At the end of the day, an open ended question is essentially a question that when asked, can’t be responded to with a simple “yes” or “no”. As you will get familiar with in the myriad of examples of open ended questions below.
They really are a way to evoke more elaboration on topics as well as can be great in sales or simply influence when you want someone to buy. As well as build better relationships with clients in order to get to know them, to build better rapport.
When people expand more on topics, you can have more content to go off of. Hence more to relate to about as well as a feeling of the other person “getting them”. As you are able to bring things up at a later date that they have talked about in the past.
It is also a way to make the person feel comfortable with you, as the more they share, the more they are likely to share.
When you ask open ended questions correctly, they can come off natural enough to evoke openness and exposing things that you want to get answers on.
Unlike close ended questions, open ended questions give a more expanded insight but require both parties to be more open and aware.
The true goal of open ended questions is to dig deep enough for people to go through the emotion of the thoughts they are having. This is when someone will expand upon what is being asked. As they have gotten out of their head and into their heart. Which is where honest and pure communication comes from.
You can also allow someone the freedom to re-experience good things that happened to them in the past. Help them process not so good things. As well as give them the spotlight to shine. Which, if you and I are being honest with each other, who doesn’t love to talk about themselves?
You will be that person that makes them feel important when you ask some of these questions. And because of it, you will leave a very positive imprint on their subconscious mind. Making them just naturally like you more and more both consciously and subconsciously.
All of this may sound a little shady, and yet just like anything, if your emotions are pure, you will use open ended questions for good.
And people can see through it if you are not.
So it is best to use the power of open ended questions to benefit both parties, at all times.
Below are examples of open ended questions that you can use. Whether you are getting to know someone for the first time, meeting with that once in a lifetime client, or simply building more intimacy and passion into a relationship.
They will help you do better in all forms of human interaction, leaving a positive long lasting impression on people that will result in a happier and more prosperous life.
Benefits of Open Ended Questions
Contents
- 1 Benefits of Open Ended Questions
- 2 Examples of Open Ended Questions (General)
- 3 Examples of Close Ended Questions (General)
- 4 Relationship Open Ended Questions
- 5 Personal Development Open Ended Questions Examples
- 5.1 Personal Development Close Ended Questions Examples
- 5.2 Financial Examples of Open Ended Questions
- 5.3 Financial Closed Ended Questions
- 5.4 Family Examples of Open Ended Questions
- 5.5 Family Examples of Open Ended Questions
- 5.6 Community Opened Ended Questions Examples
- 5.7 Community Close Ended Questions
- 6 Advantages Of Using Close Ended Questions
Again to put it into a large sense, open ended questions benefits essentially entail the fact that they allow you to really open up your audience. You give a person the feeling of having much more to say behind what they are about to say.
As if they can see the conversation going much further. It is essentially like roots where a large tree sprouts.
The more roots that take place, the stronger and larger the tree can grow.
The same is true with open ended questions. There can be multiple roots that can grow out of the first open ended question.
They make you the star of the show as through elaboration comes self enamoring. We love to chat about ourselves and feel a sense of empowerment because of it. We want to look good in the eyes of the person who asked us the question, and because of the style of the questioning, more information and self expression can and usually does follow.
Another benefit to open ended questions is that they offer a wide variety of different answers, sometimes even infinite.
There is more comfort in the person answering them as there is really no good or bad answer. Just more so a way of self expression through emotive word patterns.
They provide rich detail into what the question asker wants more information on.
Answers or more formed and set more firm through the process of getting to the end of the response. More goes into the final choice/decision of the explanation.
Also, an advantage of open ended questions is the fact that the person feels more freedom to go back and change or modify their response. They don’t feel an impending sense of doom that can be felt by giving more knee jerk answers that come from close ended questions.
Disadvantages To Open Ended Questions
Being that these questions are more expressive in the content delivered, things can get lose in translation. No real concrete answers.
They tend to be more vague in these answering style.
They also happen to be more time consuming.
Offer information where a good amount of it just needs to be discarded.
Although the hope of asking an open ended question is for elaborate detail, this simply may not be the case with all people.
It can also leave people frustrated who have problems with verbal articulation.
It can lead the person answering the question to stating generalities and not staying on track of answering the original question.
Examples of Open Ended Questions (General)
So below I created 2 general lists of open ended questions and close ended questions. These entail scenarios and depictions of general life. Things you would see, hear and ask throughout your everyday existence.
