Have you ever heard of the QQOQCP method? In sales, this technique is an effective way to improve your conversion rate. It is based on the idea of asking questions to understand your client’s needs.

Who are they? What do they need? How can you help them? Or why do they buy from you? When should you ask these questions?

Whether you are new to sales or have been practicing it for years, the qoqcp method is an excellent way to improve your skills and boost your lead conversion. Let’s see how to implement it!

What is the QQOQCP method?

The QQOQCP method is an acronym that stands for:

Who?
What?
Where?
When?
How?
Why?

By definition, the QQOQCP method is a sales technique aimed at gathering information about your prospect.

This questioning method is mainly used in the needs discovery phase, which corresponds to the second stage of the sales interview.

It is also similar to the 5 W method (who, what, where, when, why), a method that can be used in sales interviews as well as in product marketing.

To generate leads, the idea is to learn who they are, what they need, how you can help them, why they buy from you, their current situation… In short, all the information and resources you need to successfully carry out your commercial prospecting.

When applied correctly, this lead generation technique can help you close more sales and build better relationships with your clients, fostering upsells.

What are the differences between QQOQCP and QQOQCCP?

When comparing the QQOQCP and QQOQCCP methods, often used in management, project management, and strategic action planning, a crucial distinction emerges in terms of their components and application:

The QQOQCP, as we saw above, focuses on Who, What, Where, When, How, Why. This model is widely used for a holistic understanding of issues encountered in various contexts, particularly when preparing for meetings, managing teams, or planning actions. This method promotes a structured approach, helping managers and teams break down a problem or situation into fundamental elements, thus facilitating their understanding and resolution.
In contrast, QQOQCCP adds an extra “C” to the acronym, representing “Combien” (How much/How many). This addition enriches the analysis by incorporating a quantitative dimension. It allows for addressing numerical aspects such as cost, quantity, or frequency, which are crucial for the effective execution of projects or the evaluation of action proposals.

Example 🔍

For example, during a project meeting, asking the question “How much?” can help estimate the resources needed, the budget, or the time required to complete the project.

The integration of this quantitative dimension in QQOQCCP enriches the analysis, making it more robust for decisions related to management and project execution.

It offers a more complete and detailed view, essential for addressing complex issues where numerical aspects play a significant role in decision-making and strategic planning.

What are the advantages of the QQOQCP method?

Using the QQOQCP method offers several advantages:

1. It helps you understand your prospect’s needs;

2. It allows you to build a relationship with your future client;

3. It helps you anticipate and overcome their objections;

4. It helps you close your sales more effectively;

5. It helps you make more effective incentive sales and cross-selling or upselling;

As you’ve understood, the QQOQCP method can be very effective on several levels. But to optimize the potential of this sales technique, there is still a methodology to follow.

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What are the applications for QQOQCP?

The QQOQCP method, a tool for analyzing and solving problems, is widely used in various fields for its ability to define and structure complex situations. Here are some examples of its application:

Sales

In sales, this method helps salespeople identify the most relevant products or services for their clients. By asking open-ended questions, the salesperson gathers valuable answers, which are used to develop an effective and personalized sales plan.

Who: Who is the main decision-maker for the purchase? Who are the end-users of the product?
What: What type of product or service is the client looking for? What are their specific expectations?
Where: Where will the product be used or put into service?
When: When does the client plan to make their purchase decision? When do they need the product?
How: How does the client intend to use the product or service?
How much: How many products or services does the client intend to purchase? What is their budget?
Why: Why is the client looking for this type of product/service specifically?

Good to know💡

The QQOQCP is an excellent method that we favor at La Growth Machine, particularly for sales copywriting.

Indeed, this framework allows you to gain perspective on your sequences and design sales messages that will perform better.

In the block below, I suggest looking at what a sales message using the QQOQCP method might look like.

Subject: Hello {{firstname}}

Hi {{firstname}}

I’m contacting you based on the recommendation of {{customattribute1}} who mentioned your interest in our lead gen solution.

To help me understand your needs better, here are a few questions:

– Who is the tool intended for?
– How many users?
– What is the budget?

Based on these elements, I’ll be better equipped to guide you on a plan.

Feel free to contact me at {{identity.phone}}.

Thanks!

In this message, we use 3 questions from the framework, which allow us to set a scope and progress more precisely through the sales funnel.

Project Management

It is used to define and clarify the essential aspects of a project, thereby facilitating management and the strategy to adopt. This approach ensures a detailed description of the project and a better understanding of the necessary means.

Who: Who are the key stakeholders in the project? Who is responsible for each phase?
What: What is the nature and objective of the project?
Where: Where will the project be executed? Where are the necessary resources located?
When: When should the project start and end? What are the key milestones?
How: How will the different tasks be executed? What processes and tools are involved?
How much: What is the budget allocated to the project? What resources are needed?
Why: Why was this project initiated? What problems does it aim to solve?

Communication

The method is a key tool for developing a communication strategy. It allows for diagnosing the current situation and identifying the actions to be taken to achieve the set objectives.

Who: Who is the target audience? Who are the message carriers?
What: What is the main message or information to be communicated?
Where: Where will the campaign be broadcast? What communication channels will be used?
When: When should the campaign be launched? What is its duration?
How: How will the messages be transmitted? What media or platforms will be used?
How much: What budget is allocated for the campaign? How many people are involved?
Why: Why is this campaign necessary? What are its objectives?

