Open-ended Questions Increase Revenue: A Case Study Using Inbound Tools

[mstajminakter13]

Analysis of over 60,000 deals revealed that asking open-ended questions can increase revenue by up to 20%. Not only does this approach lead to longer, more detailed responses, it also offers an invaluable opportunity: to better understand what the customer really needs. Rather than simply asking, “Are you interested in this product?”, open-ended questions like, “What features do you value most in a product like this?” allow the customer to better reflect and articulate their priorities. This leads to tighter, more valuable, and in many cases, more profitable proposals.

A clear example of this occurred with Inbound Tools , a client we worked with on an SEO proposal. Initially, they were looking to optimize their website, but it was through open-ended questions that we discovered that their needs went far beyond simple optimization. Instead of just asking “Do you need to improve your site’s SEO?”, we decided to dig deeper with questions like “What are the biggest challenges you see in your online visibility strategy?” and “What results do you hope to achieve through this work?”

These questions led us to a richer conversation, where Inbound Tools revealed that in addition to SEO, they were struggling with content generation and low visibility in key markets. By uncovering these challenges, we were korean cell phone number able to make a much broader proposal that not only addressed SEO, but also optimized content creation and a strategy to target specific niche keywords. This allowed us to put together a comprehensive project that was 33% more expensive than the original plan, but more effectively addressed the client’s needs.

This case perfectly illustrates the conclusion of the study: there is no such thing as “too many” open-ended questions. The more questions you ask, the better results you get. Open-ended questions allow you to dig deeper into the customer’s true needs, which gave us more power to personalize the offer and provide greater value.

Improve Long-Term Relationships
Using open-ended questions not only improves immediate results, but also strengthens the relationship with the other party. It builds trust. Negotiating is not just about winning once, but about building a relationship that creates long-term value. When you ask open-ended questions, you demonstrate genuine interest in the other party’s needs and concerns, which can lead to a more fruitful and long-lasting collaboration.

For example, in our discussions about growth and visibility strategies, we always seek to deeply understand our clients’ goals and challenges. Questions like “What would you like to achieve in the next six months?” or “What obstacles have you encountered in the past?” allow us to offer more personalized and effective solutions.