The discovery call is the first time you communicate with a prospect after they express interest in your offer. Its goal is to understand the prospect’s wants and needs - and your ability to solve them.
What is a Discovery Call?
A discovery call is not a sales pitch. It’s your first conversation with a prospect after they indicate interest in your offer. Its focus is on understanding the needs of a potential client and seeing how your product or service can meet those needs
The discovery call sets the tone for future discussions and helps identify if a client is a good match. Knowing how to handle this call can either build a strong client engagement or cost you a potential sale.
The Role of Discovery Calls in Sales
As mentioned before, discovery calls play a vital role in the sales process. Sales professionals can use a discovery call to qualify leads, ensuring they're a good fit for the product or service offered. This early-stage engagement helps to filter out leads who are unlikely to convert.
Insights from a call can also help the salesperson understand the lead's main wants, needs, and concerns. This lets the sales team adjust the pitch to better connect with the potential client.
Best Practices for Effective Discovery Calls
- Research Ahead of Time: Before the call, do research on the client. Try to understand the client’s industry, company, and potential challenges they might be facing.
- Set a Clear Agenda: Begin the call by setting expectations and outlining what topics which you are going to cover.
- Use Open-ended Questions: These types of questions encourage a potential client to share more details with you. This gives you a deeper understanding of their situation.
- Active Listening: Give the prospect your undivided attention, taking notes where necessary.
- Avoid Sales Jargon: Keep the conversation clear and straightforward.
Structuring Your Discovery Call
Always ensure that you structure your discovery call appropriately. Start with a brief introduction and set the call's purpose. Next, dive into understanding the client’s business, their role, and their challenges.
Later, tie the conversation to their goals and what solutions they've tried in the past. Before wrapping up, summarize key points from the call and discuss the next steps.
Key Questions in a Discovery Call
The point of a discovery call is to unearth valuable insights about your client. Framing your questions correctly can lead to deeper understanding. Set the stage for successful collaboration. Here are some questions to guide your conversation:
- Can you describe the main challenges your company is facing right now?
- What prompted you to seek a solution?
- What solutions have you tried in the past, and why didn’t they work?
- How does the decision-making process work in your organization?
- What do you hope to achieve with our solution?
Speaking vs. Listening on Discovery Calls
Striking a balance between speaking and listening is essential during a discovery call. While it’s important to ask questions and provide relevant information, it's even more important to listen.
A good rule of thumb is the 80/20 principle; spend 80% of the time listening and 20% speaking. Let the client share their perspective. Doing so will allow you to gather valuable insights that shape the trajectory of the sales process.
This allows you to position yourself as a consultative partner and not just another salesperson.
Discovery Calls vs. Sales Calls
While both discovery calls and sales calls are integral to the sales process, they serve different purposes.
A discovery call focuses on understanding the potential client's needs, challenges, and goals. It's more about listening and gathering insights.
A sales call is where you will pitch your product or solution, addressing the needs identified during the discovery call. It is persuasive in nature, aiming to showcase how your offering aligns with the prospect's requirements.
