There are few things that will shut down a conversation early on than asking a question with a yes or no answer. For example, if you’re trying to sell golf shoes over the phone, you may be tempted to ask ‘Do you need a new pair of golf shoes?’. But what happens if that person responds with a yes or a ‘no’? Instead, try using open-ended questions.

Do you use open-ended questions?
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By using open-ended questions in your telephone conversations, especially in business, you can start to find new ways to make an impact. Try being a bit more indirect. Nobody likes being given the ‘hard sell’, but by using open-ended questioning, you can actually make the person on the phone start to ask questions of themselves. Things like ‘You know, maybe I do need some new golf shoes’. Try to be as clever as possible with your questions while being friendly and informative. Don’t act like you want the person to buy your product or service, just lead them in a way that makes them want to do that on their own. That’s the power of open-ended questions
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