Two Questions you Shouldn’t ask Customers or Co-Workers

This may be surprising, but few people actually want to do business with you. By that I mean people may want the benefits of your products and services. But the actual process of arranging for your services may be more of a have to do than a want to do. That’s why it’s often a mistake to ask customer or co-workers questions such as, “Would you like me to …?” or “Do you want me to…?” Frankly, they don’t want to go through the decision process at all. Instead, word your questions along the lines of, “Would it make sense for us to…”  “Would it be helpful if I…?”  “Would it be useful…?” In general, we get better results with questions that focus on resolving the customer’s problem, than with questions that encourage them to think about their mood.