“Are they ready to buy?”

“Are they ready to buy?” Have you heard this before? “We talk and talk but nothing happens. They won't get off the stick and buy!” When people are ready to buy, it is a delightful experience. They reach out toward you. They relish the interaction. But they won't buy your product, your service, or your idea if the four conditions have not been met. 

Condition 1: Is there a problem or opportunity? Ask the person questions such as: “What is this costing you right now?” “If you don't fix this problem, what will the consequences be?” “What do you think this opportunity is worth?” “Is this one of your highest priorities?”

Condition 2: Does the person “own” the problem? Ask them questions such as: “Who owns this problem?” “Are you responsible for fixing this?” “Who would authorize an expenditure to address this?” “Who needs to be involved in a solution to this issue?”

Condition 3: Does the buyer have a healthy dissatisfaction with the current offering or the rate of improvement? Ask them: “Is this a minor irritant or something you're truly fed up with?” “What would you say is missing?” “Why do you feel that now is the time to put extra resources against this?” “How effective have your own efforts been to address this?”

Condition 4: Does the buyer trust you and believe you're the best alternative they have? Ask questions such as: “What other solutions are you looking at?” “How do you feel about our capabilities in this area?” “What concerns do you have about us or our approach?”

Sobel, Andrew; Panas, Jerold (2012-01-05). Power Questions: Build Relationships, Win New Business, and Influence Others (p. 22). Wiley. Kindle Edition.