Guide to Running Effective Sales Discovery Calls

Preparation

1. Know your agenda and the clients
2. Research company, decision chain, strategic priorities
3. Visualise the outcome of the call that you need

During the Call

1. Establish Rapport and Set Expectations

• Connect over common ground and build meaningful rapport
• Thank them for their time
• Explain the call's purpose and value they should receive by the end (often referred to as an upfront contract by Sandler)

2. Gather Key Information

• Understand customer needs, challenges, and processes (Current state)
• Identify pain points and their business impact (What happens if things don't change)
• Determine ideal solution characteristics
• Uncover the decision-making process and stakeholders ("Besides you, else would be involved in validating and approving the final solution?"
• Establish a timeline and any compelling events (Don't ask when they will decide by, Ask "when would you want to go live by" and drill down into "what significance is this timeline")
• Confirm budget allocation and source "Will this budget be discretionary or planned spend?
• Identify current tools, services and business workflows.

Internal Information to Gather:

• Core business details
• Opportunity size (current and future)
• Use cases and processes
• Current tools and their shortcomings
• Inter-departmental collaborations
• Decision-makers and their process
• Success criteria
• Key benefits of interest
• Potential risks of not closing the deal

3. Ask Impact Questions

• "What will happen if you don't find a solution for the next project?"
• "How much time could you save with an automated report?"

4. Active Listening

• Aim for 45% talking, 55% listening
• Ask 11-14 questions throughout the call
• Allow prospects to respond fully without interruption

Closing the Call

• Summarise the conversation
• Set specific next steps (time, date, and purpose)
• Secure mutual commitments
• Prompt follow up via email (<24 hours is ideal)

Post-Call Evaluation

Assess if the prospect is qualified and has growth potential

Key Takeaways

• Be confident and use collaborative language
• Uncover 2-4 pain points
• Establish control of the sales process early
• Focus on the prospect's reasons for buying, not yours

Remember: The biggest competitor is often the status quo. Your goal is to understand the prospect's needs and position your solution as the best way to address them.