Leading Vs. Convincing: The Art of Questioning

John Kaplan

It is crucial to guide a business conversation with insightful questions, as this enables prospective clients to identify their own needs rather than being told what their problems might be. The key here is to lead rather than convince. This approach leads to more productive discussions than merely pushing solutions on them, as it demonstrates that you are there as an ally to help them resolve the issue together rather than telling them what they're doing wrong.

Try asking, “How do you currently address [mention a specific business challenge]? What outcomes have you noticed?”

An old saying that I really love is, “People rarely argue with their own conclusions.”

I’ll leave you with this - How often do you find yourself truly listening instead of pushing a sales pitch?

Ben Fleishman

Listening is such an underrated skill that can take a long time developing. This is such a great post.

There's a lot to be said about patience and listening, especially when you're trying to figure out where they're having the most trouble.