Aren’t you curious about why your prospect booked a time to meet with you?

We usually assume that our purpose is to find out what they want—and that’s important—but what may be even more important is understanding why they want to talk and why they’re thinking about finding a solution right now.

Understanding a prospect’s motivations is crucial. Your goal is to give them the solution they’re looking for. Learning why they’re interested in talking and why they are considering alternatives will help you meet their needs. This changes your conversation from a sales call into one where you help meet their needs. That’s a powerful position to be in. It’s also one that can result in significant sales.

It’s important to remember that reason, logic, and emotion are all part of the sales process. However, they’re not always present at the same time.

The answer to “what do you want?” is usually logic-based, while “why now?” is usually driven by emotion. Someone who knows what they want has usually done research. They’ve looked at their situation, explored the options available to them, and narrowed it down to a few choices. You made the cut. That’s why they called you.

To sell to them, you need to learn more and that’s why you ask the second question: Why now?

While they put thought and reason into their decision, the reason they did it is likely because they’re fed up, or they’re frustrated, or they’re overworked or overwhelmed. They’re unhappy with the way things are currently going and they want something new. This is an emotional reaction. That’s not a bad thing, though. Remember, people buy from emotion.

Ask your prospect “What motivated you to reach out to me today?” and really listen to what is motivating their behavior.

Once you uncover the emotions driving your prospect’s behavior, you will know exactly how to help them—and close more deals.