Types of questions open closed alternative. Example of an open question - features and recommendations

Dialogue between buyer and seller is a very important part of any sales. And most often such communication occurs through certain questions. The ability to set them correctly is the key to the success of any transaction. In this article, we’ll look at examples of open-ended questions for clients and learn when and how to ask them.

Why is dialogue necessary?

It would seem that everything is quite simple. A person comes to a store to buy a certain product. The seller advises him about various goods, but he leaves without buying anything. The whole secret lies in the fact that there was no dialogue between the buyer and the seller. After all, in a conversation there is an opportunity to learn a large amount of information. And with its help, the buyer will be able to sell the necessary goods in the future.

Where are open questions used?

Of course, communication is present in various areas of our lives. Very often we ask open questions and don’t even notice it. For example, caring parents ask their child about how his day was at school. Open questions are very often used by psychologists when working with clients. This helps to liberate them, create a friendly atmosphere and, of course, learn as much as possible about the person. In sales, open-ended questions are just as important. They allow you to better understand the buyer's needs.

What questions are considered open?

In order to learn how to use these types of questions correctly, you first need to understand what they look like. They all begin with the words: “what...”, “where...”, “why...”, “what do you think...”. The purpose of an open-ended question is to find out as much information as possible about your opponent. In any dialogue, this moment is quite important. Firstly, in this way a person shows his interest in the interlocutor, and this, in turn, encourages communication. Secondly, knowing the necessary information about your opponent, it is easier to reach a compromise with him. Such questions occur in various fields, and sales are no exception. Having learned about the needs of the buyer and won his sympathy, you can sell the product quite simply. An example of an open-ended question would be: “What product features are most important to you?”

What is the difference between an open and closed question

It cannot be said that only one of these two types of questions is effective and the other is not. In fact, open and closed questions are very closely related. Psychologists say that first, in order to get your interlocutor talking, you need to use the first type. So, having received the necessary information for yourself, you can begin to ask questions to which the client will certainly give a positive answer. This combination allows you to achieve the desired result.

Here are examples of open and closed questions in sales. A man comes to a furniture store to buy a table.

Seller: Which table do you think would suit you best?

Buyer: I would like it to be made of durable material, but at the same time inexpensive and light.

Seller: We have discounts on some types of furniture, are you interested?

Buyer: Yes.

Seller: Do you think larch is a fairly durable and light material?

Buyer: Yes.

Next, you can tell the buyer about all the advantages of a larch table, which has big discounts. Thus, just one open question and two closed ones will help sell a thing or item in 90% of cases.

Some experienced consultants begin the conversation with this question: “Have you already bought before...?” This is very important because, for example, if you receive an affirmative answer, you know that the buyer is well versed in the topic. Of course, you need to have a more constructive dialogue with someone like that than with someone who is purchasing this or that product for the first time.

How open questions work

An example of such a dialogue could be any conversation during which the seller sets the goal of learning as much information as possible about the buyer and his needs. Of course, in each specific situation these will be individual questions. Let's say a person calls a travel agency to buy a ticket. An example of an open-ended question in this case could be: “By what criteria do you usually choose a trip?” (what is important to you?). Having heard what the buyer really wants, it is easy to talk about the advantages of that particular tour. It is very important that when answering, the opponent thinks about the question. Then there is an opportunity to get to know him much better.

There is another secret about open questions in sales. An example would be this situation. A man came to buy a phone. The buyer is interested in what functions this gadget has. You can talk to him in detail about each of them. For example, about a high-quality camera, why it is important to him and how important it is, about the amount of RAM and the necessary applications. When the buyer himself begins to talk about useful functions, he, as it were, sells this phone to himself. Then, when the seller names the price, he will agree that the functions he needs simply cannot be cheap.

One-word answers to open-ended questions

A person does not always give a detailed answer even to an open question. Quite often you can hear: “I don’t know”, “I don’t care”, “I didn’t think about it” and others. In this case, it is necessary to ask either more specific open-ended or closed-ended questions. It is advisable that they begin with the words “Is it important for you...?” Here is an example of an open-ended question after receiving a one-word answer: “Is it important for you that the phone, in addition to the call function, can also connect to the Internet?” Perhaps in this case it would be more appropriate to ask the client about his occupation and hobbies.

