Budget
- What do you currently spend now on this problem or need?
- We’ve calculated your team is losing X amount per [week, quarter, year] on this problem. How does that compare to the budget you’ve set aside?
- We’ve calculated your team could potentially gain X amount per [week, quarter, year] by making this [change, investment]. How does that compare to the budget you’ve set aside?
- Whose budget is this coming out of?
- How much would it cost to build the system by yourself?
- How much would it cost if you haven’t fixed this issue in five years?
- How heavily will price factor into the decision?
- Have you identified a budget range for this purchase?
- What’s the ROI you’re hoping to see?
Authority
- Who will be using the product?
- What was the last time you bought a similar product? How did the decision making process go?
- This is normally the stage where my customer brings in [the head of Finance, the other stakeholders, their manager] to [discuss X, get their perspective on Y]. Do you want to invite [Z person/people] to our next meeting?
- Will anyone else be involved in this decision?
Need
- When did you identify [problem, opportunity]?
- What steps have you already taken to address it?
- How important is addressing this to your personal goals at [company]? Career goals? Your department’s?
- What are your top priorities at the moment? Where does this fit on that list?
- What happens if you don’t address this?
Timing
- Are there any upcoming events/deadlines that you’d like to have a solution in place by?
- Are you planning any [insert relevant project here, i.e. lead generation campaign, major hiring spree, program overhauls, etc.)?
- What’s your [lead generation, revenue, retention, etc.] goal for [next quarter, half of the year]? Will you be able to meet that goal without some sort of change?
- Working backward from the date you gave me, we’d need to finalize our agreement by [earlier date]. Is that sound doable?