How to Get Sales Prospects to Be Honest With You
To influence and to sell, you need the truth about what people want, what they fear, who is driving the decision, and how the decision will be made. When trust is low on a sales call, the truth is harder to discover. Prospects are likely to offer one- or two-word surface level answers. Sales leaders know that if you are unable to get sales prospects to be honest with you, you may spend weeks or months pursuing opportunities that will not materialize or misalign your solutions with a client’s actual needs.
Business sales training teaches skills that combine psychology, empathy, and strategic questioning to encourage sales prospects to speak candidly.
7 Research-backed Steps to Get Sales Prospects to Be Honest With You
Done effectively, these seven steps lead to stronger client relationships, higher conversion rates, and faster deal cycles.
- Put the Client First
Relationships determine our influence, and the health of all relationships is dependent on how well we demonstrate that we uniquely value, appreciate, and understand others. The more you care about helping the client – their goals, problems, and needs — the more receptive they will be about sharing what matters most to them. That starts by seeing the customer as a person – not a potential sale – and seeing them beyond a dollar sign. To put this into practice follow three solution selling training best practices:
- Care more about helping them to succeed personally and professionally.
- Learn more about what they value and why.
- Do more about exceeding their expectations.
- Focus on Building Trust From the Start
Honesty is given when trust exists. Prospects are more likely to open up when they believe you understand their challenges and will not misuse sensitive information. Begin by demonstrating empathy: show that you have prepared for the sales call by researching their business and understanding the pressures they face.On your end, be transparent about pricing, timelines, and limitations to signal that you expect the same openness in return. Research in relationship-based selling confirms that trust influences disclosure; a study in the Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management found that salespeople who invest in relational trust see a 30% higher probability of prospect honesty.
- Ask the Right Questions
The way sellers frame sales questions affects whether buyer responses are meaningful. Open-ended questions that focus on challenges, goals, and past experiences encourage reflection. Avoid leading questions that suggest a “right” answer. For example, instead of asking, “Would this solution meet your needs?” ask, “What challenges have you experienced with solutions like this in the past?” This encourages discussion of pain points rather than superficial agreement.
- Use Silence Strategically
Prospects often fill silence with additional information. After asking a question, resist the urge to jump in with more questions, solutions, or assumptions. Sales rep assessment simulation data shows that allowing a few moments of silence can prompt a more complete answer that uncovers deeper insights into their situation.
- Normalize Honesty
Explicitly value direct communication. Phrases like, “It’s better to know if this isn’t the right fit now,” or “I appreciate honesty about your priorities so we can avoid wasting each other’s time,” reduce pressure to provide polite but misleading answers. Research in the Industrial Marketing Management journal shows that explicitly stating that candidness is appreciated increases the likelihood of receiving truthful information from sales prospects.
- Mirror Their Language and Tone
Adapting your language to match the prospect’s style signals empathy and attentiveness. If they are data-driven, focus on metrics; if they prioritize relationships, emphasize collaboration. Mirroring shows that you understand their world, making them feel safe to speak openly.
- Follow Through
If prospects see that you act on what they tell you — address sales concerns, clarify misunderstandings, and adjust your recommendations — they are likely to continue sharing information openly. Each interaction builds a pattern of transparency.
The Bottom Line
Getting sales prospects to be honest requires deliberate effort. When clients become more open, you can focus on helping them to succeed in a way that makes sense to their unique circumstances. Are you able to get sales prospects to be honest with you?
To learn more about helping clients to succeed, download 30 Research-backed Sales Questions that Matter Most
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