I also tied in some of the biggest areas of life, and provided open ended and close ended questions examples in each area. Those areas include:
- Health
- Family
- Relationships
- Personal Development
- Spirituality
- Community
Lets begin!
Most open ended questions start with words such as “How”, “Why” and “What”?
- What can you do different next time?
- What made you decide to do that?
- What made the experience most enjoyable?
- What was the best thing about your relationship?
- What was the worst thing about your relationship?
- What was the best feature about our product did you enjoy most?
- What part of our product do you think we can improve upon?
- What made you choose to use our product/service in the first place?
- What could we do today to help you find what you are looking for?
- What is the biggest factor in stopping you from taking action today?
- How can we make you feel better about moving forward today?
- What feedback can you give me today?
- Is there anything else you would like to share with me today?
- Tell me more about your relationship with your boss/mate/sibling?
- What would have made your trip to “location” more enjoyable?
- What are your top 3 goals you are most proud of accomplishing?
- What stood out to you at the meeting?
- What are you looking forward to most about the new job/new year, etc?
- What are you most fond of about your childhood?
- What positive characteristic traits do you look for in a mate/friend?
- Why do you wear the type of clothes you wear?
- What made you initially get into the profession that you are in?
- What do you think you can do better tomorrow that will make your day more productive?
- What are your hopes and dreams for the future?
- What would you do differently in your life if you had a chance to go back and do things differently?
- What is the one place you would love to live and why?
- What is your favorite genre of music, and why?
- How does your favorite music make you feel?
- How did you effectively emotional process that event?
- What initially caused the fight to start?
- What do you feel like your life purpose is?
- Do you think we all were born with a purpose in life?
- Why do you think everything in life happens for a reason?
- What can I be doing to make your life easier?
- Why would you consider yourself luck/unlucky?
- What do you like most about your culture?
So as you can see, all these examples of open ended questions are more so deeper questions to ask people that will let you truly expand and get to know them.
Examples of Close Ended Questions (General)
- Would you go to the restaurant again?
- Do you want to buy this?
- Were you happy with your experience?
- Did you find what you came into the store to find?
- Would you tell people about my services?
- Did you have a good time?
- Would you ever date him/her again?
- What did you think of our product?
- Was your meeting good?
- How as your date?
- Can you tell me your name again?
- Do you both get along?
- Do you believe in fate?
- Do you have a favorite song?
- Did you have a good vacation?
- How do you get to work?
- Did you have a good flight?
- Did you have a good day?
- Who is your favorite president?
- Did you sleep well?
- Are you feeling better today?
- Is dad/mom/sibling home?
- Who is coming to dinner tonight?
- Can I help you with that?
- Do you prefer dogs or cats?
- Do you like animals?
- What ethnicity are you?
- Do you like reading?
- What do you do for a living?
- Can you hear me?
- Can you explain to me what happened?
Health Examples of Open Ended Questions
- What does the ideal body mean to you?
- Why do you want to lose weight?
- What is your idea body type?
- What do you like to do in the gym?
- What is your least favorite exercise and why?
- What exercise makes you feel the best?
- What are your top 3 fitness goals?
- What type of music do you listen to when you are working out?
- What makes you feel the most pumped up about working out?
- What is your favorite pre/post workout meal?
- How are your health goals coming so far?
- Why did you start working out in the first place?
- What do you do after the gym?
- How long are your recovery periods before you can workout the same muscle group again?
- What cheat meals do you like to eat when you can go off your diet?
- Why did you pick the gym you workout at?
- Who are your favorite instagram fitness influencers do you follow?
- Why do you go at the certain time of day to the gym that you go at?
- How close are you to achieving your fitness goals?
- Can you see yourself sticking with the fitness program you are on?
- What makes you continue to follow your diet?
- What made you fall off your diet last time?
- What do you look for in a gym partner?
- Where do you see your physique being in 5 years?
- At what age do you think we reach our peak?
- What is the hardest workout you have ever done?
Health Examples of Close Ended Questions
- How many pounds do you want to lose?
- When do you go to the gym?
- What time do you work out?
- What is your favorite food?
- How many pounds do you want to lose?
- What is your favorite machine in the gym?
- Do you have a workout partner?
- Do you like running?
- What time do you usually workout?
- Will you be at the gym tonight?
- Do you follow a diet?
- What gym do you workout at?
- When do you eat your last meal of the day?
