When it comes to qualifying leads, you’re probably familiar with BANT – Budget, Authority, Need, Timeline. It’s important to understand the budget, who has the authority to buy, whether they truly need your solution and what’s the purchase timeline.

But what about the less-talked-about questions that could make a big difference in B2B sales? A post on the Revenue.io blog says BANT is a great place to start, but you should also consider asking some qualifying questions that go beyond the basics.

In this issue of PromoPro Daily, we highlight the Revenue.io post that shares some often-overlooked sales qualification questions. Read on to learn how to refine your approach and boost your chances of closing deals.

What’s the most frustrating part of your job? The post says this question helps you uncover your prospect’s primary pain point. When you understand their frustrations, you can offer solutions that help address those issues.

What have you done to resolve the problem in the past? The answer clues you into where they are in the buying process. You might also glean some information on how the organization is structured. For example, the post says you might learn if the prospect already has buy-in from key decision-makers or if they’re looking into other companies.

What’s your current solution’s financial impact? Instead of asking where they’re currently getting their promo, the post suggests asking about the financial impact of their current situation. This allows you to discern how happy they are with their current offering and how open to change they might be.

What inspired you to start looking for a change? Maybe the prospect just got their budget approved, or maybe they’re new to the company and tasked with making changes. It’s important to understand why they’re looking to make a change now, the post says, because it tells you how big a priority your solution is.

Can you see our solution helping you achieve your goals? According to the post, you should try to draw a direct line between your solution and their goals. Help them imagine a better reality when they go with your promo company.

What was your process when you implemented similar solutions? It’s helpful to know how the process worked when the prospect bought promo in the past. The post says that starting small can be a great way to prove value, and once value is proved, you can expand more easily.

Will other stakeholders have any issues? Today’s B2B sales landscape is complex. During discovery calls, try to identify these stakeholders, along with their objectives and pain points. According to the Revenue.io post, this allows you to build a coalition of stakeholders and pave the way for a unanimous decision in favor of your solution.

While BANT covers the essentials, make sure you dig deeper to truly understand prospects’ challenges, goals and pain points. When you ask the questions above, you not only gain a more holistic understanding of your prospects’ needs, but you can begin to build authentic relationships that could boost your conversion rates.

Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: The Revenue.io blog. Revenue.io is a cloud-based sales enablement platform.