303 Use "How?" Instead of "Why?" to Get Better Results

Summary

Podcast Summary: Episode 303 - "Use 'How?' Instead of 'Why?' to Get Better Results"

Introduction

In Episode 303 of The Art of Sales with Art Sobczak, host Art Sobczak delves into the strategic use of questions in sales conversations. The focus of this episode is on replacing "why" questions with "how" questions to foster more productive and positive interactions with prospects. Sobczak draws from real-life experiences and psychological insights to illustrate how this shift can lead to better sales outcomes.

The Power of Questioning in Sales

Art begins the episode by sharing a relatable anecdote about observing a parent's interaction with her children at a grocery store. This scenario serves as a springboard for discussing the impact of the types of questions salespeople ask during calls.

“The questions we ask in sales can completely change the direction of a conversation.” [01:00]

Why Replace "Why" with "How"?

Sobczak emphasizes that "how" questions are generally more effective than "why" questions in sales contexts. He explains that while "why" questions can make prospects feel defensive, "how" questions invite them to share their thought processes without feeling judged.

“How invites the other person to explain their thinking or process without feeling judged. It feels more collaborative and less confrontational.” [02:30]

Examples of Effective Questioning

To illustrate his point, Art provides specific examples of how to rephrase "why" questions into "how" questions:

1. Price Objections:

   • Instead of: “Why do you think our price is too high?”
   • Try: “How are you evaluating the cost against the benefits?” [03:15]

2. Decision-Making Delays:

   • Instead of: “Why haven't you made a decision yet?”
   • Try: “How are you prioritizing this decision with everything else you have going on?” [04:00]

3. Hesitation:

   • Instead of: “Why are you hesitating?”
   • Try: “How can I help clarify any concerns you might have here?” [04:45]

Psychological Underpinnings

Art delves into the neuroscience behind why "how" questions outperform "why" questions. He explains that "why" questions activate areas of the brain associated with logic and self-preservation, often triggering emotional defenses. Conversely, "how" questions engage parts of the brain involved in explanation and exploration, fostering a more open and comfortable dialogue.

“A why question makes people feel like they need to justify or defend their decision... It triggers emotional reactions linked to self-preservation.” [05:30]

Benefits of Using "How" Questions

By adopting "how" questions, sales professionals can:

• Gain More Information: Research shows that "how" questions can elicit nearly twice as much information as "why" questions. [06:00]
• Build Trust: Creating a non-confrontational environment helps in establishing trust, which is crucial for successful sales relationships. [06:45]
• Uncover Hidden Concerns: "How" questions allow prospects to reveal underlying issues or objections that may not be immediately apparent. [07:15]

Applying "How" Questions to Create Opportunities

Art discusses how the information gathered from "how" questions can be leveraged to align solutions with the prospect’s needs and timelines. For instance, understanding that a customer is waiting on budget approvals allows the salesperson to tailor follow-up actions accordingly.

“How questions not only lead to better conversations, they lead to better outcomes.” [07:45]

Key Takeaways

Art Sobczak concludes the episode with a powerful takeaway:

“The next time you're tempted to ask why, stop, take a breath and ask how. Instead, you'll find that people open up more, they feel more comfortable, and you'll get the information you need to truly understand their situation.” [08:00]

He reinforces that effective sales are built on meaningful conversations, trust, and understanding, all of which are facilitated by the right choice of questions.

Conclusion

Episode 303 of The Art of Sales provides valuable insights into the art of questioning in sales interactions. By shifting from "why" to "how," sales professionals can foster more engaging, respectful, and productive conversations, ultimately leading to better sales outcomes and stronger relationships with clients.

Transcript

[A]

You are listening to the Art of Sales. Everyone sells every day and this is your source for conversational real world sales and prospecting methods that you are comfortable using and that get results you'll help people buy instead of pushing them into being sold. Here's your host, Art Sopcich.

