Curiosity Converts: The Questions That Make Sales (and Follow-Ups) Work
About this episode
Helen discusses the importance of asking better questions in sales to improve conversions and follow-ups.
In this episode, Helen digs into the underrated superpower of sales: asking better questions. Sparked by coaching a candidate selling corporate hospitality, she shares why most reps leap to a pitch instead of learning why a buyer would—or wouldn’t—say yes. Using her own experience with race-day events, Helen shows how almost no one asks, “Why not now?”—and how that single question uncovers practical fixes (format, travel, budget, incentives) you can feed back into your offer. Key takeaways: Lead with curiosity. On sales calls and follow-ups, ask open questions to learn context, constraints, and timing—don’t guess. Do something with the feedback. Close the loop internally (tweak the offer/process) and externally (tell the buyer what you changed). Treat “no” as “not yet.” Gain permission to check back, then diarise a 3–6 month follow-up so warm opportunities don’t go cold by neglect. Make it human. Genuine interest beats scripted interrogations; the goal is insight, not a checkbox. If you want a pipeline built on real conversations—not wishful thinking—start by asking better questions and following through. 👉 Ready to fill your diary with qualified appointments and a follow-up…
People in this episode
Host: Helen Dowling
Topics covered
- sales
- questions
- follow-ups
- curiosity
- buyer insights
- sales strategy
Keywords
- sales
- curiosity
- questions
- follow-ups
- buyer
- insights
- sales strategy
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: exceptionalthinking.co.uk
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