What happens when a prospect tells you they don’t have the budget for it? What…cat got your tongue? Well, I’ve been down that road before and getting derailed from how you wanted your conversation to ideally flow can seem pretty daunting.

So I’ve listed some tough questions that you can load in your arsenal so the next time a prospect throws some tough objections at you, you’re always ready to navigate your course towards success. Ask them appropriate questions that will get them to think.

11 Tough Questions to Ask Your Prospects

1. If you had a termite issue with your house, would you throw a coat of paint on it?
2. If there was one thing you could do to grow your company that you’re not doing today, what would it be?
3. When somebody tells you they don’t have the money right now but you know that if they do this, it can change their life and business, here’s what you can say:

That is exactly why you need to borrow, beg, or do whatever needs to be done to get the money so you can get this particular product.

4. What is impossible to do right now, but if you could do it or get it done, would it fundamentally change your business for good?
5. Let’s say you want to raise the productivity level of your team by 15%, what would they need to do today that they’re not currently doing?

Possible follow up question: What impact would that have on your bottom line?

6. If you really feel that this could change your business, could you find a budget for it? (Go quiet and usually they will figure out an answer.)

Possible follow up questions:

• Have you calculated the cost of doing business with the lowest bidder? (If the prospect selects the lowest bidder)
• What about the cost of their service department? How is it if you calculated that into your business?

Help them understand all those other costs. Point those things out to make them think a little more.

7. Do I really have a shot at this or is XYZ a sacred cow?

Possible follow up question:

What do you like so much about them if you don’t mind me asking?

(Understanding why they’re the sacred cow will help you find a weak spot in their armor and capitalize on that)

8. Do you really want to think it over? Or is it safe to say that it is over?

Usually people know what they want to get. You can’t just be pushed around. You have more prospects to go after so cut it clean.

9. You mentioned you’ve not had a good experience with your current provider. If you would have worked with us, what are you hoping would be different?
10. Given all we talked about, what do you see as being different if you were to move forward with our company?
11. If we were to work together, what does success look like for you? Or what does it look like for your project?

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