How Questioning For Feedback Increases Sales And Why Salespeople Don’t Do It

For sales professionals, obtaining clear information into the thoughts and feelings of their Buyers is critically important. This critical task is accomplished through the use of a very specific selling skill – Questioning for Feedback. And it can increase the Seller’s chances of winning the deal by up to 40%!

It sounds simple, but yet studies show that fewer than 20% of Sellers will regularly question their Buyers for feedback as part of their selling process. But why is the number of Sellers questioning for feedback so low when the results can be extremely rewarding? Here are the 5 most common reasons that prevent Sellers from questioning their Buyers for feedback and reaping this practice’s bountiful rewards.

But first, a few questions….

1. Why is questioning for feedback important?

Sure, it can increase the Buyer’s chance of winning the deal by up to 40%, but there are other tangible and intangible benefits as well, such as:

To understand the customer's needs and preferences:

By questioning Buyers for feedback, Sellers can gain a better understanding of the Buyer’s specific needs, pain points, and preferences. This information can help the Seller tailor their approach to better meet the customer's needs and increase the chances of a successful sale. Without questioning Buyers for feedback, Sellers may not fully understand the Buyer’s needs and preferences. This could lead to missed sales opportunities, as the Seller may not be able to effectively address the Buyer’s concerns or provide solutions that meet their specific needs.

To build rapport and establish trust:

When Sellers question Buyers for feedback, it shows that they are interested in the Buyer’s opinion and are willing to listen to their concerns. This can help build rapport and establish trust with the Buyer, which can make them more likely to buy. By not questioning for feedback, Sellers may come across as disinterested or unresponsive to the customer's needs. This could lead to poor customer relationships and a lack of trust, which could make it more difficult to close sales in the future.

To identify areas for improvement:

Buyer feedback can provide valuable insights into areas where the Seller or the company can improve. By listening to Buyer feedback, Sellers can identify areas where they may need to adjust their sales approach or improve their product or service offerings. Without feedback from Buyers, Sellers and their companies may not have a clear understanding of areas where they can improve their products or services. This could limit their ability to make meaningful changes that could help drive future sales.

To gather testimonials and referrals:

Positive Buyer feedback can be used as testimonials and referrals, which can be powerful marketing tools. By asking for feedback during the sales process, Sellers can gather testimonials and referrals that they can use to promote their products or services to other potential Buyers. Without seeking Buyer feedback, Sellers may miss out on opportunities to gather testimonials and referrals that could help them attract new customers.

2. Don’t Buyers have a negative experience when Sellers question them for feedback?

Studies suggest that Buyers generally believe that Sellers who question them for feedback during the sales process are more attentive, customer-focused, and effective at meeting their needs. Here are some of the beliefs that customers may have about salespeople who seek feedback:

Customer-focused:

When a Buyer questions for feedback, it shows that they are interested in the Buyer’s needs and are committed to finding solutions that meet those needs. This can help build trust and rapport with the Buyer and make them more likely to view the Seller as customer focused.

Attentive:

By questioning for feedback, Sellers demonstrate that they are actively listening to Buyers and taking their concerns into consideration. This can make the Buyer feel heard and understood, which can help build trust and a positive relationship.

Knowledgeable:

Sellers who question for feedback are often able to better understand the Buyer’s needs and preferences. This can enable them to offer more targeted solutions and demonstrate a greater level of expertise and knowledge.

Effective:

By actively questioning for feedback and taking the Buyer’s concerns into account, Sellers may be more effective at closing sales and meeting the Buyer’s needs. This can lead to a more positive sales experience for the Buyer and increase the likelihood of repeat business.

Overall, Buyers generally believe that Sellers who question them for feedback are more attentive, customer-focused, knowledgeable, and effective. This can help build trust and positive relationships with customers, which can lead to increased sales and business success.

