The role of closed questions

and their construction

through interrogative pronouns

Closed questions are those to which the customer's answer is usually YES or NO..These questions most often direct our interlocutor to choose one of two suggested short answers, in the form of a single word or phrase, but he does not have to wonder in order to answer for them. As a rule, closed questions are used in various surveys that force short and concise information. They do not encourage dialogue, but for quick statements, among the others, by narrowing down  the choice.

In general, such questions allow:

- a quick definition of the facts,

- to present  position in the most concise manner,

- quickly getting an answer,

- clarification of the statement.

In direct sales, closed questions can only be used occasionally at the stage of clarification of specific information. In general, however, they are not recommended to be used. Especially at the very beginning of the trade conversation, this is one of the biggest mistakes of the sellers. The short answers of customers, instead of providing us with information about the needs and true sources of purchasing motivation, are only used to know the positions and facts. It is also very disadvantageous that closed questions take valuable time for our customers at the stage of diagnosing needs. 

"In direct sales, closed questions can only be used occasionally

at the stage of clarification of specific information.

In general, however, they are not recommended,

and their occurrence at the very beginning of the sales conversation

is one of the biggest mistakes of sellers"

Based on numerous sales examples, we can conclude that a customer who was initially interested in the cheapest selected car model, after a thorough diagnosis of needs based on the use of open questions, not closed ones, decided to a completely different model with a higher price range. His choice could first fall on the model sedan, but a thorough analysis of needs made him interested in a station wagon. Based only on the first choices and positions of the customer, the seller may misinterpret his needs. Customers, very often suggesting different information on the Internet, first choose products based on vague information. Their decisions change when talking to a professional consultant. This one, having more practical product knowledge, and above all by diagnosing needs, proposes another product that will more meet their expectations.

The professional seller should therefore deliberately limit closed questions by applying the open ones. The beginning of the trade conversation must be determined by asking such questions, which will allow for more information and knowledge of the needs of merchants. Closed questions can only be successfully used at the closing and overcoming customer objections. 

Unfortunately, we have an innate tendency to ask closed questions in the early stages of  the trade conversation. In Poland where I live About the author we tend to build questions with conjunction “whether”, which is not used correctly in construction of questions in English. Conjunction “whether” expressing doubts: “If or not”. The formal rule is to use if when you have a conditional sentence ( not in questions) and whether when you are showing that two alternatives are possible.

Let's look at a drawing showing examples of closed questions in practice.

CLOSED QUESTIONS STARTING WITH THE INTERRGATIVE  PRONOUNS  WHAT

Example 1

"What is the capital of Russia?" Our answer will be "Moscow".

Example 2

"What will we get by adding the number two and three?" Our answer will be "Number 5". 

Example 3

"What are you holding your hands?" Our answer may be "Nothing", "Pen".

Example 4

"What does it mean for a student to raise his hand during class?" Our answer may be "Willingness to answer."

Example 5

"What is the consequence of non-payment?" Our answer may be as follows:

"Call for payment", "Court case"

Based on the examples above, you can see that typical of open questions  interrogative pronoun what  can also be used in closed questions.

Let's look at examples of questions. Unfortunately, such questions are most often used by sellers in their daily professional struggles.

CLOSED QUESTIONS STARTING FROM : “ARE”., “DO”, “WOULD”

Example 1.

"Are you interested in buying a new car?" Our answer may be "Yes, I am" or "No, I am not."

Example 2.

"Would you like to spend tonight with me?" Our answer may be as follows: "Yes, I would like", "No, I would not like", "Perhaps".

Example 3.

"Do you want to buy this product?" Our answer may be" yes, I want", "No, I don't want to."

The chance of our interlocutor's response positive is 50%. And that's the likelihood of sales success.

Example 4.

"Does this price suit you?" Our answer may be "No, it doesn't respond," "Yes, it does"

Example 5.

"Wouldn't you want to buy this product?" Our answer may be as follows: "Yes, I would like", "No, I would not like."

At this point, we would like to draw attention to the form of the last above question, which automatically suggests a negative answer to us in advance. These questions are called questions that begin with a denial: negative questions, I think this name corresponds well to their properties. By asking negative questions, we suggest negative answers to the customer, which should immediately be overstated in conversations with customers.

Let's go on to the next examples, this time questions  starting with: “Can I” “May I”

Questions that begin in this way are used by sellers in customer service salons. Surely you have been politely greeted by the service of a living room as follows many times:

" Can I help You?"

Most often, customers' answers to these types of questions are as follows: "No, thank you". It is very rare that at this stage the customer will articulate our needs. Using these questions can only be helpful if our customer actually needs help. Another thing is that in many markets we can't ask her when we actually need it.

We think that the use and popularity of such questions are due to the direct borrowing of this polite form from English, which does not quite work well in Poland. Do we always need help? Well, no, we often look for a specific product or visit a particular store completely accidentally and aimlessly. The professional seller should therefore ask an open question. An example would be the questions used by the sellers of the so-called old date:

• "What do you need...? ",
• "What products are you looking for …? ".