When qualifying, you bring value to your prospects, clients, and yourself through the questions you ask — but only if they're good questions. One characteristic of great questions is that they are open-ended.
Open-ended questions create a learning experience for either the questioner (you), the person being questioned (your prospect or client), or both. Naturally, the best questions provide insight for all parties concerned.
I suspect you've heard the distinction between closed and open-ended questions before, and perhaps you're applying it already. Let's make sure you're using open-ended questions to their full value.
Table of Contents
What are open-ended questions?
Open-Ended Questions vs. Closed-Ended Questions
How to Ask Open-Ended Questions
Examples of Open-Ended Questions
Open-Ended Questions
Open-ended questions prompt a conversation because they can't be answered with one-word answers. An example of an open-ended question would be 'Where do you want to be in five years?' The answer to this questions varies from person to person, and can only be answered with a unique perspective that usually prompts a longer conversation.
You might be familiar with open-ended questions, but maybe not closed-ended questions, which you usually want to avoid.
Open-Ended vs. Closed-Ended Questions
Open-ended questions prompt the beginning of a longer conversation by asking questions starting with "why," "how," and "what if?" Closed-ended questions can be answered with single-word answers, such as "yes" or "no."
Open-ended questions and closed-ended questions both have their place in sales conversations. If you're only looking for one-word or quantitative answers, like the number size of the prospect's company or its annual revenue, asking a closed-ended question is an appropriate approach.
But when it comes to learning qualitative information during your initial discovery calls with prospects or new customers, open-ended questions can go a long way. Use a tool like HubSpot's free meeting scheduling tool to schedule your initial calls. Then ask open-ended questions to build trust and rapport, get to know the prospect and their needs, and begin building a positive relationship. Let's dig into how to do it well:
How to Ask Open-Ended Questions
If at the end of the meeting, I ask a prospect or client, "Did you find this meeting helpful?" I'm forcing them into a "yes" or "no" answer. And while it's good to know that they found the meeting helpful, unless they volunteer some elaboration to their answer, you don't know in what ways they experienced value. Maybe they're just being polite.
On the other hand, I could ask, "We've been through a bit of a process to get to this point, have we not? Can you tell me the value you feel you've received by going through this entire process?"
Now what happens? Your prospect or client clearly articulates their perception of the process, which helps you to get even clearer on your value. In addition, asking your prospects and clients about value actually helps them reinforce it in their own minds. The net result is that you become more preferable and earn the right to ask for referrals.
1. Transform any question into an open-ended question.
So here's your action step for the next few days. Start to pay attention to the questions you are asking your prospects, clients, and everyone else you encounter. Did you just ask a closed-ended question when an open-ended question would have yielded more information for both parties? Where appropriate, start to turn some of your closed-ended questions into open-ended questions.
2. If you ask a close-ended question, follow it up with an open-ended one.
Here's a quick little trick I discovered that might help. If you find yourself asking a closed-ended question, you can always open it up at the end. For example, if you start by asking "Did you find value in this process?" you can follow it up with, "If so, please tell me in what ways."
3. Use open-ended questions to start a conversation, not to run through a script.
Remember that open-ended questions are designed to start a conversation with people. You shouldn't be surprised or thrown off if the answers to an open-ended question lead to tangential offshoots, and you should have a plan in place for if that happens, because it means your open-ended questions were successful.
Make sure you're also actively listening to the answers to help you build rapport with prospects and become one of their trusted advisers.
There is so much to this topic that I couldn't possibly cover it in just one blog post, so you can expect me to revisit this concept in future posts. In my next article, I'm going to give some very specific high-value open-ended questions that you can use to bring value to your prospects, clients, and yourself very quickly.
Examples of Open-Ended Questions
- Whare the top priorities of your business at the moment?
- What are some of the best decisions you’ve made related to ___?
- How are you feeling about your current situation related to ___?
- If we were meeting five years from today, what needs to happen for you to feel good about your business situation related to ___?
- What opportunities do you see on your horizon?
- What challenges do you see to making those opportunities happen?
- How will you be measuring your success related to those outcomes?
