Sell With Authority

How to Ask a Proper Question, with Jody Sutter

Jan 10, 2024

44:48

How to Ask a Proper Question? Win business and elevate your communication skills with our guide on how to ask a proper question.

How to ask a proper question? As the great Tony Robbins once said, “If you want to change the trajectory of your life … ask better questions.” Here at Predictive, we’ve taken that philosophy to heart — especially when it comes to working with our clients.

Today, we’re turning the spotlight on the art of questioning and how it can be a game-changer for your agency. In this episode of Sell With Authority, we focus on how to raise the bar of excellence in the questions we ask clients and right-fit prospects.

You see, in the world of proposals and client interactions, it’s not just about the pitch; it’s about asking the right questions at the right time. How can we map out questions, rehearse scenarios, and fine-tune our approach to help clients not just get proposals accepted — but truly understand if an opportunity aligns with their agency?

Here’s a stat that will grab your attention — the typical proposal acceptance rate for an agency hovers around 25-30%. That means a lot of non-billable time is invested in opportunities with a low probability of success.

But, armed with the right questions and a sprinkle of Conceptual Agreement, your agency’s win rate can soar to an incredible 80%.

Asking good questions may be simple, but not always easy. That’s why I invited Jody Sutter for an encore episode so she could share her insights and wisdom about which questions we should ask — and when we should ask them.

Jody is the brilliant mind behind The Sutter Company, a consultancy specializing in advising small agencies and marketing services firms on growth strategies. Her expertise lies in how to ask a proper question, asking questions and the kind of questions that break the ice, engaging clients in the process, and ultimately facilitating decisions that benefit both parties.

If you apply the wisdom Jody imparts in this episode, you will change the trajectory of your agency for the better — so you roar through 2024!

What you will learn in this episode is about how to ask a proper question:

Why questions play a fundamental role in the power of the pitch
How to ask a proper question that are helpful, not confrontational
Why the second best answer to a “yes” is actually a “no”
Jody’s expertise around the nuance of when to ask the framework questions
A few basic preparation questions you should be sending in writing to right-fit prospects

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