Question and Control: The Underrated Power Move in SaaS Sales

If there’s one idea you take away from this series on SaaS sales, let it be this: The person asking the questions controls the conversation.

This simple principle is the backbone of consultative selling. In B2B SaaS, asking the right questions isn’t just a technique, it’s how you lead the sales process.

Why Questions Matter More Than Pitches

In traditional call center sales, reps often talk to the prospect. But in SaaS, especially with longer sales cycles and multiple stakeholders involved, the key is to talk with your prospect.

Here’s why:

• Questions shift focus onto the customer, where it should be

• Questions open doors to needs, pain points, goals and buying triggers

• Questions give you control without sounding controlling

Whether you’re cold calling, qualifying, booking a demo or following up, your ability to guide the conversation through well-timed questions will determine your success.

Why Humans Are Wired to Respond to Questions

Here’s a quick social experiment you can try:

Walk into a room, wear a watch, hold your smartphone and casually ask, “Hey, what’s the time?”

Despite having everything you need to check it yourself, someone will instinctively answer.

Why? Because we’re trained to respond to questions. Whether it’s a classroom or a sales call, the act of being asked something commands attention, even if the answer is obvious.

So when you ask your prospect a relevant, timely question, you’re interrupting their autopilot and pulling them into a dialogue. That’s a powerful tool.

Control Through Curiosity

Here’s the real benefit of asking questions in SaaS sales: The person asking the questions is the one in control.

Think about it:

• The teacher asking a question sets the tone

• The interviewer sets the direction

• The salesperson guiding a discovery call is steering the ship

In consultative sales, control doesn’t come from dominating the conversation. It comes from shaping it.

And asking questions allows you to:

• Influence the narrative

• Lead prospects toward a logical next step

• Handle objections before they’re spoken

Let’s Talk About “Manipulation”

Yes, sales involves a degree of manipulation and that’s okay. We’re not talking about unethical tactics. We’re talking about the everyday kind of persuasion that we all use:

• A child throws a tantrum for ice cream

• You compliment someone before asking them a favor

• You’re extra helpful to your manager before requesting time off

All of these are forms of subtle social control to achieve an outcome. In SaaS sales, your goal might be a scheduled demo, a second call or a signed contract. Questions help you guide people toward that goal.

Think Ahead: Predictive Questioning

Asking a question is only half the work. The real art lies in anticipating the answer.

Let’s say you ask:

“Have you used a solution to automate X process before?”

The answer could be:

• Yes, but it was too expensive

• No, we’re still manual

• We tried something and it didn’t work

Each of these is a signal. And if you’re prepared, you’ll know exactly how to respond and guide the next step. That’s how control is maintained with intention and preparedness.

A Quick Exercise for Reps

Here’s a great way to level up your questioning skills:

Write down 10 questions you can ask during a sales conversation.

Group them into:

• Opening questions (to build context)

• Discovery questions (to uncover needs)

• Closing questions (to move the deal forward)

Think through the possible answers.

Ask yourself:

• What could this answer tell me?

• How can I use this to guide the conversation?

• Which follow-up question will keep me in control?

This activity builds real conversational muscle and sharpens your instincts faster than any script can.

The Takeaway

Sales isn’t about fast-talking or persuasive monologues. It’s about understanding, guiding and leading. And nothing gives you more leverage than asking the right question at the right time.

At Scalemill, we train our SaaS sales teams to lead with curiosity and close with clarity. Because once you master the art of asking questions, you’ll never chase a conversation again. You’ll own it!