- What’s the biggest risk of you not making progress on this situation?
- Who all needs to be involved in making the final purchasing decision?
- What is the motivation behind taking on this project?
Here are some open-ended, high-value questions you can ask your prospects:
1. What are the top priorities of your business at the moment?
This is a great alternative to the question, "What’s your main business goal?" Asking your contact to share their business priorities invites them to provide a holistic view of their current state of business. That information can give you valuable insight into how you can position your product or service to better resonate with them.
2. What are some of the best decisions you’ve made related to ___?
Instead of asking, "What did you focus on last year?" ask them to share some of their recent wins. This tells you what your prospect is currently celebrating, and by understanding what has recently gone well for them, you can learn how to present your product as their next good decision.
3. How are you feeling about your current situation related to ___?
If you don’t want to receive a one-word answer such as "good" or "fine", stay away from questions such as "How are you doing?" Asking them to describe their current situation invites the prospect to share their story and perspective with you, and creates a safe space to begin building trust.
4. If we were meeting five years from today, what needs to happen for you to feel good about your business situation related to ___?
Don’t put your prospect on the spot by asking an awkward question like "What’s your five-year plan?" While most businesses do have insight into what they want to accomplish in the future, asking for their future plans can lead to a deer in the headlights response. By asking them how you can help them reach their best case scenario, this opens the door to thoughtful conversation about their future plans in a low-pressure way.
5. What opportunities do you see on your horizon?
Asking your prospect what opportunities they would like to capitalize on is another low-pressure way to inquire about their future plans. This also gives you valuable information you can use to leverage your product as the key to helping them realize their opportunities.
6. What challenges do you see to making those opportunities happen?
Instead of asking what roadblocks they are facing, keep the conversation focused on their opportunities. This open-ended question gets the prospect thinking about how you can work together to remove the barriers to their goals.
7. How will you be measuring our success related to those outcomes?
This question is an inviting way to ask your prospect what their KPIs are. If you were to simply ask, "What are your KPIs?" they could provide a one-word answer such as "sales" which doesn’t give you much insight. By asking how they plan to measure success, the prospect has the opportunity to go in-depth explaining to you how they will know when they’ve reached their goals.
8. What’s the biggest risk of you not making progress on this situation?
If you were to ask a prospect, "What if you don’t hit your goals?" you could put them in the defensive. Instead, try asking what their risks are of not making progress. Not only is this question less accusatory, but it gives you the chance to work together and strategize on potential risk management practices.
9. Who all needs to be involved in making the final purchasing decision?
Finding the right decision maker is critical to making a sale. As you navigate the sales process, make sure you’re working with the right contact. Let’s be honest, there’s nothing worse than putting in the groundwork to get the deal, only to find out your prospect doesn’t have purchasing authority and can’t sign on the dotted line. Confirming who needs buy-in as a productive open-ended question.
10. What is the motivation behind taking on this project?
This question helps you understand your prospect’s decision making process. By learning what your prospect is motivated by, you will get clear on what results they are seeking from your product. This can help you set expectations, and speak to the features that matter most to your buyer. Additionally, by asking your prospect what factors are motivating their buying decisions, you give them a chance to share their values, which is important for building trust.
Want to learn more about sales qualification? Check out our comprehensive guide to sales qualification here.
Knowing the right questions to ask a contractor before hiring can make all the difference in the outcome of your project. We’ve compiled a list of 14 questions that will ensure you get all the information you need to start a project knowing your home is in good hands.
Renovating your home can be a huge financial investment, so it’s important to get to know your contractor before you begin. Meeting with a contractor to get a quote before a big project is common in the industry, and you may end up meeting with several. In order to find the best team for the job, you’ll need to know all the right questions to ask a general contractor.
Have questions for a contractor? Contact Asher’s exterior remodel experts for quality advice from the top industry specialists.
14 Killer Questions to Ask Your Contractor
If you have never worked with a contractor before, talk to your neighbors, friends, or family to ask for a reference for a contractor. Don’t try to DIY without a permit, and be aware of the home improvement scams out there when looking for a contractor. Once you have a few good options, set up for a consultation or two. Run through these questions with them to make sure you’re both on the same page so your project turns out exactly as you had imagined.
