Here is another question to incorporate as you wrap up every sales or research call: 

“What have I not asked you yet that I should have?”

Why is this such an effective question? For various reasons:

• It opens the discussion to other subjects you may not have had time to cover or may not have thought about in your preparation.
• It allows the person you are interviewing to share critical insight that is new or outside your scope of interest.
• It is a question you can ask any person you meet.
• It shows your openness to new ideas and new perspectives.
• It is usually very well received by the person you are meeting. It is different from all the typical questions they are used to hearing.
• Most importantly, you will likely learn something you would have missed without asking this question.

 If we only ask certain questions, it can give the impression that is all we want to learn about. This unique question sends a very different message. It says, “I am truly interested in learning more and appreciate anything you can share with me.”

Here is a bonus research meeting question: 

“What is something no one would expect me to know about your company?”

This question is best asked of a coach who appreciates your effort to understand their business and can lend unique insight. They also know and trust that you will use the information appropriately.

Part of the fun of conducting a research meeting is asking interesting and unique questions. Questions like these can lead to some terrific insights!