- Do you like eating breakfast?
- Do you snack throughout the day?
- Do your friends workout out too?
- Who is your favorite person to workout with?
- Do you keep a workout log?
- Can we workout together sometime?
- Have you ever tried “X” diet or exercise before?
- What is your favorite fast food option that is healthy?
- Was it hard for you to get started with working out?
- Can you lose weight fast with this diet?
Relationship Open Ended Questions
- What attracts you most about your mate?
- What is your biggest pet peeve about your mate?
- What do you think their biggest pet peeve is about you?
- What do you think makes a relationship good?
- What is your most fondest memory about your mate?
- Where is your favorite date night spot?
- When do you hang out with your mate most?
- What is your favorite thing to do together?
- What is the thing you are most embarrassed to do around your mate?
- How long have you two been together?
- How long did you date before you go married?
- What quality to you admire most in your mate?
- What is the biggest red flag for you in a relationship?
- How long do you think is long enough before you ask someone to marry you?
- What do you think is completely unforgivable in a relationship?
- How many other people did you date before you met your current mate?
- What are your thoughts about kids before marriage?
- What are yours/your mates love languages?
- What does your mate do in their free time?
- What are your mates current biggest life goals?
- Why do you think you attracted your mate into your life?
- How long have you two known each other?
- How do you handle the downs in a relationship?
- What is your ideal image of love?
- What is your favorite “little thing” your mate does or can do for you?
Relationship Examples of Close Ended Questions
- Do you believe in love at first sight?
- Where did you meet your mate?
- What side of his/hers family do you get along with best?
- Do you think they are your soul mate?
- Who do you think loves who more?
- Who set you guys up?
- Who do you think fell for who first?
- When did you know you were in love with your mate?
- Do you plan on getting married?
- Who is the most dominant person in the relationship?
- Do you share the same core values?
- Which person in your mates family do you get along with best/least?
- Do you have the same social circles?
- Does your mates friends come over often?
- Have you had any big fights recently?
- Which one of you is the bread winner in the relationship?
- Where do you both live now?
- Do you live together?
- Would you consider your mate your best friend?
- Who is the funnier of the two?
- When do you both go to bed at night?
- Do you have similar schedules?
- Would you die for your mate?
- Where do you want to retire with your mate?
- Do you work in the same field?
Spiritual Open Ended Questions Examples
- What do you think happens to you when you die?
- How long do you think it takes to die and then get to Heaven?
- Why do you think certain people don’t go to Heaven?
- How long do you think we are dead?
- What are your thoughts on reincarnation?
- How accurate do you think the Bible is?
- What is your favorite book in the Bible?
- What if there isn’t actually a Heaven?
- What do you think God looks like?
- What do you think Heaven looks like?
- Why do you think you will go to Heaven?
- What do you think is wrong with religion?
- What makes your religion your favorite?
- How does one become a better person in God’s eyes?
- Why do you think some people struggle and others prosper?
- How long do you think it takes to be saved?
- How much biblical readings to you read each day?
- Why do certain people choose certain religions to follow?
- What do you think Hell is like?
- How do you think people feel when they begin to know the Lord?
- What blind spots do you think people of faith have?
- What is the most positive thing about being a member of your faith/
- What way do you think is the best way to lead someone to your faith?
- Why do you think some people are atheists?
- What power would you ask God to give you if you could ask for one?
- Why don’t you relate to other religions?
- What one thing would you change about your religion if you could?
- What are your thoughts on tithing?
Spiritual Examples of Close Ended Questions
- Do you believe in God
- Do you think all dogs go to heaven?
- Do you believe in Hell?
- Is your religion the best religion?
- Where do you think heaven is?
- Do you think God is a good God?
- Do you believe in forgiveness?
- Is it necessary that the world has good and evil?
- Are you a believer?
- Do you think God forgives everyone?
- Can people who don’t accept Jesus still get into Heaven?
- Have you ever experienced a miracle?
- Do you think there is truth in all religions?
- Where do you feel you can get better with your faith?
- Is there life after death?
- Was Jesus as good as they say he was?
- Will God come back to earth to save us?
- Which person in the Bible is your favorite?
- Could your faith be a road block or blind spot in your life?
- Do you think there is a real devil?
- Which biblical character do you like the least?
- Who do you like the most in your congregation?
- When was your church founded?
- Which days do you practice your faith?
