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4 questions to build urgency

Chris Orlob suggests avoiding the question, “How does that impact you personally?” in discovery calls.

This question can make buyers uncomfortable and undermine trust. Instead, he offers four alternative questions to build urgency and foster a deeper connection:

• "How is that showing up in the business?"
  Once you’ve uncovered a challenge, this question prompts the buyer to highlight the financial and operational impact.

• "Who else is impacted by that, and how?"
  Asking how others are affected broadens the conversation without feeling intrusive. This also helps you understand who else may be involved, which can set up future conversations.

• "What are some of the ripple effects this challenge is having on the business?"
  This variation on “what’s the impact?” sounds more sophisticated and encourages the buyer to think about broader business consequences.

• "I've found that challenges like yours often create other issues. Do you see that happening here?"
  This makes you sound like a trusted advisor. You’re helping the buyer assess their business more holistically, which builds credibility and trust.

  
  

Finding pain points

Mor Assouline highlights a common sales mistake: confusing symptoms with the actual pain points.

He explains that when prospects mention issues like poor customer support, sales reps often respond by selling their own features, rather than digging into the underlying pain causing the problem.

Here’s how to get to the real pain:

1. Don’t stop at the symptom

   If a prospect complains about something like bad customer support, don’t just respond with a feature. Instead, find out why they needed support in the first place.

2. Ask follow-up questions

   A question like, “What are you trying to do that isn’t working?” will help reveal the core issue. This digs deeper than just addressing the symptom and uncovers the real challenges they’re facing.

3. Shift focus to the root cause

   By understanding why the symptom exists, you can position your solution to address the prospect's fundamental problem, not just a surface-level complaint.

Sales calls that feel like conversations

In the podcast episode of Outbound Squad, Jason Bay chats with Ryan Oosterfeld and Bella Keller from ZoomInfo on making sales calls that feel like real conversations.

Here’s how to make your calls more effective and genuine:

• Stay authentic: Avoid slipping into "sales mode." Talk like a real person to build a connection.

• Prepare well: Before the call, look up the prospect’s LinkedIn, recent funding, and any connections with your product. It shows you’re serious and knowledgeable.

• Create a prep checklist: Always gather specific info on prospects so you can ask questions that matter.

• Research recent wins: Ask discovery questions about the prospect’s key achievements and challenges to get them talking about specific issues.

• Adapt your intro: Mirror the prospect’s vibe. If they seem rushed, skip the small talk; if they’re chatty, ease into the conversation.

• Set an agenda: Early in the call, clarify what you want to cover. This keeps you on track and encourages the prospect to share their priorities.

• Use customer stories: Reference other companies’ successes to build credibility and make prospects feel like they’re joining a trend.

• Understand the buying process: Get a sense of how they buy, who’s involved, and their timeline. This helps you align your approach with their process.

• Price range talk: Give a range to avoid sticker shock and reassure them you’ll aim for the lower end if possible.

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