“He who asks the questions controls the conversation.”

This is one of those phrases that is said so much, we tend to forget its power.

I once saw Jay Abraham do a live Q&A. It was incredible to me how he was able to get to the heart of the issue, oftentimes solving the problem, but just asking the right questions.

Jay is a big proponent of the Socratic Method.

The core of it is that questions:

• build authority when you bring up issues your client hasn’t thought about
• set the tone for the project early
• eliminate competition and “price shopping” by demonstration — you’re the the only one who truly gets the client’s issue

On a prospect call, you should be asking a ton of questions. I call this the “Socratic Close.”

The list below will guide you in getting the information you need to determine project scope and fit.

You certainly don’t need to ask all of these questions on the first call, but should be able to answer them before your project starts.

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