What is a Discovery Call?

During a discovery call, a possible customer and a business representative discuss the business. It is the first and most crucial step in the sales or client-acquisition process, and the goal is to learn essential things about the prospect’s wants, challenges, and goals.

During a discovery call, the representative listens carefully and asks good questions to learn about the prospect’s problems, goals, and hopes. The representative can use this conversation to determine if their product, service, or answer meets the prospect’s needs. The discovery call also gives the prospect a chance to ask more specific questions about the offering, getting a better idea of its features, benefits, and possible worth. Overall, a well-done discovery call builds rapport, gives you a better idea of the prospect’s situation, and lays the groundwork for a custom solution that can lead to a successful business relationship.

Discovery calls are often held online, using tools for communication like phone calls or videoconferencing. They are a planned way to sort leads into good ones and ensure that everyone spends their time and money in a way that benefits everyone. By learning all about the prospect’s needs and addressing their worries early on, businesses can speed up the sales process, make customers happier, and raise the chances of closing deals that help clients reach their goals.

Synonyms

• Sales discovery call
• Sales qualification call

Why discovery calls are essential in the sales process

Discover calls are critical in the sales process because they’re the link between a possible customer’s initial interest and their buying something. There are several ways to stress how important they are:

Figuring out what the prospect wants

During discovery talks, sales reps can learn about the prospect’s problems, pain points, and goals. With this information, they can ensure that their pitch and products are precisely what the buyer wants, increasing their chances of selling.

Making a Connection

A good discovery call helps the salesperson and the prospect get to know each other on a human level. Getting to know someone quickly builds trust and confidence in the possible partnership, making the prospect more open to the sales process and the solutions being offered.

Customized solutions are being shown.

After learning more about them during the discovery call, salespeople can offer unique solutions that meet prospects’ needs. This targeted method shows that you want to solve the prospect’s problems, making the offering seem more valuable.

Leads That Qualify

Not every customer is a good fit for a business’s goods or services. Discover calls are a part of the sales screening process that checks to see if the potential customer is a good fit for the company’s offerings. Focusing on leads that are more likely to convert saves time and money.

Getting Past Objections

During discovery calls, you can talk to the prospect about any issues or concerns they may have early on in the process. By clearing up questions and giving helpful information, sales reps can eliminate problems that might get in the way of sales.

Sales Process That Works

A thorough discovery call helps the seller develop a better sales method. By adapting their method to the specific needs of the prospect, they can make future interactions more efficient by cutting out steps and delays that aren’t necessary.

Sealing the Deals

It’s more likely that a sales call with reasonable information will lead to a finished deal. Prospects are likelier to commit to a solution that meets their needs if they feel they have been heard and understood. This could lead to more sales and better conversion rates.

Finding calls is a big part of turning casual interest into genuine relationships. Companies can better meet customer needs, build trust, and make the sales process go more smoothly with their help. This is good for both the company and the customer.

The Discovery Call’s Goals

During a discovery call, an essential part of the sales process occurs: the salesperson talks with a potential client to learn important information. The main goal is to determine the prospect’s specific needs, business problems, and goals, and then to see how well those needs match the company’s goods or services. The salesperson can get important information, build rapport, and address concerns during the call by asking several strategic questions and actively listening. By the end of the discovery call, both sides should have a better idea of whether there is an excellent chance to work together and the next steps in the sales process, such as more talks, demos, or proposal presentations.

How to Make a Discovery Call Go Well

A good discovery call has a set of organized steps that help the talk flow and ensure both the salesperson and the prospect learn something useful. Here is a complete list of the steps that must be taken during the discovery call for a company to reach sales excellence:

Introduction and Getting to Know Each Other:

• To start, give a warm greeting and explain your job.
• Next, connect personally by briefly sharing relevant information or finding things you have in common.

Make an agenda.

• Write down why you’re calling and what you expect to talk about.
• The prospect knows you’re there to discover what they need and discuss possible answers.

Open-Ended Questions:

• Question the possible customer in an open-ended way to get them to talk more about their problems, goals, and pain points.
•  For example, “Could you tell me more about what’s going on with you?” “What are the main problems you want to solve?”

Active listening:

• Please pay close attention to the information the prospect gives you as they answer.
• Do not talk over them, and show that you are interested in what they are saying.

Dig deeper and make things clearer.

• Look into certain things more in-depth than the prospect brought up.
• Ask follow-up questions to ensure you fully understand and clear up any confusion.

Budget and the Way Decisions Are Made:

• Ask them politely what budget range they have in mind to meet their wants.
• Figure out how they make decisions and who has a stake in them.

Problems and pain points:

• Please learn more about their problems and how they affect their business.
• Know how quickly and how important it is to solve these problems.

Goals and objectives:

• Talk about their long-term and short-term goals.
• Figure out what they want to happen by dealing with their problems.

Current Solutions and Experience:

• Ask them about solutions or methods they’ve already tried to solve their problems.
• Find out what worked and what didn’t for them in the past.

Give them solutions:

• Based on your information, give them possible solutions that meet their needs.
• Make it clear how these answers can help them reach their goals and deal with their problems.

Deal with Objections:

• Do something about any concerns or objections the prospect has about your proposed answers.
• To get past these objections, give them helpful information and reassurance.

Value Proposition:

• Explain what makes your goods or services unique and what they can do for people.
• Demonstrate how your answer can help them reach their goals and provide value.

Next Steps:

• Talk about what comes next in the sales process, like a quote, a follow-up call, or a product sample.
• Make it clear what you expect to happen next and when you can expect to connect again.

End and say thank you.

• Ask the prospect if they have any more questions or worries.
• Thank them for their time and the information they shared on the call.

Follow-Up:

• Send a follow-up email that summarizes the main points that were talked about and confirms the next steps that were agreed upon.
• Say again how excited you are about the possibility of working together.

If salespeople follow these steps, they can have great discovery calls that lead to valuable insights and set the stage for long-lasting business relationships.

Questions to Ask on a Discovery Call

Effective salespeople use several well-thought-out discovery questions to determine the prospects’ specific needs and goals to build meaningful relationships with them. These questions will help you learn about the problems and goals in the prospect’s field or business. Here are some examples of questions that good salespeople ask to learn more about the client and what they need:

• What problems or pain points do you want to fix in your [industry or department] right now?
• What specific goals or aims do you want to reach in the following [amount of time]?
• What is your usual method for [specific problem or task], and what would be the best solution?
• How much money do you have set aside to deal with this problem or implement a plan?
• Who are the most important people in this decision, and who makes the decisions?
• Could you show me how you do [relevant job or process] now? Have you found any problems or places where things could be better?
• What is your target date for deciding on a new answer or putting it into action?
• Have you looked into options like this before? What did you not like about those options, if any?
• What does success look like to you now that you’ve implemented a plan? What results or changes that you can measure do you want to see?
• Are there any worries or problems you think might come up with a new solution?

These questions help sales reps learn more about the prospect’s problems, wants, goals, and decision-making process. This lets them tailor their products and services better and build a stronger relationship for a successful sale.