We've all learned about run-on sentences in writing classes, but where have we learned about run-on questions? Probably in the confused gazes of prospects that don't have a clue how to answer our question(s).

These run-on questions are questions that never end like, "what are the biggest issues facing your team, and the most pressing marketplace changes, given your top objectives, such as strengthening your global presence and continuing to grow via acquisition, and how do you handle these issues?

The nice prospects attempt to break up the questions for us and answer them in order. The not-so-nice ones ask us, "which of those questions do you want me to answer first?"

One version of this type of question is even worse, and that is the question that runs on and on until we start to answer it, such as, "what are the biggest issues facing your team, and the most pressing marketplace changes, given your strategic direction, which I think includes strengthening your global presence and continuing to grow via acquisition, and the reason I ask is because I am seeing the trend towards globalization as one of the most prominent trends in our industry...?

As in many other situations, less is often more. Ask a question, listen carefully and follow it up with another one.