Top Market Research and Probing Questions to Qualify Cold Leads

Learning the difference between a lead and a viable prospect is one of the most difficult tasks for salespeople. Effective salespeople should be able to realize that not everyone you speak with is a suitable fit for your product or service.

Another challenging task to do is being able to qualify and warm up cold leads that you’ve accumulated. It takes more than just reaching out to them once again. It’s all about asking the right and probing questions in order to get through to them.

Here are the types of questions you need to ask when you want to qualify those cold leads and convert them into warm and sales ready leads.

Which problems are you trying to fix right now?

Changes take time, and only the most pressing business issues provide the incentive and motivation for it. Asking prospects about the challenges they’re attempting to address might help them dig deeper to figure out what’s not working right now. Inquire about why they want or need to address the problem, as well as the suffering it is bringing them.

What solutions have you tried before?

Try to address your prospect’s problem. And if you do, you also wouldn’t want to propose something they’ve previously tried and failed at. It’s critical for the prospect to come to their own conclusions about what didn’t work, so that they’ll be more open to your solution and why your solution is best fit for them. Start out by looking at their previous attempts to solve the problem, as well as the flaws that these solutions left behind.

What piqued your interest about us?

This is essentially the same as asking them “How did you hear about us?” but it elicits a few more facts that may lead to more conversions.

Brand is king for certain customers. A company’s brand communicates a lot about the quality of its products, its values and goals, and what buyers may anticipate. Customers are ready to spend more for a better customer experience, so prospects who are passionate about your brand are less likely to let price stand in the way of doing business.

If a potential customer is unfamiliar with your brand or organization, you should make it a priority to educate them. They’re not simply buying a product; they’re investing in your entire company.

What do you look for the most in solutions?

Companies seek solutions for a variety of reasons. Some businesses seek out alternatives to their present procedures in order to save money. Some aren’t receiving the results they desire, so they’re seeking a solution that will help them enhance their job quality, even if it’s not inexpensive.

Never assume that all organizations have the same goals as you as a salesperson. Inquire about your prospect’s top priority — it may be to save money, become more productive, or create higher-quality work. You won’t be able to solve all of their concerns at once, so start with the most pressing issues.

What could be a possible deal-breaker for you?

Knowing what the prospect’s deal-breakers are up front might help you figure out what they’re not looking for or can’t accommodate. There are many variables that may cause a transaction to go apart and some can even be completely beyond your control, but if you can figure out early on that you’re not a good fit, you’ll save a lot of time and effort.

What is your timeframe for visible results?

Implementation, onboarding, and ramp-up time may all impact how soon the problem is handled once the client has made the purchase. They may need to make a decision right away if they need to see outcomes in a few weeks. However, if they don’t have a set deadline, they might not be ready to buy. Their response will give you an indication of how soon you must reply. You may utilize their timeline to assist them figure out when they need to make a choice and set reasonable expectations for the solution’s execution.

What could be a possible deal-breaker for you?

When will you be able to make a decision?

Prospects who are serious about making a choice, whether with your firm or someone else’s, are the most qualified. They’re trying to find a solution, and they’ve probably set a deadline for when they’ll have to buy something and put it into action. It also demonstrates their dedication to finding a solution. And the tighter the deadline, the more time you’ll need to devote to them.