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You Don’t Need All the Answers, But You Should Have All the Questions
In B2B sales, especially in technical markets like lubricants, many sellers believe their job is to provide solutions. To show up, present the answer, and close the deal.
But here’s the shift we need to make:
You don’t need to have all the right answers.
But you should have all the right questions.
What Buyers Are Telling Us
In The Buyer Revolution research, lubricant buyers told us time and again, that sellers particularly account managers, often arrive with pre-packed answers. They show up with solutions ready to go, assuming they’ve already understood the problem.
But what buyers are craving is something else entirely:
- Sellers who listen
- Sellers who dig deeper
- Sellers who ask better questions
📊 68% of buyers in our research said that sellers don’t take the time to understand their business before offering solutions.
🗣️ One buyer put it bluntly: “They come in with the answer before they’ve even understood the question.”
💡 Only 1 in 4 buyers felt that their account manager asked questions that genuinely uncovered the root cause of their challenges.
This shows a clear gap and a huge opportunity. The seller who shows up with curiosity, not just content, will stand out.
They want someone who takes the time to understand their business, their context, and their world. Not someone who simply waits to pitch.
A Personal Lesson in Listening
I remember taking a proposal to a client a few years ago. It was a training solution, a solid programme we’d used before, proven to work. The client was experiencing poor sales outcomes, and training seemed the obvious fix.
I saw this as a quick win. Plug in the solution. Replicate success. Easy.
But I’ll never forget what happened when I paused and asked:
“How is this problem showing up in your day-to-day?”
That single question opened the floodgates.
What they described wasn’t a training issue. It was a behavioural and process challenge. Sales training wouldn’t have solved the problem. In fact, it might have made things worse by missing the root cause.
That conversation didn’t end in a quick-win deal.
It ended in something better: a consultancy project focused on sales process development and long-term behavioural change.
All because of one question.
Structure Your Curiosity with WOPPA
This is where tools like WOPPA help. WOPPA gives sellers a structure for their pre-call thinking. It’s not just about preparing your pitch it’s about preparing your curiosity.
Here’s the framework:
🟡 W – What’s the WHY for this meeting?
Why are we having this conversation now?
What’s prompted it from the buyer’s perspective?
This isn’t your objective it’s theirs.
🟡 O – What’s the OBJECTIVE?
What do you want to learn, explore, or achieve?
Is it insight? Agreement? Progress?
🟡 P – What are the PREMISE questions?
What assumptions are you making and how will you test them?
Which questions help uncover the truth behind the stated issue?
🟡 P – What’s the POSITIONING plan?
How will you connect what you’ve heard to a relevant, valuable next step?
What’s the story or example that brings it to life?
🟡 A – What’s the ANTICIPATED next move?
What does a successful outcome look like for both of you?
How will you agree and capture clear next steps?
With WOPPA, you arrive prepared, not with all the answers, but with the right mindset and right questions.
Final Thought
In lubricants, where context is everything, curiosity beats certainty.
The best sellers don’t push answers.
They earn the right to help solve by listening, exploring, and asking better questions.
So, here’s a question for you:
When has a great question changed the direction of a sales conversation for you?
How mature is your sales process?
Based on your answers, you’ll receive tailored recommendations to help you refine and optimise your sales process.
It’s all about practical steps you can take to close more deals and achieve long-term success!
🚀 Ready to uncover hidden opportunities in your sales strategy?
Take the quiz now and get your roadmap to a more efficient, results-driven sales process.
