As a sales coach, I am always amazed to find that most sales reps spend more time talking to prospects than listening. These sales reps have good intentions, but without realizing it, they often miss a great sales opportunity because they have not listened to what the prospect really needs. And of course, the best way to discover what a prospect really needs — and to qualify whether there’s a real opportunity to pursue — is to ask good questions, then actually listen to the answers like…

• How pressing is the prospect’s need?
• How are buying decisions made? Who’s involved?
• What’s the unique criteria your prospect looks for in a vendor relationship?
• What are the prospect’s underlying motivations?
• What kind of budget does the prospect have to invest with you?

A great sales rep shows genuine interest by asking the right questions — but remember that asking and listening go hand-in-hand. By really listening to a prospect’s responses — sales reps will be able to qualify what is (or, is not) a great sales opportunity.