What is a Discovery Call?

Sales reps love closing calls, but that’s not possible without first setting yourself up for success. A positive sale is only possible if your prospect is a good match for your product and you gain their trust. How is this done? Through discovery calls.

A discovery call is one of the most important steps when it comes to sales. It allows a sales rep to unearth issues and pain points that prospects are experiencing, and learn more about the specific projects and goals they’re trying to achieve. With this information, a sales rep can qualify a prospect and begin to build a strong relationship.

Why are Discovery Calls Important?

Discovery calls are essential for qualifying prospects. Trying to sell your product to someone who doesn’t need it, or won’t use it, is a waste of time. Sales reps must determine if their prospects fit their ideal customer profile before leading them through the sales pipeline.

If you’re conducting a discovery call your prospect has already shown interest in your product. This should help alleviate some of the stress and awkwardness. You don’t need to convince them your product is amazing. Instead, focus on building rapport and pinpointing issues they’re experiencing, and how your product can help solve them.

How to Prepare for a Discovery Call

You shouldn’t just pick up the phone and initiate a discovery call on a whim. To be successful, there’s some initial work you need to do first.

Do Your Research

Find out everything you can about your prospect and their business before the discovery call. Look them up online, check out the type of work they do, and get a sense for what they’re trying to achieve as a business. This will help determine what qualifying questions to ask later.

You also want to show you’re invested in helping them and being prepared will make a good first impression. If you’ve taken the time to do research, you’re clearly dedicated. This will help set you apart from the competition.

Introduce Yourself

Always take the time to introduce yourself before making an initial call. This will help personalize the experience. Plus, knowing who you’re talking to helps create a sense of ease and comfort.

One of the easiest ways to do a quick intro, especially if you’re pressed for time, is by sending a video of yourself (either through email or InMail). It’s easy to record a short video of yourself saying hello and giving a quick overview of your business and product. Then, make a custom thumbnail and embed everything into a message.

Questions to Ask During a Discovery Call

Remember, one of the main goals of a discovery call is to qualify your prospect. To do this, you’ll have to ask some qualifying questions.

Prepare them ahead of time, and weave them throughout the conversation instead of bombarding your prospect right at the start. A natural flow will make things easier and help build a relationship.

Here are some examples of questions you can ask during a discovery call:

• What goals or objectives is your business or team working towards this year?
• What main roadblocks or pain points have you been experiencing?
• What solutions have you tried in the past, and what was the outcome?
• Who has the final say in what software or products you and your team use?
• What’s the budget you’re working with?
• Do you have any questions or concerns I can address right now?
• Are you ready to schedule a follow-up call to discuss next steps?

Always discuss next steps at the end of a discovery call so you can easily follow up with your prospect.