Ask About the Weather

Great questions don't always sound important.

Why do the best salespeople ask about the weather?

It seems random. Meaningless small talk. A waste of time.

But it's not.

When someone tells you they bought something "because it was convenient," they're not telling you the whole story. They're giving you the surface-level answer.

The truth is buried deeper.

Great detectives know this. When they interview witnesses, they don't just ask "What happened?" They ask "What was the weather like that day?"

This seemingly random question unlocks memory. It creates context. It helps people remember details they didn't know they knew.

"It was raining... oh wait, now I remember."

When you ask someone why they bought your product, they'll give you a simple answer: "It was fast" or "I liked the color."

But that's not why they really bought it.

They bought it because:

• Their boss criticized them in a meeting last Tuesday
• Their child has been struggling in school
• They've been feeling overlooked

The real reasons are hidden — sometimes even from themselves.

If you want to truly understand people, stop asking direct questions.

Ask about the weather. Ask about who was with them. Ask about small, seemingly unimportant details.

The answers will surprise you.