Personal Development Open Ended Questions Examples
- What is the biggest fear you have overcome in your life?
- How long do you think it takes to become the best version of yourself?
- What are your top 3 core values?
- What is your biggest strength?
- What is your biggest weakness?
- Why do some people succeed and others seem to fail?
- How does one reach the best version of themselves?
- What is one new skill or trait that you want to develop most this year?
- Why are some people born with more talent in a certain area?
- What are you most proud of as far as your biggest accomplishments?
- How fast can you read or type?
- How many books do you want to read this year?
- What is your favorite area of knowledge to learn?
- What one superpower would you have if you could ask for one?
- What subject do you think you could teach if you had to?
- What subject in school did you like least or most?
- What subject do you learn the easiest/hardest?
- Why do people have different learning styles?
- What would you change about the school system if you could?
- What are your favorite motivational quotes?
- Who is your favorite philosophical thinker?
- What source of learning do you learn from best? Video, reading, listening?
- What language would you speak if you could?
- What author do you like most?
- What teacher had the most impact on you in school?
- What event in your life sparked your desire to seek self help?
- How do you think one can raise their IQ score?
- How long does it take to raise your IQ score?
- What is the best way to get smarter?
Personal Development Close Ended Questions Examples
- Was school a good experience for you?
- Which aspect of school would you improve if you could change the school system?
- Where do you go to for motivational content?
- When did you start your personal development journey?
- Have you learned anything new this year?
- When did you find your passion in life?
- Is your family into personal growth too?
- When do you read during the day?
- Can someone change overnight?
- Have you been impacted by someone this year?
- Was there a defining moment in your life where you knew you were on the right track?
- Where is your favorite place to read?
- Has anyone given you any good books to read this year?
- Is IQ set in stone?
- Do you think you will hit you goals this year?
- Is there a best way to learn?
- Who was your favorite teacher in school?
- Who is the deepest thinker you know?
- When did you know that you wanted to work in the work you currently are in?
- Which self help influencer that you follow is your favorite?
Financial Examples of Open Ended Questions
- What amount of money do you want to save this year?
- What is the best book you have ever read on finances?
- Why do you feel like you aren’t reaching your financial goals?
- How much coverage does your insurance have?
- Why do you think some people have an easier time make money than others?
- What industry do you think is going to produce the most millionaires this century?
- What business model do you think is dying and costing people/owners money?
- How do you see the internet making you money in the future?
- Why haven’t you invested money in stocks yet?
- What is your biggest fear about investing?
- How much time do you spend each week monitoring your finances?
- What is the best investment decision you have ever made?
- Why do you think some people are better at reading the market than others?
- Do you think you can really read the market?
- How do you think you will get rich?
- Why do you want to be financially free?
- How will the economy look after the recession?
- What is the best way for one to recover after financial disaster?
- What is your favorite idea of a side hustle for yourself?
- What is your highest rate of return on your investments?
- What is the best financial decision you have ever made?
- What stock would you never invest in?
- Why do you think most lottery winners lose all their money?
- What can you learn from your biggest financial mistake?
- What financial set back are you most proud of overcoming?
- What are your favorite cash back rewards cards?
Financial Closed Ended Questions
- Do you think some people are lucky with money?
- Have you ever invested before?
- Which stock do you think is the best one to invest in?
- Who do you think the best investor is?
- When is the best time to invest?
- Was there any hint of the recession coming?
- Have you ever gone through a financial crisis?
- Which company is recession proof?
- Was there a time where you decided you HAD to invest?
- Who do you learn from for financial advice?
- Do you have a financial advisor?
- Who would you talk to about financial advice if you could talk to anyone in the world?
- Which person would you never receive financial advice from?
- Was there a time in your life where you weren’t stressed about money?
- Do you have a savings account?
- Do you have a cash rewards card?
- When did you start investing?
- Are you good at saving money?
- Will you open any other bank accounts this year?
- Do you have a financial statement for your business?
- Are you good with money?
Family Examples of Open Ended Questions
- How man children do you have?
- Why did you originally decide to have kids?
- What do you like doing with your family the most?
- What do your children do with their free time?
- How many children do you plan on having?
- What hospital were your kids born at?
- What do you admire most about your family?
- Why did you choose to put your kids into the school they go to?
- What grade are your kids in?
- Why do you think your family is so close?
- What age were your kids when they got their first job?
- What type of friends do your kids have?
- What family is your favorite family to hang out with?
