Identify Pain – questions to ask your prospect

Identify Pain section: Prospect qualifying questions

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

Status Grey – 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 business outcomes would be if you addressed those needs?

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 status grey.

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?

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 = Grey, 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?