One of the most revealing questions you can ask a potential customer is, “What would happen if you did nothing to solve this issue?” This question uncovers the real stakes behind a buying decision. It helps identify whether the problem is critical or just an inconvenience—and whether your solution is a “must-have” or a “nice-to-have.” In this article, we’ll break down the importance of this question and how to interpret the answers to guide your sales approach effectively.
1. Measuring the True Cost of Inaction
When a company does nothing to buy telemarketing data address a problem, the hidden costs often accumulate silently. These can include:
Lost revenue or productivity
Customer churn due to poor service or inefficiencies
Team frustration and burnout
Reputation damage in the marketplace
Encouraging your prospect to think through these costs can elevate the perceived value of your solution. You’re not just offering a product—you’re helping them avoid measurable losses.
2. Differentiating Between Pain and Discomfort
Some issues are annoying but manageable. Others whatsapp vs telegram lists – which wins? are painful and unsustainable. If the prospect describes the consequences of inaction as mild inconvenience, the urgency is likely low. But if inaction leads to lost clients, missed goals, or regulatory trouble, the issue becomes a top priority.
Ask follow-up questions like:
“How long has this been happening?”
“What have you tried so far?”
“Is this impacting any key KPIs or metrics?”
These help you determine whether the issue is critical and if now is the right time to push for a decision.
3. Uncovering Stakeholder Pressure
Sometimes the pressure to act comes shops 9177 from outside the individual you’re speaking to. For example, a manager may be facing pressure from senior leadership to cut costs, hit targets, or solve persistent inefficiencies. In these cases, doing nothing is not an option—even if the person you’re speaking to seems passive.
When stakeholders are under pressure, they’re more likely to advocate for a solution internally. Understanding the organizational context lets you better support your champion in pushing the deal forward.
4. Revealing Priorities and Competing Projects
Asking what happens if the issue goes unsolved also reveals how this problem ranks among others. If the answer is, “We’d be okay,” you might be dealing with a low-priority item. But if the response is, “We’d miss our quarterly targets,” then your solution is tied to mission-critical outcomes.
This context allows you to position your offering more strategically—especially if you can tie it to broader initiatives like growth, transformation, or compliance.
5. Guiding Your Sales Approach with Insight
Once you know the impact of inaction, you can tailor your messaging, timeline, and follow-up strategy accordingly:
For high-impact problems, fast-track your process and offer solutions that can deliver quick wins.
For low-impact problems, focus on education, long-term ROI, and nurturing the relationship over time.