Human Resources

Used for both internal analysis and recruitment, this method provides a framework for managing various situations, from conflict resolution to conducting job interviews.

Who: Who are the candidates or employees concerned? Who are the decision-makers?
What: What skills and qualifications are sought? What are the challenges or problems encountered?
Where: Where will the interviews or evaluations take place?
When: When will the interviews take place? When should decisions be made?
How: How will the evaluations or interviews be conducted? What methods or tools will be used?
How much: How many positions are available? What is the budget for recruitment or training?
Why: Why is this position open or why is this evaluation necessary?

In each situation, QQOQCP guides the team towards quality answers and solutions, providing a clear plan for analyzing and solving problems. Its varied application demonstrates its adaptability and effectiveness in a professional setting.

How to use the QQOQCP method in sales?

Now that we know what the QQOQCP method is and what its advantages are, let’s see how to use it in sales discourse.

As we mentioned earlier, this technique is most effective when used during the needs discovery phase of the sales process.

At this stage, the salesperson’s objective is to understand their B2B sales lead‘s needs very precisely to indicate the best solution to their problem (in this case, the right product or service).

To do this, the salesperson must ask the right questions. And that’s where the QQOQCP method comes in!

Here is a suggested order for the questions to ask:

1. Who are they?

2. What do they need?

3. How can you help them?

4. Why do they buy from you?

5. When should you ask these questions?

When asking these questions, it is important to be very precise. To dig a little deeper, you can ask different types of questions:

open-ended questions
closed-ended questions
alternative questions
etc…

Good to know 💡

These questions can (and should) be naturally integrated after an initial question from the QQOQCP method to extract more information from your prospect.
The real idea is to get them to say everything they have to say, and even what they didn’t necessarily want to say!

In your prospecting messages, it is imperative to maintain the same logic. If you use LaGrowthMachine, our support can advise you when creating your email lead gen campaigns.

Email campaigns or LinkedIn Automation reviewed by our support can significantly boost your conversion rates, especially when you are just starting to get the hang of the tool.

Examples of QQOQCP questions for sales

QQOQCP method questions can take different formats depending on the tone of the conversation (informal, formal), your relationship with your interlocutor (friend, stranger), the rapport you’ve established beforehand, etc…

A little earlier, I already mentioned the types of questions that can be formulated regarding sales.

In this section, we will delve deeper into the questions to give you a very broad perspective.

WHO?

This question aims to understand who your prospect is, where they come from, their position in the company (B2B), whether they are in charge of decision-making.

Here are some examples of questions you could ask:

Can you introduce yourself?
What is your position in the company?
How long have you been with the company (or in your current role)?
What are your responsibilities within the company?
Who are your main clients?
Who do you work with most often?
etc…

Good to know💡

In sales, the classic mistake is selling to the wrong person.

Thanks to the framework, you ensure not only that you’re talking to the decision-maker but also that you gather maximum information about them to understand their challenges and better tailor your sales pitch.

WHAT?

This question aims to understand what the prospect wants, what they need, their main challenges, their deep interests, the project stakeholders, etc. This way, you can know if your product or service meets their needs.

Here are some examples of questions you could ask:

What are your current needs?
Who are your clients?
What product/service do you offer?
What are your future needs?
What are your specific pain points?
What would be the ideal solution to your problem?
What commercial analyses do you perform and what are your expectations in terms of results?
etc…

HOW?

This question allows you to understand how the prospect wants to achieve their goal. Thus, you can offer them a solution that meets their expectations. Here are some examples of questions you can ask:

How do you want to proceed?
What is your preferred communication method?
What are your work methods?
What is your preferred working schedule?
Do you prefer individual or group work?
etc…

WHY?

This question allows you to understand the prospect’s motivations and objectives. Thus, you can adapt your pitch and offer them a solution that meets their needs. Here are some examples of questions you can ask:

Why are you looking for a new solution?
What are your objectives?
What motivates you in your work?
Do you prefer long-term or short-term results?
etc…

This part of the framework echoes the prospect’s stated or unstated problem.

WHEN?

This question allows you to establish a timeline with the prospect. This way, you can manage expectations and agree on a follow-up schedule and improve your communication processes. Here are some examples of questions you could ask:

When do you want to implement the solution?
What are your deadlines in terms of internal/external processes?
When do you want to see results?
How often do you want to communicate?
What is the best time to contact you?
…

Essential for setting the project scope, and especially your deadlines, particularly if your offer is complex.

Example 🔍

The delivery of an accounting solution + the time dedicated to integration, team training, etc…

WHERE?

This question allows you to understand the geographical context of the prospect’s activity. Thus, you can adapt your solution and offer a service tailored to their needs. Here are some examples of questions you could ask:

Where are your clients located?
Where are you located?
Do you have international clients?
What is your global/regional/local market share?
etc…

Of course, these are just a few examples of questions you could ask during each phase of the QQOQCP method. There are many other possibilities, and it all depends on your conversation and what you want to discover!

Good to know 💡

Caution: the needs discovery phase must absolutely end with a reformulation.

It is very common for there to be a discrepancy in the message between the sender and the receiver.

Reformulation will allow you to understand any discrepancies between what you understood from the prospect’s discourse and the reality. It’s a kind of review to ensure everything is clear before moving on to the next phase of the interview, which is the pitch.

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The important thing is simply to keep this 6-question structure in mind so as not to forget anything and to obtain all the information you need about your prospect.

QQOQCP Method: What it is and how to use it?

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