[B]

I was in line to check out at the grocery store and in front of me there was a mom who was emptying her shopping cart onto the belt and her twin boys, about 6 years old I guess, nudged by me, and each threw a pack of cookies into the cart while the flustered mom screamed at them, no. Go. Put those back. One of the boys said, why? Then the other backed him up. Yeah, why can't we have them? The mom, who's now trying to not make a scene but it was too late, struggled to answer and then blurted out, because I'm the mom. And I said, so. So the boys grumbled and took the cookies back to the shelf. While the dynamics are certainly different in a sales call situation, that experience got me thinking about the use of why in questioning. As I've always said, the questions we ask in sales can completely change the direction of a conversation. And that's why I'm such a big believer in the power of using how instead of why. When you're trying to dig deeper or understand someone's perspective, you can almost always replace why questions with how questions. How invites the other person to explain their thinking or process without feeling judged. It feels more collaborative and less confrontational. I'm not saying never use why, and certainly your tone of voice can help you to pull it off in many cases, such as saying, oh, why is that? But let's talk about the use of how and how in most situations you're going to get a better result. So let me give you an example. Imagine you're on a call and the prospect says something like, yeah, I don't think the solution is the right fit for us. Now, your first instinct might be to ask, oh, why don't you think we're a good fit? But that question could easily make them feel like they need to defend their opinion, almost like you're challenging their decision. Instead, try asking, how did you come to that conclusion? Or can you walk me through how you reach that decision? See the difference? The how version is softer. It's more inviting. You're not challenging them, you're asking them to explain their process. And that shift in tone can make all the difference in how the conversation flows. There's some interesting research behind this. Studies show that when you Ask how instead of why. You often get nearly twice as much information. But why is that? Okay, I did use why there. So the reason is in how the brain processes these questions. A why question makes people feel like they need to justify or defend their decision. It activates a part of the brain that that's responsible for logic, but also triggers emotional reactions linked to self preservation. On a sales call where the person might already be a little bit guarded, this can lead to a shutdown in communication. On the other hand, how questions activate a different part of the brain. They're more about explanation and exploration. How encourages the other person to walk through their thought process, making them feel more comfortable. It's like you're saying, hey, I'm really interested in how you arrived at this point. And when people feel comfortable, they're more likely to open up and share useful information. So let's go through a few examples to really drive this home. So let's say, for example, with that price objection, instead of, oh, why do you think our price is too high? You could try how are you evaluating the cost against the benefits? Now, that first question can feel confrontational, right? Like you're pushing them to defend their view. But the how invites them to share their thought process, giving you an opportunity to address their real concerns without putting them on the spot. Instead of, oh, why haven't you made a decision yet? You could try something like, how are you prioritizing this decision with everything else you got going on? The why sounds like you're rushing them. Well, the how invites them to explain what's really going on. You might learn about internal processes or other projects or even concerns that they haven't voiced yet. If somebody is hesitating, instead of saying, oh, why are you hesitating? You might say, how can I help clarify any concerns you might have here? The why puts them on the spot to explain their hesitation, while how creates a space for them to share what's really holding them back without feeling judged. So sales is all about having meaningful conversations, not interrogations. And the difference between the two often comes down to the questions we ask. So when you're in conversation mode, you're curious, you're looking to understand, but in interrogation mode, you're pushing and the other person feels it. How keeps things conversational. It shows respect for the other person's thoughts. It gives them room to explain. When people feel respected, they're more likely to trust you. And trust is the foundation of any great sales relationship, or any relationship for that matter. So now, once you've asked These how questions. What do you do with the information you get? Well, simple. You use it to create opportunities. For example, if a prospect says, well, we're not ready to move forward, and you ask, oh, how are you deciding the timeframe? They might tell you they're waiting on budget approvals or internal discussions. That's great information because now you know when and how to follow up. You can position your solution in a way that fits their timeline or offer something that aligns with their priorities. So, in short, how questions not only lead to better conversations, they lead to better outcomes. So here's the big takeaway for this episode. The next time you're tempted to ask why, stop, take a breath and ask how. Instead, you'll find that people open up more, they feel more comfortable, and you'll get the information you need to truly understand their situation. So remember, sales is about building relationships. It's about trust and understanding. And the right questions can help you do that. So go out there, start asking how, and watch how much more productive and positive your conversations become. All right. Hey, you know what time it is?

[A]

Sales of the day.

[B]

That's right, it's time for the quote of the day. Today's quote comes from Peter Drucker. And Peter said, my greatest strength as a consultant is to be ignorant and ask a few questions. Hey, if you found this useful, I've got another entire episode titled 76 how questions you can use. And that's pretty self explanatory, right? So to hear that one, go to our show site, which is theart of sales.com theartofsales.com and then go to the Episodes tab right there at the top. And then you can use the search box to find episode one. 86. 186. And also while you're there, if you're not now subscribed to this podcast or on the email list to get notified of new episodes, you can do it right there as well. Thank you so much for investing your valuable sales time with me today. Until next time, go out and make it your best sales day ever. I'm Art Sobcha.