Which is an example of a clarifying question?

• A. What would this do for you personally? In what way?
• B. How long does your procurement cycle take?
• C. What are your main pain points?
• D. Could you share with me what is motivating your decision to ... ?

Answer: (D)

Clarifying questions aim to uncover the reasons and criteria behind a prospect’s decision, so you understand what truly motivates their path and can tailor your next steps. The best example invites the prospect to articulate what is motivating their decision to move forward, which reveals their underlying motives, priorities, and buying criteria. That level of insight helps you align your approach and address the factors that will actually influence the decision. The other prompts tend to gather surface details—impact (“What would this do for you?”), timeline (“How long does your procurement cycle take?”), or general pain points—without directly clarifying the motive or criteria driving the decision.