SHAPE questions
Five styles of question for natural, curious conversations with Buyers, and how to mix them.
For Buyers, traditional needs questioning feels like an interrogation, something to be endured rather than enjoyed. The Seller works down a list, and the Buyer answers in kind. It produces facts but few insights. A natural conversation flows the way conversation with a friend does. You listen, and topics lead into one another. A mix of question styles helps that happen. SHAPE is a way to remember five of them.
The five styles
| Style | Purpose | What the Buyer reveals |
|---|---|---|
| Surface | Get facts about the Buyer's business, market and role. Buyers can answer these without thinking. | Facts |
| Hunt | Go deeper into a general answer, and understand the challenges and what they cost the Buyer. Buyers need to think of an answer. | Challenges |
| Adjust | Change direction, check you are covering the real issues, or ask permission before a sensitive topic. | Confirmation or permission |
| Paint | Invite the Buyer to 'paint a picture'. The most powerful style for exploring what they value and their desired future. | Outcomes |
| Engage | Agree the next steps, so you are both committed to moving forward. | Next steps |
Examples
Surface: "How is business going?" "How long have you been at ABC Co?"
Hunt: "How does that impact you?" "What knock-on effects does this have?" "What is the problem with that?"
Adjust: "In the overall scheme of things, how important is this?" "Can I ask a few more questions about this?" "I can see this is a sensitive issue. Are you happy to keep talking about it?"
Paint: "When your new system is working perfectly, what will you be doing that you can't do now?" "If you had a magic wand, where would you wave it?" "Tell me what your ideal facility would be like. Take me for a walk through it."
Engage: "How do you see this moving forward?" "What would you like us to do next?" "Who do you think might be able to help you resolve this?"
Why Paint questions matter
A needs question such as "what are you looking for?" gets a list of requirements. A Paint question gets the Buyer describing a desired future, which is where you learn what they value. Paint answers are expansive, and they lead naturally to more questions. They sound curious rather than like fishing, and Buyers tend to enjoy answering them.
You won't know the answers to your questions, and that is the point. You ask them because you don't know.
Listening
Listening matters more than asking. Show the Buyer they have your undivided attention. Don't interrupt, and don't evaluate what they say. Let them finish and take a breath. Pause for a few seconds before you respond. Notice what isn't said. When you check your understanding, put it in your own words rather than repeating theirs.
Opening a conversation
First impressions matter, so don't improvise. A simple opening called an I We U states your Intent (why you wanted to meet), how We might use the time, and what you hope You the Buyer will get out of it. Always say "I", meaning you personally, not your organisation. Draft the "U" first, then the "We", then the "I". It shows respect for the Buyer's time, gets them talking early, and stops you launching into a monologue.
After you have broken the ice, move into the purpose of the conversation by restating the "We" in a slightly modified form, for example by asking the Buyer to summarise their organisation and role.