5 Questions to Ask Your Best Customers

“Would you like fries with that?” 

It’s a simple phrase, but it makes McDonalds over $9B annually. 

Why is such a simple phrase so successful? It’s in the answer to the question: “Of course I’d like fries with that.” (Plus the fact that fries are their highest margin offer)

In the world of B2B brands, the hardest sale to make is the first one. But like McDonald's, once your customers are already in your drive-through, what else do they want?

If you can find your “fries”, you can:

• Win more revenue
• From customers who already like you
• And you already like working with

So, let’s find your version of “Would you like fries with that?”

 

1. Is there anything you wish we did better?

No one loves being told their product or service is lacking–but it’s much better to ask than to be told. Sometimes, it may just be a simple exercise of stepping up your game and strengthening your relationship.

 

2. Are there any upcoming projects where we could provide support?

This is especially important if your customers are 1) project-based or 2) focused on innovation.

Whenever strategic planning is being done, decision-makers look to fill key roles. While this is a more explicit sales question than the others, it can introduce your name into consideration. Like the rest of the questions, it aligns you as an asset to their goals and team.

Example: "We're excited to hear about your future plans. Are there any upcoming projects or initiatives where you think we could provide additional support or resources?"

 

3. Who else in your network could benefit from our services?

Referrals are often the best kind of lead. They’re more likely to be aligned with your business and there’s a higher degree of trust. The problem? Referrals are always predictable. 

You may feel uncomfortable encouraging referrals, but I would highly encourage you to break the ice. Customers that like you generally want to give value in return–thank you reciprocity. Have a strong relationship? Give this question a shot:

Example: "We value our partnership and are always looking to help others in similar positions. Do you know anyone in your network who might benefit from our services?"

 

4. Are you facing any new challenges in your business?

Even if your product is delivering exactly as promised, it doesn’t mean your best customers have perfect businesses. If you have a strong relationship, your customer knows and trusts you. They’re more likely to expand your impact into new areas where there is overlap.

Example: "We're always looking to better support your business. Can you share some of the current challenges you're facing and your main goals for the next quarter?"

Critically, I’ve also seen our clients’ customers willing to pay more for a higher-quality solution. This is especially true if you have historically tried to compete as a low-cost provider. You may find that your customers are open to a little bit more in cost if it lets you provide a lot more in value.

Example: "We strive to provide the best service possible. Are there any areas where you feel we could improve or any additional services you wish we offered?"

 

5. What growing trends or changes do you foresee in your industry?

Every business needs to adapt to survive, let alone succeed. For many of our clients, the things that drove their sales 20 years ago have heavily dried up. Change or wither, right?

Your customers may not be early adopters, but they likely see changes happening in their industry. Partner with your clients to face the future. This has two strategic benefits:

• The opportunity to develop new revenue streams
• It prevents you from becoming “the old way of doing things”

Example: "Given your expertise, what trends or changes do you anticipate in the industry that we should consider? How can we help you prepare for these changes?"

 

Making Growth Questions a Standard Practice

In our line of work, we are always looking to take good ideas and make them great processes. For questions like these, it’s easy to nod along at a blog but then they don’t get put into practice. To help you break the idea backlog, here are 3 easy ways to see these questions work:

If you’re an owner: Block off 30 minutes on your calendar and call 2 of your best customers. At least ask questions 1, 2, and 3.

If you have a sales team or relationship managers: Add these questions to recurring check-ins. Make these questions a "must" for each salesperson

If you’re ready to re-ignite revenue growth: This is what our team at Value Prop does. We take owner-led businesses between $2M-$20M annually and give them playbooks (processes) to get growth back on track.

If you’ve been frustrated by a revenue plateau–we’re here to help you find the small tweaks that unlock the most growth.

Eager to unlock this growth for your business? Click here to schedule a time with me, or hit reply, and in a quick 20-minute call we both can see if there are alignment concerns, we can help you with.