Questions are undoubtedly a crucial tool to steer a conversation in the direction you desire. In the book "The Science of Selling" by David Hoffeld, the author emphasizes the importance of asking powerful questions when calling a prospect.

Firstly, questions allow the prospect to talk about their situation, taking the focus away from you trying to persuade or pitch, which could push the prospect away. When asking a question, you have control over the conversation, especially if you ask the right ones.

Traditionally, sales authors have categorized the types of questions into various subcategories, such as situational questions, amplification questions, barrier questions, and more. It's easy to get confused when thinking about which questions to ask to get the desired outcome.

David Hoffeld suggests taking a simpler approach, which has completely changed the way I approach conversations and affected my success rate. Studies have shown that we reveal information in layers, also known as the "onion model of self-disclosure." These studies have shown that people often reveal superficial information first before moving to more personal and detailed topics.

This can apply to many areas of life but is certainly applicable to sales, as it suggests that the best way to get useful information is to start with broad questions about processes, thoughts, and actions before asking more high-level questions.

Understanding this model and applying it to your calls can help simplify your approach. To apply it to your calls, divide the questions you ask into three levels. Level one is questions asking the prospect about their current situation. Level two is questions implying the value of your service and how it could affect your prospect's business. Level three are questions evoking emotions such as desire for gain or fear of loss. For example, "If we were able to help you with XYZ, what impact would it have on ABC at your company?" The final level is where you can commit the prospect to understanding your value proposition.