Asking the right sales probing questions can be the difference between a quick no and an insightful conversation. Discover some of the best to use on your prospects.

One of the most valuable skills to master as an insurance agent is to ask the right sales probing questions. These queries help gather valuable information that can identify countless sales opportunities. However, asking the wrong ones leads to details you’ll have trouble analyzing. 

Most great salespeople are data-driven, but developing the right questions takes experience, time, and lots of practice. You can get a headstart, though. Here are some of the best ones for your leads. 

sales probing questions

7 Sales probing questions to get your prospects talking

1. How was your weekend?

The first thing to do during any sales conversation is to build a connection with your audience, and one of the best rapport-building tips is discovering what matters most to your prospects. 

For example, asking about their weekend or any other neutral event (snowstorm, local festival, etc.) can help you gain insight into their hobbies, passion projects, and more. 

2. How would you describe your current insurance policy?

With a question like this, you can quickly understand your potential client’s pain points. Then, in most cases, you’ll receive answers about how agencies handle claims, settlement offers, and policy costs. 

This question is ideal for discovering personalized ways to sell your products. Once you learn what a consumer needs, you can choose which product features to highlight. Use it once during the beginning of the sales process before moving further down the pipeline.

3. What would you change about your existing policy?

This question is direct, but it gives you an explicit answer to what a prospect is looking for in a policy. The goal is to learn why prospects need your products and let them lead the conversation toward the realization that your product offers them what they want.

If you prefer a positive, solution-based sales strategy, include this question in your script. It can engage even the most demanding clients because it focuses on results as much as on needs. 

4. Do you have a budget in mind?

Asking open-ended sales probing questions provides you with various chances to educate prospects. For instance, when you learn about a potential client’s budget, you can start a discussion about multiple options that don’t exceed it. 

Once you ask this question, keep the conversation going by checking time frames. Find out if the budget is per year, quarter, or month.

Inform the lead about your more affordable offers and payment flexibilities. 

5. How do you choose the ideal policy for you?

This probing sales question is essential in closing a deal. If a potential client opens up about buying criteria, you can address them one by one. Then, align your pitch with every criterion to boost your chances of landing a sale. 

Choose this technique on reluctant prospects. Be as direct as possible to avoid receiving vague answers in return. Answers like mid-range pricing won’t be of much help to you.

6. If you don’t purchase this policy, what difficulties will you face?

To demonstrate your offer’s impact, use this question on someone who already shows interest in your product. It helps your client understand the value of your offer without discussing its advantages at length.

Instilling the cost of a prospect’s inaction can help you move the sale forward. Use it on buyers who are considering buying a policy from you. 

7. Is there anything else I need to know?

Use this question when it sounds like your lead is ready to end the conversation. Before saying your goodbyes, try to squeeze more valuable information out of your potential clients. 

Consider this part as similar to the question and answer portion in presentations. It gives your lead the chance to discuss or ask about any aspect of your product you haven’t discussed earlier. It might be the question you need to close a sale. 

Amplify the effectiveness of your sales probing questions. 

Sales probing questions can help you delve deeper into your prospects’ innermost needs and wants. However, no matter how good you are at developing the right questions, some leads are just not the right fit for your products. 


If you want to boost the effectiveness of your open-ended questions, request a quote for a custom list of double-verified quality prospects from HBW Leads.


 

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