Lesson 2 — Asking Questions & Understanding Client Needs

📅 July 1, 2026 ⏱ ~20 minutes 📊 Level: Beginner 🎯 Skill: Speaking + Listening

In Lesson 1, you learned how to greet a client and introduce yourself. But a good salesman does not just talk — a good salesman asks questions and listens.

📌 Why is this important?

Many salespeople start talking about their services immediately. The client feels like you are pushing a product. But if you first ask questions, the client feels heard. Then, when you offer a solution, it feels natural — because you are solving their problem, not selling your product.

Part 1: Revision — Lesson 1 Quick Check

Before we start new material, let's check what you remember from Lesson 1. Say these out loud from memory (don't read — try to recall):

Recall Practice (Storage Strength)

How do you greet someone at 10 AM? → (think first, then check below)
What are the 4 parts of a self-introduction? → (think first…)
Make a sentence: "He / sell / websites" → (think first…)

Part 2: The 6 Question Words (WH-Questions)

In English, we use 6 special words to ask open questions. These are called WH-questions because most of them start with "WH".

Question Word	Pronunciation	What it asks	Sales Example
What	wot	Asks about a thing, idea, or action	"What services do you currently use?"
How	hau	Asks about a method, way, or condition	"How do customers find your business?"
Why	wai	Asks about a reason	"Why do you think customers go to your competitor?"
When	wen	Asks about time	"When did you start this business?"
Where	wer	Asks about place / location	"Where do most of your customers come from?"
Who	hoo	Asks about a person	"Who manages your social media?"

💡 Open vs Closed Questions

Closed question: "Do you have a website?" → Answer: Yes / No (conversation stops).
Open question: "What do you think about having a website?" → Answer: The client talks more (conversation flows).

In sales, open questions are more powerful. They make the client think and talk. The more the client talks, the more you learn about their needs.

Part 3: Grammar — How to Form WH-Questions

WH-questions follow a specific structure. Learn this formula and you will never make a mistake.

✅ Formula for WH-Questions (Simple Present)

⚠️ Exception: Questions with "be" (am/is/are)

Correct ✓	Wrong ✗	Why?
What do you sell?	~~What you sell?~~	You need "do" — without it, the question is incomplete.
How does he find customers?	~~How he finds customers?~~	For he/she/it, use "does" — and the verb goes back to base form (no -s).
Where do your customers come from?	~~Where your customers come from?~~	Always put "do/does" between the question word and the subject.
Why do people choose your restaurant?	~~Why people choose your restaurant?~~	Same rule: question word + do + subject + base verb.

With "be" — no do/does needed

Question Word + am/is/are + subject + …?

"What is your biggest challenge?" ✓
"How are things going?" ✓
"Who is your target customer?" ✓

"How many" and "How much"

Sales examples

How many customers do you get every day? (for countable things)
How much do you spend on advertising? (for uncountable things / amounts)
How long have you had this business? (for time duration)

🚫 Common Mistakes Hindi Speakers Make

❌ "What you do?" → ✅ "What do you do?" (Hindi speakers often skip "do" because Hindi doesn't need a helping verb in questions)
❌ "How much customers you have?" → ✅ "How many customers do you have?" (Customers are countable → use "many", not "much")
❌ "Where is coming your customers?" → ✅ "Where do your customers come from?" (Use Simple Present for habits/general facts, not continuous)
❌ "Why you are not having website?" → ✅ "Why don't you have a website?" (Negative question: Why + don't/doesn't + subject + base verb)

📚 Raymond Murphy Reference

WH-questions are covered in English Grammar in Use by Raymond Murphy — Units 44 and 45. Unit 44 covers question formation with do/does. Unit 45 covers questions with who/what/which as subjects.

📖 Get the book (Cambridge University Press)

Part 4: The Needs-Discovery Framework

When you meet a client, asking random questions is not enough. Good salespeople follow a framework — a step-by-step structure. Here is a simple one:

The 4-Step Needs Discovery

Current Situation — "What do you do currently?"
Understand what the client already has.
Problems / Challenges — "What challenges do you face?"
Find out what is not working.
Goals / Desires — "What would you like to improve?"
Understand what the client wants.
Transition to Solution — "What if I could help with that?"
Connect their problem to your service.

💡 Sales Communication Tip

Listen more, talk less. After asking a question, stop talking. Let the client answer. Count to 3 in your head before speaking again. Most salespeople talk too much — the best ones listen.

Key Phrases for Each Step

Part 5: Today's Vocabulary (10 Words)

Part 6: Roleplay — Meeting a Clinic Owner

Step	Useful Phrases
Current Situation	"How do customers currently find your business?" "Do you have a website right now?" "What marketing do you currently do?"
Problems	"What is the biggest challenge for your business right now?" "Are you happy with the number of customers you get?" "What would you like to change?"
Goals	"How many more customers would you like to get?" "Where do you see your business in one year?" "What does success look like for you?"
Transition	"What if I told you we could help with that?" "Would you be interested in learning how?" "Can I show you how other businesses like yours have solved this?"

