad and leads to follow-up questions. To save time, ask a detailed question right away, such as, “How do you start a small mail order business in Richmond, Virginia, selling laptop computers?” Notice the difference in specificity?
The basis for asking good questions and acquiring a wealth of practical answers is to apply the 7 keys directly and with specific detail. The keys allow you to get to the heart of the matter to gain the knowledge and direction you need to take specific action.