#053: 3 must-answer questions buyers ask

Read time: 4 minutes

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Closing deals requires more than just pitching your product or service. You can’t simply show off your better data and hope that prospects will buy from you. To move prospects from considering your offer to making a purchase, you need to help them answer three fundamental questions. These questions guide their decision-making process and ultimately determine whether they will choose your solution.

1: Why Should I Change What I'm Doing Today?

People are comfortable with their current way of doing things. They may not see a compelling reason to change because, from their perspective, things are going well enough. This is where status quo bias comes into play—the psychological tendency to prefer the familiar over the unknown. Your first objective in any sales process is to break through this bias and convince them that continuing to do things the way they are could lead to missed opportunities or even bigger problems down the line.

The Cost of Inaction

One of the most effective ways to shift a customer's mindset is by helping them see the cost of inaction. If they continue doing things the way they've always done them, what risks do they face? Will their programs get delayed? Will inefficiencies in processes lead to extra unnecessary headcount? Perhaps the technology is changing, and sticking with the same approach could leave them with inferior data compared to competitors in the space.

Providing a better product or service isn’t always enough to overcome the inertia to change. The cost of your solution is more than just monetary. There are many other elements involved in choosing to use a new product or service (time, energy, resources, training, qualification, etc…)

So you have to help them visualize the downsides of not taking action. Paint a picture of what the future looks like if they don't make a change. Demonstrate how sticking with the “old way” could result in slower processing times, reduced output, or even data inaccuracies. The key is to show them that their current setup isn’t just "good enough"—it’s actually holding them back.

Read problem vs opportunity selling.

Highlight the Problem

Beyond identifying the cost of inaction, you need to highlight a problem that’s worth solving. This problem should be significant enough to warrant immediate attention and action. Whether it's operational inefficiencies, outdated technology, or missed opportunities, the pain point must resonate with them at a level that disrupts their sense of complacency. When the problem is big enough, customers will naturally start considering alternatives—and that’s where you come in.

2: Why Should I Pick Your Company?

Once customers acknowledge the need to change, they’ll start evaluating their options. With many alternative solutions on the market, why should they choose yours? What sets your company apart from the rest? Here’s where you have to highlight your differentiated value.

Demonstrate Differentiated Value

Show them the specific value your solution brings that no one else can. It’s not just about offering a product that works—it’s about offering a product that works better for their particular situation. Tailor your messaging to address their unique challenges, emphasizing how your solution can deliver better results than any alternatives. It’s not enough to have differentiated capabilities. Those capabilities have to provide differentiated outcomes for the customer.

You have to be able to provide an outcome that is different from what they are receiving today. As mentioned in the cost of inaction, just because you are better, doesn’t mean it’s enough to have them choose you over any other solution.

Read 4 tips to win competitive deals.

Build Trust and Credibility

Customers need to feel confident that the company they choose will deliver on its promises. Case studies, testimonials, and third-party validations can go a long way toward building that trust. Share success stories from similar companies, data from similar experiments, or even let them try your solution before they buy.

Building credibility also means being transparent about what your product or service can and cannot do. Customers appreciate honesty, and being upfront about potential limitations shows that you’re focused on building a long-term relationship rather than just closing a quick deal.

3: Why Should I Buy This Now?

40% of deals are lost to no decision even after the buyer has indicated they want to make a change (Jolt Effect).

Create a Sense of Urgency

Timing is everything. Customers have a million things on their plate, and even if they’re interested in your solution, they may not see it as a top priority. It’s your job to create urgency and show them why waiting could be detrimental. Align your solution to solving a problem that is tied to a critical event or date in which they need their outcome. Make the cost of waiting clear and tangible.

Read create urgency with this simple technique.

Build Internal Champions

Another reason deals stall is because of internal politics and decision-making processes. Customers often have to get buy-in from multiple stakeholders before they can move forward. In routine purchases, this number is 7 people. For large purchases, LinkedIn found data that as many as 30 people are involved! This is where you need to cultivate multiple internal champions. Individuals who have influence, access to the economic buyer, and are willing to sell on your behalf when you can’t be in the room.

Building these champions starts with identifying the key influencers and decision-makers in the buying process. Engage with them early and often. Make sure they understand not only the benefits of your solution but also how it aligns with their personal and organizational initiatives. Empower champions with the information and tools they need and teach them how to sell internally on your behalf.

Solidify the Business Case

Finally, for customers to make a decision now, they need a clear and compelling business case. How will it save them money, help them fundraise, publish faster, or reduce risk? Be as specific as possible, and use data to back up your claims. Get input from multiple stakeholders and have them co-author the business case with you.

Here is a business case template you can use.

Conclusion

Helping customers answer these three questions—why change, why you, and why now is critical to closing deals. When you effectively address all three, you eliminate the barriers that slow down or derail the deal from getting done. If you don’t have clear answers to each of these 3 questions, your deal is at risk.

One action you can take right now is to go through each of your opportunities and write down the answers to each of these questions. That will give you a clear gap analysis of where you need to focus.

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