IT is an open and shut case. In the early stages of a business relationship, ask open questions.
These are questions that make the other person give you an answer – and, more crucially, information which you can use at a later date.
Ask them ‘how’, or ‘why’ or ‘when’ or ‘what’ and make them tell you about themselves. This can be used later in sales negotiations and be an enormous benefit to you.
So, open up – and others will have to too!