#	Word	Type	Pronunciation	Meaning	Synonyms ≈	Antonyms ≠	Example
1	Require	verb	ree-KWIRE	To need something	need, demand, want	have, possess	"What do you require for your business?"
2	Currently	adverb	KUR-unt-lee	At this time; right now	presently, now, at the moment	previously, formerly	"What marketing do you currently do?"
3	Challenge	noun	CHAL-enj	A difficult problem or task	difficulty, obstacle, hurdle	advantage, ease	"What is the biggest challenge for your business?"
4	Improve	verb	im-PROOV	To make something better	enhance, upgrade, boost	worsen, decline, damage	"We can help you improve your online presence."
5	Online presence	phrase (noun)	on-LINE PREZ-ens	How visible your business is on the internet	digital footprint, web visibility	offline, invisible online	"Your business needs a strong online presence."
6	Customer	noun	KUS-tuh-mur	A person who buys goods or services	buyer, shopper, client	seller, vendor	"How many customers do you get every day?"
7	Competition	noun	kom-peh-TIH-shun	Other businesses selling the same thing	rival, competitor	partner, ally	"Your competition is already on Google."
8	Understand	verb	un-dur-STAND	To know what something means; to comprehend	comprehend, grasp, follow	misunderstand, confuse	"I understand your concern, sir."
9	Interested	adjective	IN-trest-ed	Wanting to know more about something	curious, keen, attracted	uninterested, indifferent, bored	"Would you be interested in learning more?"
10	Solution	noun	soh-LOO-shun	An answer to a problem	answer, fix, remedy	problem, issue	"We have a solution for this."

Read this example conversation carefully. Notice how the salesperson asks questions first, then offers a solution.

Situation: You walk into a dental clinic. The owner (a dentist) is at the front desk. You want to understand his needs before pitching any service.

You: Good morning, sir. My name is Altamash. I help businesses grow their customer base through digital marketing. Do you have a minute?

Client: Yes, go ahead. What is this about?

You: I noticed your clinic has good reviews, but I couldn't find a website for it. I wanted to understand — how do patients currently find your clinic?

Client: Mostly word of mouth. Some patients find us on Google Maps.

You: That's great. Word of mouth is very powerful. What is the biggest challenge you face in getting new patients?

Client: There are three or four other clinics in this area. Competition is increasing.

You: I understand. How many new patients do you get every week, approximately?

Client: Maybe 10 to 12 new patients a week.

You: And how many would you like to get?

Client: If we could get 20 or 25, that would be very good.

You: That is a realistic goal, sir. I work with businesses like yours — clinics, restaurants, showrooms — and we help them appear higher on Google search and Google Maps. Would you be interested in hearing how we helped another clinic in this city double their patient count?

Client: Yes, tell me more.

💡 What makes this conversation powerful

"How do patients currently find your clinic?" — You asked about their current situation first. You did not jump to selling.
"What is the biggest challenge?" — You found their pain point (competition).
"How many… and how many would you like?" — You created a gap between their current reality and their goal. Now your service becomes the bridge.
"Would you be interested in hearing…" — You asked for permission before pitching. This is respectful and professional.
"I understand." — This phrase shows empathy. The client feels heard.

Part 7: Practice Quiz

Part 8: Pronunciation Practice

Say these questions out loud. Speak slowly. Pause between words. Make sure your voice goes up at the end of each question — that is how English speakers show it is a question.

Practice saying these 5 times each

"How do customers currently find your business?" ↗
"What is the biggest challenge for your business?" ↗
"How many customers do you get every day?" ↗
"Would you be interested in learning more?" ↗
"I understand your concern, sir."

💡 Pronunciation Tips for This Lesson

Currently = KUR-unt-lee (stress on KUR, not on LEE)
Challenge = CHAL-enj (the "ch" sounds like "ch" in "chair", not "sh")
Competition = kom-peh-TIH-shun (stress on TIH, 4 syllables)
Interested = IN-trest-ed (3 syllables, NOT "in-ter-es-ted" — Hindi speakers often add an extra syllable)
Solution = soh-LOO-shun (stress on LOO)

📌 Intonation Rule

WH-questions: Your voice should go down ↘ at the end.
"What is your name?" ↘

Yes/No questions: Your voice should go up ↗ at the end.
"Do you have a website?" ↗

This is opposite to Hindi, where most questions go up. In English, only yes/no questions go up.

Part 9: Listening Practice

📝 Today's Homework

Complete these tasks before the next lesson:

Write 5 questions you would ask a restaurant owner to understand their business needs. Use different question words (what, how, why, when, where, who). Send them to me in our next chat.
Practice the roleplay dialogue (Part 6) out loud — try to say the "You" parts from memory.
Create your own roleplay: Write a short conversation (6–8 lines) where you meet a hotel owner and ask questions about their business. Use the 4-step framework from Part 4.
Use 3 new vocabulary words from today's list in a WhatsApp message to a friend (in English).
Revision from Lesson 1: Write your self-introduction from memory. Then compare with Lesson 1 to check for mistakes.

🤖 Ask Me Anything

If anything in this lesson is unclear, ask me in our chat. I am your personal English coach. There are no bad questions — only bad silence. Type your doubt and I will explain it simply.

Lesson 2: Asking Questions & Understanding Client Needs