Focus on business challenges

Chris Orlob explains how to improve your discovery calls by avoiding the question "How does that impact you personally?"

Instead, use these better questions:

How is that showing up in the business?

↳ Ask this after exploring a challenge. It gets buyers to talk about metrics and financial impacts, which are easier to measure and act on.

Who else is impacted by that, and how?

↳ Instead of focusing on the buyer’s personal feelings, ask how others are affected. This broadens the conversation and helps you connect with more decision-makers.

What are some of the ripple effects this challenge is having on the business?

↳ This question feels more thoughtful and focused on the business. It shows you’re analyzing their situation, not just digging for pain points.

I’ve found that challenges like this create other problems. Do you see that happening here?

↳ Use this to position yourself as a trusted advisor. It helps buyers think more deeply about their business and uncovers hidden issues.

Chris says asking about personal impact can work—but only after building trust.

Start with these four alternatives instead.

Keep deals moving forward

Ian Koniak emphasizes how to improve follow-ups and discovery in sales by focusing on clear, forward-thinking actions:

1. Never send long recap emails: Avoid lengthy summaries of discovery calls. These emails distract from key action items and dilute your message.

2. Focus on next steps: Follow-up emails should only outline what’s needed to move forward. For example: suggest meetings, outline necessary steps, or propose deadlines.

   → Email template Ian used:

   Subject: [Your Name] – Next Steps

   Body:

   Hi [Name],

   Great catching up with you today and congrats on [specific achievement].

   Based on our conversation, I recommend [briefly describe your proposed solution].

   I’ll outline the details and share the proposal by [specific date].

   Here’s a link to my calendar to schedule our next meeting: [Calendly Link].

   Thanks, Ian

3. Don’t sell during discovery: Discovery is for gathering information, not pitching your solution. Save selling for the proposal and demo stages.

4. Work towards proposals quickly: Ensure every interaction is a step toward a proposal. The longer you wait, the less likely a deal will close.

5. Use executive sponsorship: Secure support from senior executives to ensure smooth discovery and maintain momentum. If team members delay, ask the executive sponsor to help.

6. Keep communication simple: Stay in touch with updates, but only share progress and next steps. Avoid overwhelming the client with unnecessary details.

7. Remove obstacles: Book meetings, clarify needs, and guide the process without complicating things. Deals should always be active and moving toward a proposal.

The LAER framework

In his LinkedIn post, Jordan Benjamin explains the LAER framework, a method to improve conversations in sales, including discovery and handling objections.

The advice is straightforward:

→ Listen

• Focus on the speaker without distractions.

• Disable self-view on Zoom, use Do Not Disturb mode, and set up your screen for note-taking only.

→ Acknowledge

• Summarize what the other person said in your own words. Show empathy by recognizing their challenges.

• Example: "It sounds like you're focused on improving team performance and need a 10% productivity gain. You've tried three trainers without success. Did I miss anything?"

→ Explore

• Ask follow-up questions to dive deeper into their situation.

• Example: "What do you think the last training missed?" or "Where does your team need improvement the most?"

→ Respond

• Offer solutions that align with their needs.

• Example: "Based on your challenges, we can create a program focused on mindset and accountability. How does that sound to you?"

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