How to prevent a question from being an interrogation

It is very important that a person does not feel uncomfortable during the conversation. This can happen when he receives too many questions that he does not want to answer. To do this, you need to dilute the dialogue with certain explanations and explain why you are interested. Let's take the situation from the last example, where a person came to buy a phone. If he is reluctant to answer an open question, you can dilute it with an explanation. For example: “How much RAM do you need? I ask this because the price of the gadget depends on it.”

Algorithm of questions

In order for a dialogue with an opponent to be useful to both parties, it needs to be structured. There are certain algorithms that help conduct a conversation with a client. In fact, it is very important for any person to be listened to and understood. Therefore, the first and more frequent question in such a conversation begins with the words: “What would you like?” A buyer does not always come to a store with a specific purpose, but nevertheless, after communicating with an experienced sales consultant, he will rarely leave without purchasing.

Here are examples of open-ended questions in clothing sales. A person enters a store, but is not yet sure that he will buy something. You can ask him about what he would like to see in your store and what things he usually prefers. You can also clarify when he is going to make a purchase and explain that the store is currently running promotions, but they may be removed soon.

Considering all of the above, we can conclude that open-ended questions, examples of which we have looked at, actually greatly influence the flow of the conversation. Therefore, in order to properly build a dialogue, you need to be a little psychologist, ask the right questions and not overdo it with them.

Closed questions are designed in such a way that the choice of possible customer responses is limited to two words “yes” or “no”. They limit the field of possible answers.

These questions are good at the beginning of a conversation and in all cases when you simply need to get an affirmative answer or establish specific facts in order to plan your further actions. “Yes” or “No” of the client are peculiar switches of your efforts in the appropriate direction.

Examples of closed questions:

Are you satisfied with our offer?

Perhaps you need additional information?

Are you satisfied with (suits you, do you like)…?

Can I proceed from the fact that your final decision depends on clarifying the issue of ...?

Would you mind if...

A closed question should be asked if:

your partner is very reserved and does not actively support the conversation;

you need to get a short, unambiguous answer;

you want to quickly check your partner’s attitude towards something;

you hope by asking a series of closed questions to obtain the necessary information;

you want to make sure you understand the other person correctly.

Closed questions can also be used to encourage positive responses from the client by appealing to generally accepted values.

For example:“Would you like to have reliable guarantees?”, “Quality is important to you, isn’t it?”

This technique is useful when the client is negative, has doubts, or simply does not have enough information to make a decision. The consent obtained in this way softens his attitude to always tell you “no” or “I don’t know.”

Closed questions are high-risk questions. They impose additional obligations on the client, and he does not like this. Therefore, they are not recommended to be asked at the initial and final stages of the sale, or should be done with extreme caution.

A very common situation is when, when a client enters, the salesperson asks: “Can I help you with anything?” And in most cases, the client answers “no,” although he may need help.

A type of closed question is a “tailed” (leading) question. This question guarantees a “yes” answer, since it assumes a programmed answer in the direction you want. This question consists of 2 parts:

the first part includes a statement that any normal person would agree with;

the second part is different types of interrogative connective

Examples of “tailed” questions:

Nobody wants to overpay, right?

Would you mind if we look at another option?

Are you interested in purchasing a quality product?

In sales, it is very convenient to first use open-ended questions (they allow you to find out whether the client is interested in your offer), and then end the sale with closed questions (they specify the expressed interest).

Ask questions in short and clear terms (the shorter the question, the more likely it is to be answered).

To prevent questions from being perceived as a prosecutor’s interrogation, soften them in intonation, as well as with the help of introductory shock absorber words: “Please tell me how ...?”, “Could you clarify what ...?”) Sometimes it is appropriate to ask permission in advance ask questions: “Can I ask you a few questions?”

Be sure to wait for an answer to your question, and never interrupt the client’s pause yourself. This is his problem of “thoughtfulness”, and for you it is an opportunity to receive the most useful information. So be patient and wait! Do not violate the “moment of truth”, while showing maximum respect for the client.

