If they answer yes I give a bit of information on how we support first time students. I then tend to throw in a question like "is that what you were expecting?"
If they answer with just a "no" - and after a comfortable second or two giving them space to elaborate - I bring in a bit of info on our liberal transfer policy. I may then ask for more detail like "how many credits have you taken already", etc.
Thank you for further clarifying, Elizabeth. It sounds like you do your best to give your student the space that they may need to feel comforatble to elaborate, which is great. I'm also hearing that you further engage your students in more of a discussion to better your understanding of where they are coming from, that's great. Keep it up!
Great way to start the conversation, Devin. It sounds like you also use this question to make a connection with the student based on where they are at. Keep up the good work.
Great use of open-ended questions, Sharon. It looks like you probabl get a great deal of information from these questions. I would caution the use of the word "why" simply because in many instances this word implies judgment and could cause the student to be defensive (certainly not your intention). How might you tweak that last question?
Thanks for sharing some of your favorite questions, Heather. I imagine you get a great deal of information from these questions that assists you in moving your students forward.
Open ended questions are helpful in getting your students to open up, for sure, Joshua. My only caution would be when using the word "why". Many times this can cause the student to answer defensively because the word why implies a judgment on our part (I am sure this is not your intention). Another way to ask the question might be, "what makes now the ideal time to go back to school?"
Some of the most helpful questions I’ve asked during the probing stage of a prospect call are:
When do you plan to begin your coursework?
How long have you worked in the child care industry?
What made you decide to further your education?
Are you a recipient of the T.E.A.C.H. scholarship? If not, would you like me to send you information about the T.E.A.C.H. scholarship?
Erin, those are great open-ended questions to ask your student in order to get to know them. By doing this, it will allow you to provide the best information to that student as well as start to build a level of rapport with them.
Shannon Gormley
What type of career are you looking for? What sparked your interest in XXXX?
Corrine,
Great questions, thanks for sharing. Nice use of open ended questions that help engage your prospective student in conversation in a positive way.
Shannon Gormley
1. What brings you to Cosmetology?
2. How long have you been thinking about going back to school?
3. Where did you graduate high school or earn a GED?
Julie,
Great questions. I see that these are examples of open or exploratory questions that encourage dialogue between you and your students. These are also engaging questions that allow your student to answer without feeling as though they have to defend their response.
Dr. Jean Norris
The most powerful questions I ask are designed to open the prospect up and to avoid "info dumping." I always try to abide by the 80/20 rule: the prospect should be talking 80% of the time and the Rep should only be talking 20% of the time.
1. How can I help you today?
2. Before I go into the details of the program, what questions do you have?
3. What are you looking for in a school?
4. What concerns do you have?
Steve,
These are great open questions, thank you for sharing. I can see that you do your best to engage your students in the conversation by using exploratory questions that tend to get a great deal of information. Closed questions are also important to give you the opportunity to clarify and close off a topic of conversation in order to move foward. What are some closed questions that you might use to do this?
Shannon Gormley
What program are you interested in?
What made you interested in that program?
When would be a convenient time for you to come in and discuss it?
john,
These are great questions. I see that you have some open ended and close ended questions here as well. It's good to use open and closed questions in combination to ensure that you're getting enough information and also closing off topics in order to move forward.
Shannon Gormley
I always get a good feel for the student when I ask them to tell me about themselves. Somehow, it always opens up pieces of information, in which, I can say positive things like "me too" or "congratulations" or even "you must be proud of yourself."
Ozzie, that is a great question in order to elicit information. It is open-ended which allows that student the freedom to share as much or as little as they want. Also, it gives you the opportunity to branch off into further questions about what is said. You can certainly find common ground with the student and know what's really important to them.
Dr. Jean Norris
Did you went to school before
How do you like it?
Is there any problem that don't let you start the school?
Do you have any concers about the financial opportunities
Thanks for sharing Evelyn. These are interesting questions. I'm curious, how do you find your students typically respond to these specific questions?
Dr. Jean Norris