3. Doesn’t too much Seller questioning cause sales resistance?

There is some evidence to suggest that Sellers questioning for feedback can sometimes cause sales resistance, but the overall impact is likely to depend on the specific context and approach used. Here are some findings from studies that have looked at this issue:

A study published in the Journal of Marketing found that sales resistance can be reduced when Sellers use questioning to guide the customer toward a solution that meets their needs. The study found that Sellers who ask questions that are focused on understanding the Buyer’s goals and needs, rather than promoting a specific product, are less likely to experience resistance.

A study published in the Journal of Business Research found that Buyers are more likely to provide feedback when they feel that the Seller is genuinely interested in their opinions and needs. The study found that Buyers are more likely to resist sales attempts when they feel that the Seller is focused on their own agenda, rather than the customer's needs.

Overall, the studies suggest that when Sellers questioning Buyers for feedback, sales resistance can actually be REDUCED but it depends on factors such as the number and type of questions asked, the approach used by the Seller, and the perceived level of interest in the Buyers’s needs. Sellers who focus on using questioning to understand the customer's goals and needs, rather than promoting a specific product, may be more effective at reducing sales resistance.

4. Why don’t Sellers make a practice of questioning for feedback?

There are a great number of reasons why Sellers don’t make a practice of regularly questioning Buyers for feedback during their sales process. The most common are:

Lack of training:

Salespeople may not have been trained on the importance of asking for feedback, how to ask for feedback effectively, and how to use the feedback to improve their performance. Salespeople may not have been trained on how to effectively ask for feedback, which can lead to discomfort or uncertainty about how to approach the topic with customers.

Fear of negative feedback:

Salespeople may be afraid that they will receive negative feedback, which could damage their confidence or relationships with customers. Salespeople may fear negative feedback from customers, as it could be perceived as a reflection of their own performance or the quality of the product/service they are selling. This fear could lead to avoidance of asking for feedback altogether.

Time constraints:

Salespeople may feel that they don't have enough time to ask for feedback during a sales interaction, especially if they are under pressure to make a sale quickly. Salespeople may feel that they don't have enough time to ask for feedback during the sales process, especially if they are under pressure to meet sales targets or have a large number of customers to manage.

Assumption of customer satisfaction:

Salespeople may assume that the customer is satisfied with their product or service, and therefore may not see the need to ask for feedback. Salespeople who have been successful in the past may become complacent and feel that they don't need to ask for feedback, as they assume they already know what customers want and need.

Focus on making a sale:

Salespeople may be focused on making a sale rather than on building a relationship with the customer and gathering feedback that can help them improve their performance. As we witnessed in the points above, when this is the case, Sellers can actually increase sales resistance and reduce their chance of winning the deal.

5. How do I (or my salespeople) make a practice of questioning for feedback?

There are a couple ways to incorporate Questioning for Feedback into your selling process. 

The Simple Way:

But… as my old Swedish Granny used to say, “Just because it’s simple doesn’t mean it’s easy.”  You can research the best questioning methods for sales conversations and then come up with a list of questions intended to obtain clear information into the thoughts and feelings of your Buyers and experiment on WHEN and HOW to ask them. Through a process of ‘trial and error’ and some good ‘A/B Testing’ you should have an optimized system of questioning for feedback within 12 to 18 months, IF YOU COMMIT TO IT FULL-TIME.

If you can not commit to The Simple Way full time because you have sales to make and/or a business to run, then it might take you up to 3 years.

However, there is another way…

The Simple and Easy Way:

1. Contact me.

Schedule a ‘Complimentary Diagnostic Call’ with me using the link below. I will gladly give you 1-hour of my time to discuss YOUR situation and share with you at least 2 Immediately Actionable Ideas that will improve your results.

2. Put my ideas into practice.

It really is that simple and easy. Here’s the link to my calendar:

https://www.paulsencoaching.com/sales-sherpa-call

I’ll see you there.

God bless and keep on sellin’

Scott Paulsen