In B2B sales, there are, generally speaking, three stages to a sales process. Demand creation, where you educate the prospect about their problem and the art of the possible in how to solve it. Selling, where the prospect has identified a problem and is looking for a solution. And order taking, where someone has a clearly defined need and a comprehensive understanding of what the solution is, and is only looking for which solution provider to select, typically through a formal RFx process.

The services organization can often handle order taking. Demand creation should typically be handled by marketing, generating leads that sales can sell to. Too many sales organizations, however, fall into the role of quasi-marketing and run around with their pitch, telling prospects about their solution. That’s not really selling, and it’s typically a poor way to do marketing as well, so it hurts the organization on both ends.

Assuming you have already discerned that your prospect has a problem for which your organization has a solution, I’m going to show you how to qualify a lead in four steps without sounding like you’re interviewing them.

The four questions:

  1. What’s the problem?
  2. How are you handling it today?
  3. What’s broken about the current approach?
  4. What happens if nothing changes?

First, ask about their biggest problem before you mention your solution. Then repeat their problem back to them in their own words. This proves you listened, and it builds instant trust.

Second, ask about their current state, not their goals.

“What are you using right now for this?”

Or:

“How are you handling this today?”

Their answer tells you whether they have a process, a competitor, a workaround, or nothing at all.

Third, ask what’s broken about it.

Don’t ask if something is broken; ask what.

“What’s not working about that setup?”

If they say “nothing really,” you’re probably talking to someone with no pain. At that point, it’s worth questioning whether there is really an opportunity there at all.

Fourth, ask what happens if it stays broken.

“If this continues for another six months, what does it cost you?”

If they can’t answer, there may not be much urgency. If they give you a meaningful answer, you’ve likely found a real opportunity.

Four steps, four questions.

This way, you know whether the opportunity is worth your time before you’ve pitched a single thing.

Here’s the twist: you’re still not ready to make the pitch.

There’s one more thing you can do to make them more receptive to hearing about your solution.

Ask them this:

“What would happen if you solved this problem in the next 30 days?”

Now they’re describing the upside and the results themselves. In many cases, they begin selling themselves on the value of solving the problem.

Then ask:

“What’s stopping you from doing it right now?”

They’ll often list their objections without you ever raising them. Now you know exactly what needs to be addressed and can tailor your pitch to the things they actually care about.

Only then should you start talking about your solution.