Monitor the construction of questions. Don't question a person's competence. “Are you familiar with planning methods? On the one hand, you didn’t ask anything offensive, but on the other hand, you questioned the person’s competence. And he can hear it, on a subconscious level. Reframe the question: “What planning methods do you prefer to use?”

Do not follow the client’s lead and do not impose your opinion on him. Be his guide and consultant.

Use open-ended questions to elicit detailed, meaningful, and thoughtful responses. By asking such questions, you encourage the other person to be more open because you show them that you are interested in their answers.

Don't ask closed questions if you want a detailed answer. Such questions lead the conversation to a dead end. Monosyllabic answers do not contribute to the development of the conversation and your relationship with the interlocutor.
Ask open-ended questions when you need detailed explanations.
Use open-ended questions to develop the conversation after you've asked a few closed-ended questions and obtained facts and hard data. Build your open-ended question based on the facts or data obtained.

Don't go beyond. Open-ended questions can be too open-ended. Therefore, phrasing open-ended questions is extremely important, especially if you want a specific answer.

For example, you could ask, “What do you like about people?” They will list some qualities of a person, and you will continue the conversation about a specific character trait. Instead of this question, ask the following, more specific question: “What quality do you like in people?”

If you want to know details about something, start with specific questions and then move on to more general and open-ended questions. This is also useful if you are trying to get someone interested in a certain subject or help someone feel more confident.

Use open questions as follow-up questions after open or closed questions.

Clarification questions begin with the words “why” and “how.”
When your partner finishes speaking, ask him an open-ended question that relates to what he just said.

Open-ended questions are one of the best ways to start and build relationships with people. Unlike closed questions, open questions encourage people to have meaningful and focused conversations.

Ask questions that can be answered in different ways. Open-ended questions are good for discussing a variety of topics because they encourage responses with a variety of ideas and opinions. Such questions also stimulate creative thinking and idea generation.

Ask questions that encourage people to talk. Conversation is a kind of art that is not accessible to all people. Some people feel shy about talking to strangers, and asking open-ended questions can help ease the tension.

Ask follow-up questions, which are a type of open-ended question. You can do this in two ways.

All psychologists who train their clients to be communicatively competent insist that their clients learn to ask “open questions” and avoid asking “closed” questions.

Two entire extensive articles on our site are devoted to a detailed explanation (with examples) of what types of questions are distinguished (in the psychology of communication) and why it is important to be able to ask open questions. These are the articles: “Confidential conversation: open and closed questions” and “The ability to ask questions: psychological educational program.”

Let us briefly recall what it is.

Open questions are questions that require a detailed answer from the interlocutor. Open questions begin with:

Which,
Why,
For what...

The point of an open question is that you give your interlocutor the opportunity to speak out, to speak at length and in detail. This, in turn, indicates that you respect your interlocutor and give him the opportunity to express his point of view, allowing him to speak freely.

Closed questions require short and precise answers like:

twenty people
on Wednesday.

Sometimes such questions and such answers are necessary, but psychologists advise avoiding their predominance in dialogue. Otherwise, the conversation turns into an interrogation, and your interlocutor begins to feel like a subordinate called to the carpet.

Even if this is so... The philosophy of modern management, business communication and personnel management, which is focused on equal (democratic) relations between superiors and subordinates, prescribes building your speech etiquette so that your subordinate does not feel like a “boy” or “girl” ", communicating with you. In Western countries, this is already a norm, violating which you will simply show yourself as an incompetent, illiterate leader.

Moreover, you should not allow closed questions to prevail if you are just communicating, if you are not a boss, and your interlocutor is not a subordinate, and you are not talking about work at all.

However, it is easier for us to ask closed questions, even to children and spouses. But asking open questions (and spending time listening to a whole speech) is very difficult for us; we have to relearn, unlearn entire speech patterns.

But those who have trained themselves to do this naturally and masterfully immediately feel how their relationships with others are changing for the better - these people immediately feel the benefits of such communication.

Let's look at typical wording for both open and closed questions. These formulations (the formulations of open questions) can be periodically simply memorize so that they land on our tongue more often during spontaneous speaking.

What formulations should be avoided (Closed questions)

So you want to cancel your business trip?
Are you more interested in working with Muscovites?
You're unhappy with my work, right?

