We all know the path to a sale is lined with effective questions. Most salespeople have a series of great, thought-provoking questions for their prospects, but deliver them in an off-putting way. Buyers recoil when you go too deep, too fast. They resent it when you ask them to fill out a checklist of predetermined questions without taking a personal interest in each response. They feel manipulated when you fire back solutions before delving deeper into their feelings and problems.

Conversely, when you are generally curious and thoughtful — even ask surprising questions — your prospects will respect you and … Read the rest