uncover a client’s needs with good questions and even better listening.
by sarah johnson dobek
inovautus consulting
if you’re having the right conversations with your clients, new opportunities naturally come up where you can help them solve their issues beyond compliance.
related: eat that frog: asking for a prospect meeting | growing revenue through client service | business development and sales aren’t scary |
but while you may think you’re having excellent conversations; they’re probably just scratching the surface.
many professionals reduce relationship and trust-building to back-and-forth questions and answers via email or phone. while prompt and succinct communication helps nurture a relationship, it’s the deeper conversations that uncover a client’s real, sometimes hidden, needs.
asking deeper, more curious questions scares many professionals because they’re not sure they’ll have an accurate answer. this unsure footing is uncomfortable, especially for accountants who are used to having all the answers. but you don’t have to have all the answers to help your client – and expand the services you provide for them.
wouldn’t it be nice to hear a client respond with, “nobody ever asked me that question,” or “i’ve never thought about that?” those are the moments where you automatically shift to an advisor, where you can create more value than, “here’s the return or audit you asked me to deliver.”
it’s in these pivotal moments where accountants can provide true value, and it all starts by developing an inquisitive mindset and asking the right questions.
become an active listener
before you can learn the right questions to ask, you need to master how to listen for clues. listening to understand, and not listening to respond, is what sets advisors apart. the techniques below will help you identify and respond to what your client is telling you.
there’s a fine line between hearing and listening. active listening requires you to be present enough to pay attention and thoroughly understand what your client is telling you. you can tell when someone is not really listening to you. stay focused and avoid distractions, give your undivided attention (hide your phone), and take detailed notes to ensure you don’t miss any details. this level of undivided attention will help you form a meaningful strategy. in turn, your client will feel heard, and you’ll gain more trust than ever before.
while email, texts, and other forms of electronic communication are ok for relaying quick facts, active listening is best practiced when you can see your client face to face. while it’s a little more difficult given the covid-19 pandemic, meeting in person or via video where you can gauge their interest or pain through visual cues will also help establish more rapport.
have an inquisitive mindset
if you open up to your clients, they’ll open up to you. it’s in this place of candor and genuine interest where new service opportunities present themselves, and it all starts with having an inquisitive mind. while asking questions may seem simple, some nuances will help you maximize your time and position you and the firm as proactive advisors.
at a high level, there are two types of questions:
- open: ones that encourage a client to talk more and give more detailed answers
- closed: traditionally result in a one-word response (yes/no)
you’ll want to ask as many open-ended questions as possible. once you’ve reset your mind to ask these types of questions, take time to master the more detailed question funnel to narrow your conversation and get to the heart of your client’s needs.
discovery questions (tell me… how did… what do you…)
discovery questions generally are the first type of question used in a sales or discovery conversation to establish facts. these questions allow you to get the conversation started and encourage the other person to open up on their end. they also set the tone for your relationship.
sample questions include:
- tell me about your business?
- when did you get started?
- what has been going well?
- what would you like to improve?
- what challenges are you facing?
- what has changed in the past year?
- how do you feel like the last year went?
- what are your goals for the coming year?
no matter who you are talking with, discovery questions tend to be high-level questions that start the conversation and give you a jumping-off point to dig deeper.
clarifying questions (am i correct to assume… what i hear you saying is…)
clarifying questions typically are the second type of question you might ask to help you better comprehend their answers to your discovery questions. it’s essential to make sure you are on the same page at this point in the conversation before you move on to the next type of question.
sample questions include:
- am i correct in saying you started your business more for the freedom it allowed you than the potential revenue?
- so, are you saying you started this business because you saw the potential for x revenue in the market but have only been able to achieve y?
- what i hear you saying is you doubled your projected revenue this past year?
expansion questions (can you explain… can you share an example… tell me more about…)
expansion questions allow you to dig even deeper into the conversation. these questions can increase the amount of information you gather and get closer to uncovering your client’s or prospect’s need(s). these questions are key to identifying their need(s).
sample questions include:
- why do you think you didn’t hit your projected revenue?
- tell me more about what you did last year to drive revenue?
- can you elaborate on that revenue increase?
- was it related to anything in particular or a one-time event, or is this the type of growth you expect going forward?
leading questions (tell me more… explain why… describe why… )
it’s easier to sell someone when the solution is their idea, and leading questions are a great way to find common ground. these types of questions are helpful when you have a solution in mind but want the prospect’s buy-in.
sample questions include:
- would it make sense to explore some of the ways other similar clients have increased their revenue when they have been in a similar position?
- what would help put you in a position to increase revenue this coming year?
- in what ways were you considering using the increased revenue?
key takeaway
the most important, yet most basic, skill that makes a great advisor is their ability to uncover a client’s needs with good questions and even better listening. discovery is a crucial part of the sales process, but it’s often where professionals fail the most. your goal is to have the type of conversation with clients and prospective clients that allows you to get past the stated need and dig deeper into the real, unstated, and secret needs. every time you do this, the stigma of selling dies off a little and you realize you are just helping and serving clients.