What should you say instead? (Open questions)

How can we resolve the issue with your business trip?
Which regions would you like to work with and why?
What do you mean when you say...
What result would you like to see?... etc.

All these are the basics that every person needs to know.. But there are also nuances.

But it is precisely the nuances, or rather, ignorance of them, that lead to the fact that a technique that seems to be performed word for word does not work or works exactly the opposite.

Please remember right away - the first basic rule of open questions.

An open question should be formulated in such a way that your interlocutor WANTS to answer your question.

Practicing psychologists have noticed that very often their clients formulate their open-ended questions in such a way that they begin to sound like:

hidden accusation, reproach,
"free advice"
false interpretation of the thoughts and actions of the interlocutor,
or in general “an unambiguous invitation to scandal.”

So what's the deal?

But the fact is that in the Russian language and in the established Russian culture of speech (speech pragmatics), questions are not simple requests for information...

We (unlike other nations) use questions not for their intended purpose, but as hidden reproaches and accusations.

Psychologists and linguists even talk about the special status of the question in the Russian language!

In Russian speech culture, the one who asks questions is the master. The right to ask questions is a privilege, a marker of the speaker's high status.

We even have this expression and saying: “I ask the questions here.” I hope now everyone understands how the person who is approached with questions immediately begins to feel?

Russian speech pragmatics ruined the reputation of the interrogative sentence...

Since childhood, we hear instead:

“Don’t take this” / “Why did you take it?”
“Don’t go there” / “Where did you go?”

Then, when we grow up, insulting questions begin to rain down on us like from a cornucopia:

When will you stop being late?
Where were you raised?
Why do you think that...
Where did you take it?
Where have you seen...
When you already learn...

All these scandalous RHETORICAL questions do not actually require an answer. These are not open questions. But they are outwardly formulated as open, and in their structure they are no different from them.

Our people have developed an original way of dealing with such rhetorical questions, the purpose of which is to humiliate or provoke a scandal.

This method is called “Turn on the fool” or “Captain Obvious”.

Anyone who is asked an offensive rhetorical question begins to calmly, scrupulously and pedantically (as if he were a computer) answer this question, thereby exhausting the interlocutor and leaving him no chance of escalating the scandal.

The most ingenious answer in the “Captain Obvious” style is still considered to be one real-life dialogue that took place between an angry client and the sales department of a certain company. I'll reproduce it in full:

I would like to know how such deceitful managers as Andrey Rezakov work for you?
Andrey works from Monday to Thursday, from 9 to 19. Sincerely, sales department.

So, if you find yourself in a situation where you are asked “open questions” that look more like an insult, there is only one recipe: the “Captain Obvious” technique.

We figured this out.

But what if you want to ask open-ended questions yourself and don’t want to get a negative reaction from your interlocutor when your partner:

closes in on himself
turns out to be discouraged
looking for a trick.

Just avoid the following list of ambiguous, dangerous-sounding, open-ended questions:

Why didn't you do this?
Why do you think so?
Why do not you...
How could you...

And finally, when asking even the most harmless open question, try to demonstrate to your interlocutor in every possible way your disposition towards him with your intonation and facial expression.

Then questions like:

How do you imagine this?
Why do you think this is impossible?
How?
What did you tell him?

They will sound like real open questions, as they should sound.

Hello! In this article we will talk about the process of determining client needs.

Today you will learn:

What is a need;
How to properly build a dialogue with a client in order to identify his needs;
What types of questions exist and how to use them correctly;
What mistakes should not be made when determining client needs.

As the number of companies on the market increases, so does the power of the consumer. Screens are full of advertising messages, promoters entice customers with discounts, and supermarkets hold tastings to increase sales. But all your customer acquisition efforts may be in vain if you don't know what your customer wants.

What is “need”

Identifying customer needs is the second stage of sales, but in fact, you need to think about identifying needs much earlier. But let’s first understand the very concept of “need”.

Need – needs embodied in specific goods and services. This leads to another concept – needs. Unlike needs, needs are innate in nature; these are all those things without which a person cannot continue his life. Need manifests itself in human needs.

Needs are:

In safety;
In belonging to any group (class);
In comfort;
In reliability;
In novelty.