1. Do You Have a Contractor’s License and Insurance?
Out of all the questions to ask a contractor, this one may be the most important. A contractor without the proper license or insurance can put you at great risk financially. The license requirements will vary depending on your state, but it’s always safer to bet on the contractor with additional licenses than the ones that just get the minimum requirements.
A contractor without insurance is a huge red flag. You’ll have to assume liability for their safety covering all the costs associated with any accidents that occur on your site. At the very least, they should have worker’s compensation to protect you from expenses due to injuries.
2. What’s Your Background and Experience?
Put this question at the top of your list of contractor interview questions, as it makes a good ice breaker, and will tell you if they’re a good fit for your project type. Find out how long they have been in business and also how many projects they have completed. Time in business does not always equal experience, so it’s important to get their total projects as well.
You can ask them about past projects that may have been similar to yours to see if the contractor was able to get them done on time. Don’t be afraid to ask for specifics as you gather these key bits of background information.
- Time in business
- Number of completed projects
- Past projects similar to yours
3. Can You Provide a List of Past Client Referrals?
Feel free to ask for referrals, reviews, or testimonials from your contractor. Any good contractor will be happy to let their work speak for itself, so listen to what their clients have to say. You can also do some research on sites such as Angie’s List, HomeAdvisor, and social media to see what their customers or past employees have to say about them.
As with all reviews, there may be two sides to the story. If there’s a particularly bad review, ask your contractor about it to get the full picture. When looking for past referrals, start with these three first:
- Check the contractor’s website
- Look them up on Angie’s List or HomeAdvisor
- Scroll through their social media accounts
4. Will You Take Care of Permits?
Not every job will require permits, but they are a necessity for any job that fundamentally changes the structure of your house. Any professional contractor will know what kinds of permits are needed and how to get them, but a great one will also be willing to pull them for you.
There is some cost and time involved in obtaining the right permits. Having an experienced professional handle the process of getting permits and scheduling inspections will allow your job to run more smoothly. Common permits include:
- Building projects
- Plumbing and electricity
- Special projects like fireplaces and decks
5. What Is Your Schedule?
Asking a contractor for their schedule is a good way to determine how organized and diligent they are about their work. A contractor who doesn’t lay out a set schedule beforehand can easily slide into a mismanaged workflow that could drag out for weeks and cost you a lot of time and money.
When work is being done on your home, you want to know when the crew will be arriving and leaving each day. Also, provided milestone schedules will show they are on track to finish within the agreed timeline.
6. What Is Your Estimated Timeline for Completion?
While unexpected problems can arise with any project, your contractor should be able to give you a good estimate of your project’s timeline. You can ask for a schedule that not only gives you your completion date but also a couple of milestones in between so you can make sure you’re on track.
In most cases, projects tend to run long, so you may want to inquire about any projects your contractor has set up for the future. You don’t want your contractor to run off before your project is finished because they have to set up another job.
7. Will There Be Subcontractors on This Project?
A large contractor will typically have several projects going on at the same time. They manage all this work by hiring subcontractors for each job. This can make it difficult to know exactly who is working on your job, and subcontractors could change mid-project.
It’s best to keep the same subcontractors throughout a job for consistency and continuity in the project. However, a good contractor will almost always hire good subcontractors. When getting to know your subcontractors, you’ll find they typically fall into these main categories:
- Electrical work, plumbing, and HVAC
- Painting, masonry, and plastering
- Flooring and concrete
- Carpentry
- Siding, roofing, and sheet metal
8. What’s Your Method of Contract Delivery?
Contract delivery is how the contractor breaks down their services and comes up with an offer for their part of the contractual agreement. To know how to respond to a contractor’s quote, you’ll need to know the three main types of contract delivery methods. While most contractors have their preferred method, some may be flexible if you have a different preference.
Guaranteed Maximum Prices
With this delivery method, the contractor and you both agree that the project won’t exceed a certain amount or guaranteed maximum price. The contractor gives you a breakdown of all the costs associated with the project for you to sign off on.
