Discovery Call: on the road to success with 10 must-have questions
DISCOVERY CALL: ON THE ROAD TO SUCCESS WITH 10 MUST-HAVE QUESTIONS
Since the discovery call, every good salesperson has only one goal in mind: the closing meeting. This is where contracts are signed. Leads finally become customers and the sales team takes a step towards achieving its goal. But you set the course for this much earlier in the sales process. After all, closing the deal is only the final consequence of a successful collaboration with the prospect.
You build the foundation for this when you first make contact. In the discovery call, you first get to know each other. By asking the right questions, you can look at the problem from your counterpart's perspective. Finally, with a well-prepared product demo, you can show the individual added value of your offer. But which questions will put you on the road to success? We have put together the 10 must-have questions for your discovery call
You work your way through these phases in the Discovery Call
The time and attention of the person you are talking to are limited. There are so many topics that you would like to find out more about in the discovery call. You also have to limit yourself because a discovery call should be a conversation, not an unpleasant interrogation. After all, your counterpart also has a legitimate interest in your product and your company. If you can create an informal atmosphere for the exchange, you will also score points with the prospective customer on a personal level.
At the same time, you should not lose sight of the objectives of the discovery call. Therefore, do not stray too far from the planned course of the conversation. The more skillfully you transition from one question to the next, the better the conversation will work on a personal and professional level. You will go through these phases during the conversation:
- Understanding goals and challenges
- Uncovering basic needs and motivation
- Getting to know the decision-making process
The 10 must-have questions for the discovery call
It goes without saying that you should not open the door with a discovery call. Take your time to create a positive atmosphere. In any case, you should show an interest in the role of the person you are talking to. However, general questions that are answered by a simple search on the internet will quickly become an own goal. B2B purchasing decisions are won by sales teams that can dispel the natural skepticism of their prospective customers through their appearance.
First, move on to the questions that will improve your understanding of the person's challenges.
1. what motivated you to look into our solution?
By asking this question, you are deliberately lowering the hurdle for your counterpart. The answer allows you to recognize where the prospective employee faces challenges in his or her work. The question is open enough so as not to lure the other person too far out of their comfort zone. The person can choose for themselves how specifically they want to respond to the question.
2. what does your process currently look like?
Find out more about how the company has been set up so far. What tools are in use and how does the business work? You can gain valuable starting points for your research here. With industry knowledge and an understanding of the process, you can get the contact person on your side during the sales process.
3. what would you like to improve about the current situation?
According to the motto "If you can't measure it, you can't improve it", this question gives you an insight into the relevant goals for the process or business area. Decision-makers will measure your offering based on how it supports the achievement of objectives. When communicating with company representatives, you should always argue on the basis of the central objectives. Features or functions are only relevant if they make a clear contribution. In the end, you need a business case to win the contract.
The discussion guide for the sales discovery call now includes questions that you can use to get to the bottom of the contact person's motives.
4. what are the consequences if you do not optimize the process?
This question can already lead you to a fork in the road with your counterpart: How critical are the shortcomings of the previous way of working? There is always room for improvement, but is the pain great enough to justify switching to an alternative solution? At this point in the Sales Discovery, you gain an insight into the urgency of the challenges. If this point is too low on the agenda, it will be difficult to make progress.
5. how can you benefit from the introduction of a new solution?
Here you look to the future. What happens after you have made the project a success together? In your contact person, you want to gain internal support for your offer. However, your contact is also taking a personal risk. If complications arise during implementation, the team's questioning eyes will turn to him or her first. It is therefore all the more important that you find out how you can improve your contact's situation during the discovery call. A shared vision creates solidarity.
Use the next questions to find out how likely it is that the project will be completed in a timely manner. You will also gain valuable information on stakeholders and decision-making processes.
6. how far have you progressed in the improvement process?
The earlier you carry out an assessment, the better you can plan your activities. If you are the first provider that the interested person looks at, you can help shape the decision-making process. For example, you can influence the criteria that tip the scales in the purchasing decision. Is the competition one step ahead of you? Then you should work out the advantages of your offer particularly well. Also be prepared for critical questions if your product appears to have a functional gap compared to the competition. Also good to know: Has the company been at it for a long time, but can't come to a final decision? This indicates a lack of priority for the project.
7 Which criteria are decisive for product selection?
Time, performance or cost? Which factor will ultimately tip the scales for or against your offer? This can also be critical. If you enter the race with a high-priced solution, you must be able to justify the added value of your solution significantly better than the competition. Prepare yourself for dealing with objections. But critical points like these are valuable! After all, you must also be prepared to disqualify an interested party following a discovery call. If your chances of winning are slim, you should prioritize other leads. A consistent approach helps the sales team to achieve their goals.
8 How do you make purchasing decisions?
This question in the Discovery Call will tell you more about the decision-making processes. Where is the necessary budget for the project released? Does the person nominally responsible delegate the decision to a team member? This increases the chances of a quick decision and decisive implementation. If decisions are made at a high level, this can delay the process. In the implementation phase, there is a risk of a lack of commitment on the customer side.
9 Who are the key players in the decision-making process?
This is where good sales staff are characterized by their intuition. Of course, you want to know who has the final say on whether to accept or reject a project. Make sure you get the real decision-makers on board in good time so that the process doesn't drag on. However, you should not ignore your direct counterpart. Phrase the question something like this: "Who else from your team should we invite to the demo? We would like to give all decision-makers an impression of our product."
10. in what timeframe from the discovery call should the new solution be ready for use?
This should be the last question in your guide for the discovery call. You lead the other person's thoughts back to the timeline. This creates a sense of urgency. If the prospect really wants to tackle the solution to their challenges, then they should drive the process forward with you. Keep the momentum going by scheduling a follow-up appointment for a product demo appointment. Use the information from question 9 to do this: this will bring you into contact with all stakeholders at an early stage.
Follow up Discovery Call
With a successful discovery call, you create the basis for mutual success. From a sales perspective, you confirm your assumptions about the other party's business. At the same time, you build up a detailed understanding of their challenges and goals. Ideally, you now know how to present your product in such a way that the individual added value becomes clear. This is the task for the following product demo. Document the results of the meeting. Based on the discussion documentation, you can pick up on the key points at the next meeting.
More than questions: immediate added value in the discovery call
However, successful salespeople already address the needs of their counterpart during the discovery call. They provide well-founded answers to the prospect's questions without straying too far from the agenda of the conversation. They incorporate successful case studies from other customers to emphasize their experience. Can you provide the customer with a best practice that can be implemented in the short term? In this way, you position yourself as a solution-oriented partner, not just a salesperson.