In addition, needs can be coupled and uncoupled. Associated need - its satisfaction entails the birth of another need. For example, you bought a blouse, but now you need a skirt to go with it. The consultant’s task is to discover both needs (even before the second one arises) and satisfy them.

As mentioned earlier, identifying needs is the basis of the sales organization. But for the first time, it is necessary to think about what our potential consumers need at the planning stage, that is, marketing, as a process of identifying the needs of the target audience, should come before production (or purchasing, if).

Any one should be built around the needs of a specific target audience. Otherwise, you will produce (or purchase) goods that will gather dust on the shelves of a warehouse or store.

Take as a basis the main principle of marketing: “Do not sell what you have produced, but produce what you can definitely sell.” And for this, every decision of an entrepreneur must be supported by determining the needs of the target audience.

Now let's talk about the sales process itself.

The entire sales process consists of five stages:

Search and evaluation of the buyer;
Determining client needs and establishing contact with him;
Product presentation;
Resolving disagreements and objections;
Conclusion and support of the transaction.

Why is it necessary to determine customer needs during the sales process?

In fact, if you have successfully completed the first two stages of the sale, you can be sure that the client will buy your product. At the same time, the process of searching and assessing a buyer should be treated as a preparatory stage before determining the client's needs. Let's find out why correctly identifying needs is so important in the process of selling a product.

Firstly, the client came to you to solve his problem. The same product can solve completely different problems.

Example. A man wants to buy curtains. The consultant asks the potential buyer about the design of the room for which curtains are being selected, finds out the acceptable price range and demonstrates the best options. But the visitor leaves without purchasing. What is the seller's mistake? The thing is that the consultant did not find out what benefit the client wants to get from the purchase; in other words, he did not identify the client’s problem. We specifically took curtains as an example to show that even the simplest product can solve several problems at once. For example, curtains can have two functions: decorating a room and protecting from the sun. In our example, the consultant was solving the problem of decorating a room, and the client wanted to protect himself from sunlight. This mistake led to the failure of the deal.

Secondly, without knowing the client's needs, you will not be able to fend off his objections, and this is the fourth stage of the sales process. Any customer objection is a doubt that your product can best solve his problem. You must rid him of these doubts, otherwise the client will simply leave you for competitors.

Third During the process, it is very important to make it clear to the client that you sincerely want to help solve their problem. This cannot be done without understanding the problem itself.

Methods for identifying needs

And now, the client is already in your store. How to understand what he wants? You need him to tell you about it himself; a better way has not yet been invented.

However, all people are different. Some people happily share their experiences with others, while others remain silent like partisans. An individual approach to building a dialogue should be applied to each client.

This leads to two methods for identifying customer needs:

Questions;
Listening.

Both tools must be used in the process of building a dialogue with both an open client and a guerrilla client. But in the first case, we must listen more, and in the second, we must ask.

I would like to immediately draw your attention to the fact that your dialogue with a client, regardless of his belonging to one type or another, should not resemble an interrogation. The consumer's speech should occupy the majority of your dialogue with him. A good salesperson is akin to a good psychologist. The task of these specialists is to identify and solve the client’s problem, and for this it is necessary to bring the “patient” to a frank conversation and listen to him.

How to identify client needs

Let's get back to sales. Where to start the conversation?

Let's remember the first stage of the sales process - finding and evaluating a buyer. You should not immediately approach a potential consumer and impose on him a product that he does not need.

Forget about the boring question: “Can I help you with anything?” At the time of your first contact with a client, you should already know how you can help the visitor. To do this, watch him for the first 30-40 seconds, this will allow you to determine the type of product the client came for.

Example. You are a salesperson in a women's clothing store. The visitor pays most attention to formal office-style trousers. Start your dialogue like this: “Good afternoon, my name is Anna. Today in our store there is a new arrival of the office collection, as well as discounts on the old arrival of this line up to 50%. Come along, I’ll show you.”

5 Questions to Identify Client Needs

Once the client has agreed to accept your help, you need to include questions in the dialogue.