If the project comes in under budget then both you and the contractor share the excess — a win-win method that most people prefer.
Lump-Sum Delivery
This is the most common contract delivery method because it’s the most simplistic. With a lump-sum delivery, the contractor bids one fixed price for the project and doesn’t break down the costs for the homeowner.
If there are excess funds at the end of the project, the contractor gets to keep them. This can be either a win or loss for you, depending on how smoothly the project goes.
Cost
Cost is calculated as the total cost of the project plus the contractor’s profit. It may seem ideal because everything is laid out before you, but it can put you at a disadvantage. You will be responsible for covering the cost of any delays or surprises you find along the way.
9. How Will Payment Work?
Once you have agreed upon a contract delivery method you can ask about the payment schedule. Most contractors will ask for payment before a project begins, but you should discuss and agree upon a set schedule.
Typically payments are made after each project milestone completion, with the last payment being made when everything is complete. A payment schedule will not only ensure your project’s completion but also help you with your own financial organization.
10. How Do You Prefer to be Contacted?
Effective communication is the cornerstone of any successful renovation project. If you have contract questions or answers and can’t reach your contractor, that means their team likely can’t reach them either.
Look for contractors with a well-established communication protocol. Those who have adapted to using the latest technology will be able to share plans and drawings instantly with members on site. Great communication can save you time, money, and countless headaches.
11. Will You Clean Up? (Be Specific)
The definition of clean isn’t going to be the same for everyone, especially for those who work in dirt and sawdust all day long. It’s up to you to decide if you’d like the site cleaned at the end of every day, or just at the end of the project. Keep in mind that the time they spend cleaning is time you’ll be paying for and could push your project timeline further out.
There are a few measures you can implement if the work is being done inside your house. Cover vents and doorways with plastic to cut down the spread of dust from cutting and sanding, for example.
12. Is There a Warranty for the Services and/or Materials Involved?
Out of all your home repair questions and answers, this is the one you’ll want to hang on to for a long time. You should ask your contractor for specific warranty details on any fixtures or electrical components before you agree to their installation.
Construction work itself can be highly technical and is typically backed by the industry-standard one-year warranty. During this year you can call your contractor to take care of any work that wasn’t executed properly in the initial project. The warranties for both the materials involved and services rendered should be documented and kept until they expire.
Common warranties include the following guarantees:
- The work is performed well
- The materials used are new and high quality
- Contractors will correct issues and defects within one year
13. How Do You Resolve Disagreements?
This may not be the most comfortable question to ask a general contractor, but contractual disagreements are common in the industry. A good contractor should have a solid structure in place for resolving disputes before they get out of hand.
Common construction dispute resolution techniques include negotiations and compromise, mediation, and expert input. Your contractor should have a professional method for resolving disagreements. If your contractor doesn’t have an answer to this question, you may want to find someone who does before the questions get much more difficult.
14. Will You Take Steps to Protect My Property?
All home renovation projects start with some amount of demolition. It’s a good thing to ask what measures your contractor will take to ensure the rest of the house stays intact. There are a few things you can do like relocating items and tarping over furniture to avoid damage.
However, a lot of the responsibility lies on the contractor to avoid scratching wood floors, staining carpet, or damaging the surrounding walls. You may also need to ask them to lock up when leaving the property if you won’t be home that day. It’s nobody’s favorite contractor question to ask at an interview, but it’s good to know your key areas are covered.
- Covering furniture with tarps
- Locking doors when leaving the property
- Relocating items to avoid damage
Have Questions for a Contractor? Contact Asher’s Exterior Remodel Experts
Knowing what to ask a general contractor before hiring is half the battle. Once you feel certain of what to ask when hiring a contractor, we hope you’ll reach out to quiz us before your next project.
At Asher Lasting Exteriors, our team of professionals provides top-notch customer service and expert-level installation of industry-leading products. Visit our showroom to see the high-quality products we proudly serve customers. If you’re looking for more home repair questions and answers, check out our FAQ page or our blog for the latest updates. Explore our customer reviews and request a free quote today.