If you want to truly engage a prospect or client, instead oftalking, it is actually more critical to listen. The key withengagement is interaction. Most — and I really mean most— people are focused on themselves and are more than ready totalk about themselves and their products. But how do you get theother person to begin talking?

Great questions lead to great interaction and will allow you tobe in control of the conversation while gaining all the benefits oflistening and learning about the other person. But sometimes thequestions we ask just don’t work.

Asking questions effectively

If you ask the wrong questions, you’ll probably get the wronganswer, or at least not quite what you were hoping for. By usingthe right questions in a particular situation, you can improve awhole range of communications skills.

You can gather better information and learn more, build strongerrelationships, manage people more effectively, help others tolearn; and most importantly, create lasting connections.

Big questions

The key is to take a typical question you ask, but ask it with afew extra words. When adding certain words, you create what we calla "Big Question." A "Big Question" is one that requires an answer,opens up conversation, and allow you to create the connection thathappens when you listen.

Questions that are asked of a prospect like, “How is yourhealth?” typically result in a bit of a lie. “Good, fine,” theprospect says, because he or she is not sure they want to dobusiness with you yet, much less engage by divulging thisinformation.

But, if they began talking about things that are important tothem, and in the case of health that we really need to know inorder to put together a financial strategy, the results arepositive. On average, a person will give you five answers to onequestion — as opposed to zero answers. While your clients aretalking, you are connecting, developing a relationship, andlearning.

Big questions use absolute words including: One, biggest,favorite, best, worst, only, etc.

Examples of "big questions" to ask:

• |

  • Ask, “What is your biggest health concern?” instead of “How’syour health?”

  • “I know your business has received a lot of awards — whichone was the most meaningful to you?”

  • “What’s your biggest challenge?”

  • Or, if you’re in a competitive situation ask, “What is the onething you wished your current advisor would do?” This will usuallygive you everything you need to know.

The key is to ask a question that requires an answer so you canlisten in to something important: to them.

Related: Storytelling: An underutilized selling skill forinsurance agents

Join us on Facebook and give us a Like!