Questions come in the following types:

Closed questions- all those questions that can be answered unambiguously. You should not overuse them, otherwise you will not receive the amount of information that you need. Example: “Do you like dress pants?”
Open questions– questions that require a detailed answer. But here too there is danger. If the client is not interested in continuing the dialogue, then he will try to quickly escape from the store. Example: “Which pants do you prefer?”
Alternative questions– these questions already contain several answer options. Example: “Do you prefer tapered or dress pants?”
Suggestive questions– are necessary when the client does not yet recognize the need for himself. Example: “When choosing trousers, it is very important to determine what time of year you will wear them; if you are buying them for the summer, then light natural materials will suit you, what do you think?”
Rhetorical questions– atmospheric issues. They serve to maintain a conversation and form friendly relations with the client. “You want your pants to fit you perfectly, right?”

The advantages and disadvantages of each type of question are shown in the table.

	Advantages	Flaws	Tasks
Closed questions	It is easy for the client to answer them	Turn dialogue into interrogation; Provide insufficient information	Obtaining additional information; Obtaining basic information when working with guerrilla clients
Open questions	Allows you to obtain the most complete information from the client; Allow the client to talk	They can do a “disservice” and scare off the client; The seller does not always decode the answers correctly, which can cause the client to leave forever; Take a lot of time	Start of dialogue
Alternative questions	Allows you to obtain sufficient information about the basic need; Not as intrusive as open-ended questions	Prevents the identification of related needs	Determination of basic need; Encouraging the client to take action; End of dialogue
Rhetorical questions	Contributes to the formation of a friendly atmosphere	Take up time	Formation of the atmosphere
Suggestive questions	Contribute to the formation of needs; Pushed to action	May confuse the client	Formation of need

In addition to those listed, you can use clarifying questions. This is especially true if you are working with open-ended questions.

As a result, you should receive a certain client questionnaire, which will contain all the necessary information.

Listen correctly

Now I would like to turn our attention to the process of listening. It would seem that there is nothing difficult about listening to a potential client’s answer, but this is not so. If a potential buyer sees your disinterest, then you will lose him forever.

Dialogue is a kind of game with a client in which you must adhere to the following rules:

Don't interrupt your interlocutor. First, let them speak and only then ask clarifying questions;
Maintain eye contact. This will allow you to understand the client’s mood regarding the further continuation of the dialogue;
Give up the idea of questioning the client. If a person does not want to make contact, he is closed, then you should leave him alone;
Offer options. This will make it possible to interest the client in further continuation of the dialogue, because they really want to help him;
Keep the conversation going. The main techniques for maintaining a conversation with clients are given in the table.

Spend time on the client's needs

When you have suggested a suitable option for trousers, start the dialogue again and offer a product that satisfies the associated first need.

For example, our customer just started a job that requires an office dress code. This means that you can offer her a blouse, jacket and accessories. But you must understand whether your client needs this product while still working to identify and satisfy the first need.

Thus, the process of identifying needs consists of four stages:

First contact with the client;
Identifying the problem using questions;
Listening to the client and offering options;
Satisfying related needs.

Needs Determination Exercises

To be confident in your abilities, you need to practice. To do this, gather in a small group (from three people) and play the game “Who am I?”

Its rules are simple: you write the names of famous characters on stickers (literary heroes, famous personalities, cartoon characters) and stick them on each other’s foreheads, so that the one to whom you pasted the sticker does not know the name of which character you wrote.

Then everyone tries to guess whose name is written on their piece of paper. He does this with the help of questions to which the other participants in the game can only answer “yes” or “no.” If the questioner receives a negative answer, then the move is passed to the next participant.

Mistakes in identifying needs

Let's summarize and list the most common mistakes that salespeople make in the process of determining client needs:

Don't focus on closed questions. If the client does not make contact, then it is better to leave him alone rather than interrogate him;
You should discover several needs. Always look for related needs, this will allow you to build customer loyalty and double your sales;
Do not present the product during the needs identification process.. You can offer an option, but there is no need to praise it. This will only create the illusion of imposition and lack of choice on the client;
Be educated. Interrupting a client is the worst mistake a consultant can make when selling and identifying client needs;
Stick to your mission – selling the product.. Don't let the client get sidetracked and turn the sales process into a session with a psychologist. Your task is to solve the client's problem, but only with the help of your product.

Thus, we became familiar with the basic principles of determining client needs in the sales process. These principles apply to both personal and telephone selling.