The Power of Great Questions

There is a surprising power that comes from asking the right question at the right time.

In fact, a well-framed question is an irreplaceable tool when it comes to having critical conversations and providing real value to your clients.

Our day-to-day job might involve selling property, but what we actually do is help people get from Point A to Point B.

And to do that we need to really understand people, their motives, what drives them and what they really, genuinely hope to achieve.

The best way to elicit that information? Well, it all starts with well-phrased and well-timed questions.

But that’s not the only purpose the right question at the right time can serve.

The more you ask, the more you learn

Asking questions and genuinely listening to people are two of the most valuable activities we can undertake when it comes to interpersonal communication.

After all, being curious about other people gives us a window into their world. Often what we see in that window isn’t just about the information they reveal in response to the question, either.

The value may also come in the form of information or hidden clues that they inadvertently respond with such as body language, tonality, energy, and more.

Meanwhile, the way we ask a question can influence the respondent. It can prompt them into contemplating something in a way they hadn’t before.

Take for example, the ‘or…and pause’ technique which encourages others to complete a statement. This helps prompt someone into formulating a response.

Good questions spur learning and foster the exchange of ideas. Questions fuel innovation and performance improvement. They build rapport and trust among clients and team members.

And the more questions you ask. The more information you will uncover.

Help me help you

We owe it to our clients to ask good questions that allow us an insight into what they want, what they need and how they feel about the sale of their property.

The right questions also help us connect the right people with a property. They help us see where people are in the property journey and how we can help them get to where they want to go.

Questions help us understand their fears, concerns, barriers and the things that might be holding them back.

Ultimately that allows us to better navigate those hurdles on their behalf. Not only do these questions allow us to better do our job, they also show our clients we genuinely care.

If you don’t ask you don’t get

Questions also have a critical role in overall career success. For example, too often agents walk away from a listing presentation without asking that all-important question: ‘Shall we get the ball rolling’ or ‘’shall we get the paperwork started?’

Ask and ye shall receive, but too often agents hesitate, dancing around the actual words that seal the deal.

And remember this, the more direct questions you ask, the more likely you will receive what you want. And more often than not the answer will be ‘yes.’

Ask great questions

Right about now phone calls, conversations and meetings will be high on every agent’s priority list.

But it’s not just about making contact for the sake of it. Don’t forget to include genuine questions as part of every interaction you have.

Ask great questions, and you will receive great answers. Think ‘question’ first and you will discover answers that have the potential to transform your professional world.

About the Author

Manos Findikakis is the CEO of Agents’Agency, Australia’s first multi-brand real estate network, ‘the only fully integrated solution for you and your people to create an unforgettable experience.’

For all enquiries and more information on how the Agents’Agency can help you take your career to the next level, click here to get in touch.