4 simple tips to excel in discovery calls

Richard Smith has listened to 472 discovery calls since April. Here are four ways to improve your calls:

1. Encourage prospects to talk more

   • Ask them to expand on their points.

   • Example: "You mentioned you're looking at ways to make things more efficient. Can you tell me more about that?"

   • The more they share, the more you can help.

2. Limit small talk

   • Avoid spending too much time on irrelevant topics.

   • Move quickly from small talk to the purpose of the call.

   • Every minute counts when prospects want shorter interactions.

3. Identify and share common pain points

   • If you don't hear any pain points, share common ones you solve.

   • Example: "Would it help if I shared a couple of recent frustrations I've heard from other CROs?"

   • This helps prospects relate and open up about their issues.

4. Focus on relevant questions

   • Don't overthink the number or type of questions.

   • Base questions on what the prospect just shared.

   • Example: "You mentioned skills development. What conversations led to that decision?"

Nail your next discovery call

In the podcast "Win More, On Purpose," Yakov Steinberg shares six steps for conducting effective discovery calls that prevent clients from ghosting you:

1. Set an agenda at the start of the call and ask the participant to share about themselves to understand their situation.

2. Use open-ended questions to encourage the participant to do most of the talking, which helps identify their pain points and builds trust.

3. Develop a compelling context pitch that includes who you are, what you do, your unique selling points, and the impact of your work.

4. Ask hard questions to uncover the client's needs, pain points, business goals, and desired benefits.

5. Provide value by connecting the client's pain points to potential solutions and offering actionable ideas without jumping into a sales pitch.

6. Discuss the 'cost of inaction' to help clients understand what they might lose by not moving forward with your service.

Additional tips:

• Approach discovery calls with a mindset of service rather than sales to build trust.

• End every call with a clear 'ask' regarding next steps to ensure actionable outcomes.

• If a client needs time to think, ask what specifically they need to consider to clarify any objections or concerns.

3-Step discovery framework for closing big deals

Tanveer Mostafa explains his 3-step discovery framework that helped him close over $3.6 million in sales on the Daily Sales Podcast:

1. Ask the right questions to foster mutual buy-in

   • Focus on goals, challenges, ideal customers, and competitive landscape

   • Tailor questions for each department (e.g., KPIs, performance assessments)

2. Map the customer journey to identify bottlenecks and prescribe solutions

   • Engage representatives from different departments

   • Use visual aids to categorize challenges (e.g., cost centers, manual processes)

   • Understand how departments interact with customers

3. Secure meetings with multiple department leaders through an executive champion

Key points:

• Apply the framework to both cold and warm leads

• Position the process as a free health check for businesses

• Be a trusted advisor by identifying gaps and suggesting solutions

• Tailor questions for each department

• Provide a detailed post-call blueprint outlining main challenges and potential solutions

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