Tuesday, February 15, 2005

Seven Questions to Ask Existing Clients

I just finished a column for one of my magazine clients, and I had no room to include any of the cool questions I found in the following list. So you get to see them instead!

The list comes from Canadian entrepreneur and consultant Kent Dinning, whose self-published book, Questions for Success, offers entrepreneurs a graduate course on business-building based on the key questions that other entrepreneurs commonly ask themselves . Dinning sent me an e-mail recently with some of his favorite questions, and I reprint some of them here (you can find more on his website, at http://www.businessresultsgroup.com/).

7 Powerful Questions to Ask Existing Customers
We should never assume we know what our customers are thinking, says Dinning. “Successful business people ask their customers questions to ensure their actions are successful… Consider giving customers a free incentive to answer these questions.”

1. What two questions did you ask yourself before deciding to deal with us?
2. What is the main reason you deal with us? Are there other reasons?
3. Specifically, how do you judge how well our product or service is working?
4. What one thing could we do to serve you better?
5. What, specifically, do you need to feel confident in recommending us to others?
6. What would cause you to stop dealing with us?
7. If we were servicing you beyond expectation, what would be happening?

Personally, I believe that successful business people are those who ask the best questions. Which of these should you be asking in your business?

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