Workplace

When people have a conversation, their questions and answers go through filter systems and are affected by personal slants of perception. For this reason, asking questions and analyzing answers can become tricky.

However, knowing how to properly ask and answer questions can help you improve communication with clients and prospects.

Questions

According to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's (MIT's) Teaching and Learning Laboratory, Cambridge, Mass., a good question is relatively short, clear and unambiguous. To be effective, ask only one question at a time. A string of questions most likely will confuse your prospect or client.

Pay attention to the responses you receive because they will reveal how effectively you have phrased a question. Sometimes, when prospects don't respond or respond poorly, it's because the question has been too vague or broad. It may help to think backwards: Begin with the answer you want to get, and devise a question that will lead to that answer.

MIT suggests the best way to categorize questions is from relatively closed to relatively open.

Closed questions ask for a specific answer; for example, closed questions ask for a "yes" or "no" response. Another type of closed question is the "Are you with me?" question that asks the listener to acknowledge his buy-in.

Open questions require more thought, such as "How long do you intend to live in your house?" These questions will provide greater insights; the trick is to be quiet and listen to the responses.

After asking a question, hold out as long as possible for a response. Many people, if they don't receive an immediate response, instantly rephrase the question, repeat it or answer it themselves. The latter is a particularly bad strategy because the listener will be even less inclined to answer the question.

Let at least five seconds pass before you say anything. A study at MIT of college physics classrooms found increasing wait time to five seconds had a positive effect on class participation, not only during that particular class session but for the course as a whole.

Also, be aware a customer's first answer may not be his best. Izzy Gesell, a personal and business coach for Izzy G & Co., Northampton, Mass., says, "A first answer rarely identifies the underlying cause or motivation."

His rule of thumb is to go to the second and third levels. For example:

• Level 1 question: "Why are you hesitant to make this decision?"
  Level 1 answer: "I'm overwhelmed."
  
  
• Level 2 question: "Why are you overwhelmed?"
  Level 2 answer: "I think I'm confused about the insurance appraisal vs. your numbers."
  
  
• Level 3 question: "How is this confusing you?"
  Level 3 answer: "My neighbors had a bad experience ... "

Gesell says: "The root of the issue is at the third level. A much more potentially productive conversation will happen then. You know you have the best answer when the issue gets resolved or the client or prospect is able to challenge his limiting assumptions."

Answers

If you are on the receiving end of a question, give your client or prospect a chance to frame his question. The silence may be uncomfortable, but it's important. Convince your potential customer or client with your tone of voice and body language that you are receptive to his inquiries.

When giving your answers, consider the following:

• Be sure you understand the question being asked. If you're not sure what the client or prospect asked, rephrase the question in your own words.
  
  
• Be as direct as possible with your answer.
  
  
• Be aware of your eye contact. If you are answering questions from multiple people at one setting, such as a husband-wife team during a home presentation, look at both people when answering your question. The passive participant may be the decision-maker.

Communicate

Asking clear questions and giving thoughtful answers are equally important. Treating both with a thoughtful attitude will improve the way you communicate and increase your productivity.

Karen Cortell Reisman owns a company called Speak For Yourself,® Dallas, and is author of The Naked Truth about Giving Great Speeches.