Asking better sales questions: from the surface to the real need
The quality of your questions determines the quality of your deals. Discover the open questions that bring your customer's real need to the surface.
- Closed questions end the conversation, open questions start it: you only surface the real need with questions that invite a story.
- Work from problem to impact to desired outcome, with questions like: what are you running into, how does that affect your work, and what would it mean if it were solved tomorrow?
- Finish your questions with the eighty-twenty rule and a summary: so if I understand correctly your biggest challenge is X, is that right?
"We have a great new product, would you like to hear more about it?" The chance of "no, thanks" is huge. Now compare that with: "What are the biggest challenges your team is running into right now?" The first question closes the conversation, the second opens it. That is the difference between closed and open questions, and it determines the quality of all your customer conversations.
Why open questions are better sales questions
Closed questions, the ones you get a yes or no to, are fine for quickly checking a fact. But the real need, the goals and motivations of your customer, you only bring to the surface with open questions. Questions that draw out a story and give you a wealth of insights.
My golden list of sales questions
My golden list, straight from practice. Where does your interest come from? That may well be my favourite question, it opens almost every conversation. Can you tell me a bit more about that? Which problems do you want to solve? What do you really hope to achieve with a solution like this? What are you running into with your current approach? How does this challenge affect your daily work? And the loveliest one to close with: suppose this problem were solved tomorrow, what would that mean for you?
Notice what those last questions do: they move from the problem to the impact to the desired outcome. That is exactly the depth you need to later make a proposal that lands.
Listening and summarising complete your questions
Two things complete your questions. Listening, really listening, with the eighty-twenty rule: eighty percent of the time the customer is talking. And summarising: "So if I understand correctly your biggest challenge is X, is that right?" That shows you have listened, and gives the customer the chance to add to it.
Asking questions is the heart of honest selling. Try it in your very next conversation tomorrow: open with "Where does your interest come from?" and let the customer finish talking. What do you hear that you would otherwise have missed?
Veelgestelde vragen
What questions should you ask in a sales conversation?
Open questions that invite a story. For example: where does your interest come from, which problems do you want to solve, what are you running into with your current approach, and how does that challenge affect your daily work?
What is the difference between open and closed questions?
A closed question gets you a yes or no and is useful for checking a fact quickly. An open question invites a story and surfaces the goals, motivations and real needs you will build your proposal on later.
How do you know you have found the real need?
By summarising and checking: so if I understand correctly your biggest challenge is X, is that right? It shows you have listened, and gives the customer the chance to add to it or correct you.
Lees ook
Klaas Kroezen is ondernemer die traint, coacht en spreekt. Hij schreef de #1 bestseller Sales, Oprecht & Ontspannen en het nieuwe boek Van klant naar fan (november 2026). Na 25+ jaar sales vanuit zijn eigen internationale marktonderzoeksbureau helpt hij organisaties met de mindset Van klant naar fan: oprecht en ontspannen verkopen, en met het hele team van klanten fans maken.
Meer over Klaas