Frequently the questions you ask are either way too general or way to personal to get a good response. You can tell you're asking the wrong questions when you and your prospects feel uncomfortable with the questions you're asking. When you ask the wrong questions the prospect withdraws and you have a very stilted conversation leading to either a "no" or "not now". In contrast, when you ask a good question the prospect acts interested and responds with a well thought out genuine answer. Plus they relax and open up willing to tell you more.

You know you have a good question when the prospect is interested and engaged. If you want to repeat and reproduce this experience you need to understand why your question was a good question. A good question: demonstrates your understand the prospect and their wants, it triggers a reaction because it hits a nerve with something they really want and are frustrated about because they aren't sure how to get it, it helps them to envision a future they want, it helps them to clarify what's getting in their way, it helps them to explore how not having whatever it is they want is impacting their life, and it helps them to articulate the real value of what they want.

Obviously you can't do all that with one question. But one question can get the prospect to open up and really talk to you allowing you to engage them in a conversation that leads to a cascade of questions. Each question makes logical sense and follows with what the prospect has just told you.

Your competition is asking questions that are part of a canned presentation, that feel awkward, and put the prospect on the defensive. The fact that you know how to ask great questions that help your prospect to feel very comfortable with you sets you apart from the rest. Sales coaching can help you to learn how to hold great conversations that turn into sales naturally.

How well you listen is the other half of asking the right questions. You can instantly anger a prospect and cause them to reject you if you ask a question and then don't listen to their answer. When you don't listen to the prospects response to your question they feel disrespected, and they feel like they're being sold.

In general, people hate to be sold. People have a negative reaction to whatever they're being offered if they feel like they're being sold. Yet everyone likes to buy to satisfy their wants. When prospects buy from someone they like and trust they buy with enthusiasm and conviction.

The easiest way to garner trust is to ask great questions and listen. In reality it just doesn't get any easier than this. Yet most sales people completely blow it because they think they have to use and follow a presentation that disrespects the prospect and their interests, and they talk way too much.