Five questions that 80% of sales teams can't answer…

But 20% of your competition can

With over 25 years of experience in strategic marketing, business planning and implementing sales strategies, I’ve seen firsthand how vital it is to understand your customers at a deeper level. Yet, many sales teams don’t pose the right questions to uncover insights that could transform their success. Below are five crucial questions your sales team should be asking—and why they matter.

The five essential questions

Which 20% of customers provide 80% of their business?

• Uncover top revenue drivers: By identifying and understanding the needs of their key accounts, you position yourself as a strategic partner.

• Tailor your support: Once you know who matters most to them, you can customise your products or services to solve their biggest challenges.

• Strengthen loyalty: Demonstrating an interest in their top customers builds trust and paves the way for future collaboration.

Which 20% of products provide 80% of value?

• Pinpoint core offerings: Understand which products or services deliver their greatest returns.

• Optimise resources: Focusing on top performers helps streamline your marketing, inventory and development efforts.

• Maintain satisfaction: When you show genuine interest in helping them excel, they’ll see you as a partner rather than just a supplier.

Which 20% of problems cause 80% of their headaches?

• Address major pain points: Ask which recurring issues hinder their productivity or annoy their end-users.

• Provide targeted solutions: By providing services and products that tackle these core frustrations, you become indispensable in their eyes.

• Boost efficiency: Removing major bottlenecks can lead to faster growth and improved brand perception.

Which 20% of competitors pose 80% of their risk to lose business?

• Reveal real threats: Understand which rivals truly worry your customers, instead of spreading efforts thin.

• Differentiate strategically: Once you know where their competition excels, you can highlight or enhance unique benefits of your services and products.

• Protect accounts: Staying informed about competitive landscapes allows you to pre-empt your customers’ concerns.

Which 20% of innovations create 80% of new business?

• Discover impactful ideas: Ask customers about the breakthroughs that have resulted in substantial gains.

• Invest wisely: Focus on initiatives that show real promise rather than chasing every trend.

• Stay future-ready: Champion forward-thinking approaches to keep them competitive—and foster loyalty.

The road to better insights

Asking these questions may feel daunting for your sales team if they have never ventured beyond basic sales chatter. However, weaving them into their routine conversations can uncover valuable insights.

Help them by providing valuable training strengthening following skills:

1. Listen carefully: Show customers that your company values their perspective by asking follow-up questions and clarifying any points of confusion.

2. Take action: Record what you learn, then outline how you’ll use this knowledge to refine or develop solutions.

3. Evaluate outcomes: Track the impact of any changes you make to validate the effectiveness of your approach.

The competitive edge

Most sales teams fail to ask these vital questions, which is why the 20% that do are miles ahead. By proactively addressing customers’ most pressing challenges and opportunities, you can forge stronger, long-lasting relationships. You will also be more efficient with your resources, and improve your products and services.

If your team hasn’t embraced these questions yet, now is the perfect time to start.

Move beyond the 80%—position yourself with the thriving 20%.