Identify Pain – questions to ask your prospect

Identify Pain section: Prospect qualifying questions

Identify Pain questions to ask the prospect at red moving to yellow

Status Red – No business pain has been identified

Guiding Light Principle:  Awareness – The Prospect may be interested in your offering, but so far you have not been able to associate your capabilities with an important business pain.

  • Tell me what you like about your current situation?
  • Explain to me what you are most proud of?
  • Describe to me the impact you have on Revenue Cost or Risk – R-C-R?
  • Tell me what you would change if you had a Magic Wand?
  • Explain to me what you would address 1st, 2nd or 3rd?
  • Describe to me what the Positive Business Outcomes would be if you addressed those needs?
  • Tell me who would care?
  • Explain to me why they would care?
  • Describe to me their role in this decision?

Identifying Pain questions to ask the prospect at yellow moving to green

Status Yellow – Identified issue or opportunity we can impact, meaningful to EB or verified as a priority to the org. Note: EB can still be at Staus of Red.

Guiding Light Principal – Agreement – Documented business pains we can affect and uncovered the consequences of those pains,  Verified pains with the contacts and or positioned pains relative to known priorities of the Prospect’s business.

  • Tell what areas have you identified that you think we can help?
  • Explain to me which ones are most important?
  • Describe which ones are most important to upper management?
  • Tell me how you would rank them?
  • Explain to me which ones are tied to existing initiatives for improvement?
  • Describe to me what the EB is aware of?
  • Tell me how you would educate the EB?
  • Explain to me how you could get and keep her involved in the Dp?
  • Describe to me the consequences of a wrong or No Decision on these items?
  • Tell me how we can document the value of addressing these issues in executive briefing format?
  • Explain to me who would have to be involved?
  • Describe to me the key stakeholders?

Identify Pain questions to ask the prospect at green.

Status Green –   Identified pain relative the EB’s priorities and have identified a compelling event which is driving a sense of urgency

Guiding Light Principle: Action – In addition to the rigor applied to I = Red, you have also verified that the business pain we’re addressing is a priority of the EB to address. You have identified some event that is driving their timeline and urgency.   Note: In order to achieve I=Green, you must have at a minimum EB= Yellow and Dp = Yellow.

  • Tell me who are the “Victims” of the current process?
  • Explain to me:
    • Who benefits the most if you change?
    • Who hurts the most if it stays the same?
  • Describe to me who has to be involved to get this addressed?
  • Tell me what is more important than this?
  • Explain to me who cares about this?
  • Describe to me the “Consequences” of doing nothing?
  • Tell me how these needs are reflected in the Dc & Dp?
  • Explain to me how the PBO’s will validated, documented & communicated so an objective and informed decision will be made?
  • Describe to me what it is going to take to get someone to prioritize this, allocate the resources & write a check to fix it?