Power Questions: Build Relationships, Win New Business, and Influence Others

Power Questions Are Not Just for Sundays
In the chapters you just read, we described actual conversations in which
power questions were used. We felt it essential to illustrate them with real-
life examples. After all, a question that is part of a true and dramatic story
becomes memorable, even indelible. You can see its impact.
But there are far more power questions than just those we wrote about.
Many more. Thoughtful, probing, provocative questions you should be
using every day—at work, at home, and with your friends. Even with
strangers you meet on an airplane.
In this section, we share another 293 such questions. They are listed under
nine topics to help you do the following things.
1. Win new business

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2. Build relationships
3. Coach and mentor others
4. Resolve a crisis or complaint
5. Engage your leadership
6. Engage your employees
7. Evaluate a new proposal or idea
8. Improve your meetings
9. Ask for a gift
Use these questions to add zest and meaning to your conversations and to
deepen your relationships.
We don't have a story around each question. That's now your job. Take
charge. Use these questions to create your own touching, revealing,
powerful stories.
1. Win New Business
What is the secret to winning a sale? To convincing a potential buyer to go
with you?
A buyer is created when a clear need is identified, a trusting relationship
is established, and value is demonstrated. The most successful salespeople
in the world create these conditions by asking great questions.
They don't build their credibility with prospective buyers through fancy
PowerPoint presentations. Instead, they use thoughtful, informed questions
that implicitly demonstrate their knowledge and experience. They use
questions to uncover hidden needs. To identify whether or not there is a
problem or opportunity they can address. The best salespeople also use
questions to connect on an emotional level—to get to know the other person
and show they care.
It doesn't matter whether you're selling a product, a service, or an idea.
When you first meet someone, power questions quickly earn respect for
you. And that's the first step toward building a trusting relationship.