The Fine Line Between Interrogation & Good Discovery
I will always remember a podcast I did where the purchasing director told me, "I hate it when I feel like I'm under a hot spotlight. Like the sales person is interrogating me on one of those crime shows."
This is quite an image, and sure made me think twice about the way I ask questions. The LAST thing you should want is your prospect feeling this way during discovery.
We are always taught to ask questions, and of course it's always better to ask questions than it is to be the one doing all the talking, but there is a fine line between good questions and an interrogation. We always need to make sure we:
1) Ask disarming questions. There is an art form to this, and needs lots of practice. We can't ask questions that imply they (or their staff) are doing a bad job.
2) Allow room for silence. Give them time to think and answer your questions before quickly moving on to the next one.
3) Never interrupt!