- How long does your family plan to stay living in the house you are at?
- Why did you pick the names you did for your kids?
- What are your child’s biggest pet peeves?
- What child of yours is more academically inclined?
- How tall are your kids?
- What side of the family do the kids get along with best?
- What do you think your kids are most proud about in their lives?
- What is your greatest accomplishment as a parent?
- What college do your kids want to attend?
- What would make you happiest as a parent?
- Why did you choose to have kids in the first place?
Family Examples of Open Ended Questions
- Do you have kids?
- When did you have your first kid?
- Where is your family from?
- Do you plan on having children/more children?
- Is your family taking any vacations together this year?
- Was there a time where your family wasn’t as close as you are now?
- Which kid do you see yourself in most?
- Was all your family there when your child was born?
- Do your children play sport?
- Do you have family reunions?
- Was your child baptized?
- Could you tell your twins apart at first?
- Is there any place your family loves to go for dinner?
- Do your kids like the names you picked for them?
- Do your children do summer camps?
- When do your kids go to sleep?
- Would you ever consider moving your family out of state?
- Who throws the best family parties?
- Has your family every gone out of state together?
Community Opened Ended Questions Examples
- What is your favorite place to eat around here?
- Where do you guys go for breakfast?
- How long did it take for you to integrate yourself into the new community?
- What made you want to leave your old town and move here?
- What is your favorite part about living in this town?
- How fast did you make friends when you moved here?
- What is your least favorite part of the town?
- What do you think of the local politicians here?
- How do you like to give back to your community?
- Why do you think they named the town the name they gave it?
- How long has this town been an actual town?
- Why didn’t you move somewhere else?
- What has changed about your community over the years?
- How often does the town do gatherings and events?
- What is the most memorable thing about living here?
- What outside school clubs do your kids belong to?
- What do you do on your days off here?
- What is the best place to go in town to have fun?
- What is the best bar in town?
- Why do you think some people move away from here?
- What makes living here feel the most like “home”?
Community Close Ended Questions
- Have you live here your whole life?
- Did work bring you here?
- Which diner is your favorite?
- Who is your favorite local politician?
- Would you ever run for local politics?
- Is there a good place to eat around here?
- Do you think you will live here forever?
- Has the town grown in size since you moved here?
- Is this your forever hometown?
- Where do you get coffee here?
- Do you think you will ever move?
- Where is your favorite place to spend time here?
- Was there a time where you wanted to move?
- Could you see yourself living in another city?
- Have you ever thought of buying a second home here?
- Could you tell me how to get to the town hall?
- Have your family members ever considered moving here?
- Which street do I take to get to the freeway?
- When is the next city council meeting?
- Is the high school football team good this year?
- Do they really only have one road out of here?
Advantages Of Using Close Ended Questions
Good for small talk when you want to keep the conversations quick.
Make for faster response rates.
Getting quantitive data.
Easier analyzation of the response. Much more straight forward, black and white.
Can be good or clarification.
It is more factual, no reading between the lines or open for interpretations. Clear cut. Black and white.
Disadvantages To Close Ended Questions
Some of the cons of open ended questions include:
It can give the opportunity for no answer at all.
With less time to think about their answer, wrong answers are more likely.
It can box one in, making them offer simple answers to issues that can be more complex in nature.
It halts conversation and can lead to the end of the entire conversation if not careful.
Also, frustration can ensue due to the fact that one may not know the answer to the question at all. Following up a close ended question with “I don’t know” making it awkward for both parties often times.
Conclusion To Open Ended Questions Examples
So there we have it my friend. Open ended questions examples as well as close ended questions examples.
I hope you enjoyed the article and got a lot out of it. Now you may be seeing the benefit of using both of these questioning styles in all areas of you life.
At the end of the day, it really just depends on what you are looking to get out of a conversation. Now you can guide a conversation however which way you please. Which with open ended questioning, you can let the conversation evolve, and not have someone put up any mental walls that stops them from moving forward with the conversation.
With our closed ended questioning, you and I can evoke that feeling of one hitting a wall, or at a loss for words. Or a lack of guidance on how to move forward.
Let me know what you thought of the article overall. As well as if you have any favorite open ended questions that I listed.
And most importantly, I would love to hear what you have to add and your advice on the topic so that we can all get a little bit better within this real of personal development!
Thanks again for stopping by. See you on the next post!
With gratitude,
Chris
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