Not all customers who express an interest in what you sell will be the right fit for your business.
They might not have the budget, take too long to make a decision, or want a feature you don’t provide.
In this situation, a sales discovery call can help you determine if a prospective client is a good match.
Want to factor discovery calls into your decision-making process? In this article, we’ll explain the benefits of discovery calls, how the sales discovery process works, and how to make calls that lead to more deals.
What is a discovery call?
A discovery call (or sales discovery call) is an exploratory conversation with a prospective client where you identify their pain points and see if they need the products or services you offer.
By pain points, we mean specific problems a client has, like difficulty acquiring new customers or high employee turnover.
Discovery calls happen early on in the sales process. For example, let’s say a potential client sees an advert promoting your business on social media. This takes them to a landing page on your website, where they can book a call with your Sales Director.
Your Sales Director (or an experienced member of your Sales team) will use this call to:
- Understand the prospect’s challenges, goals, and needs
- Introduce your product or service and how it can benefit the prospect
- Determine whether the prospect is a good fit for your business
If a prospective client is a good match, you can move them into your sales pipeline.
What’s the difference between a discovery call and a sales call?
Discovery calls and sales calls have different objectives.
The primary objective of a discovery call is to understand a prospect’s pain points and see if they’re a good fit for your business. However, the main aim of a sales call is to present your product or service and persuade the prospect to buy it.
A sales call can be a warm call (where you reach out to someone who has shown interest in your business). All discovery calls are warm calls, intended to help prospective clients who have already engaged with your business.
Both discovery calls and sales calls can be valuable additions to your sales strategy.
How do discovery calls help the sales process?
If you’re not already using discovery calls as part of your sales process, they’re a fantastic way to qualify prospects and make a positive impression.
Here are 4 reasons why discovery calls can result in a successful partnership.
They lead to increased sales and conversions
Discovery calls give you an opportunity to engage with prospective customers early on in the sales funnel and understand what they need.
This means you can build trust, gain a comprehensive understanding of their requirements, and offer a solution that ticks all the right boxes.
They make your Sales team more efficient
Not every discovery call leads to a successful outcome. You may find that a prospective client isn’t a good fit for your business.
However, by finding this out as early as possible in the sales process, your sales professionals save time and resources—meaning they can focus on clients who are a better match.
They help you understand your target audience’s pain points
A thorough understanding of your target audience makes it easier to promote your business to the right clients.
One of the key benefits of discovery calls is that you can speak directly with your target customers. This means you can quickly determine their pain points and gather relevant insights that will move your marketing and sales strategy forward.
They help you build strong client relationships
Discovery calls enable you to engage with prospects as soon as possible, share relevant insights, and listen closely to what they have to say firsthand.
As a result, you foster strong relationships, which can lead to repeat business and increased loyalty. Loyal customers are also more likely to advocate for your business, meaning more clients, new opportunities, and a virtuous sales cycle.
The 5 stages of a successful sales discovery call
When done right, a discovery call lets you identify pain points and forge a long-lasting relationship with a prospective customer.
However, an ineffective discovery call can have the opposite effect.
Here’s what to bear in mind on your next call if you want to see success.
Stage #1: Preparation and research
As the Sales Rep, you need to lead the discovery call. This means you need to do your research before the meeting and understand the prospect’s business goals.
This will give you more insight into the prospect and the potential pain points they may have.
You can prepare by looking at:
- Relevant websites
- Social media profiles
- News articles and media mentions
- Reviews and testimonials
- Financial data (check the investor relations section of the prospect’s website)
- Competitors
Also, put together a discovery call agenda that details what you will discuss during the call. This will give you clear direction and ensures the prospect knows what questions you will ask ahead of time.
Stage #2: Building rapport
On a sales discovery call, you want your prospect to feel comfortable and share their business goals freely. This gives you more information to decide whether they’re a good fit for your product or service.
The best way to make your prospect feel at ease is to build rapport. By being friendly, authentic, and showing a genuine interest, you’ll encourage them to open up more. You’re also more likely to build a strong relationship as you move forward.
One way you can build rapport on a discovery call is by listening and asking questions—we’ll look at this in more detail in the next step.
Another way to build rapport is to look for common ground. Shared interests, hobbies or experiences are some brilliant talking points to start with.
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Stage #3: Asking questions and listening
Great discovery calls are a 2-way communication channel. While you want to showcase your business and the benefits you offer, you want to let your prospect talk about themselves too.
This helps you build a stronger relationship and understand the prospect’s industry and goals.
One of the ways you can enhance the sales discovery process is through active listening. This is when you give your prospect your full attention, listening to them, paying attention to their body language, and asking follow-up questions.
Asking questions is a great way to encourage your prospects to engage with you and to steer the narrative. Stick to open-ended questions rather than closed-ended questions as this enables you to gather more detailed information.
Sales discovery questions to ask
Not sure what to say on your discovery call? Here are some of the best discovery call questions to get you started:
- What is your role and what are your responsibilities in the business?
- What are your goals for the upcoming year?
- What are your priorities right now?
- What problems are you trying to solve?
- What would happen if you didn’t try and solve this problem?
- What solutions to your problem have you tried before?
- Is there an approximate budget for solving this problem?
- Who in your company is involved in the decision-making process?
Stage #4: Qualification
After your discovery call has finished, you need to qualify your prospect to see if they’re likely to become a customer.
There are different frameworks you can use to qualify prospects. One of the most popular is BANT:
- Budget: Can your prospect afford your product or service?
- Authority: Is your prospect one of the key decision-makers?
- Need: Does your prospect have a genuine requirement for your product or service?
- Timeline: When will your prospect be in a position to buy from your business?
If a prospect is a good match, you can move forward with them. If they’re not, thank them for their time and explain why your business isn’t a good match for their needs.
Bear in mind that a client may not be a good fit now but may be in the future. If so, you may want to nurture them through email marketing campaigns.
Stage #5: Follow-up
Once you’ve qualified your prospect and added their information to your customer relationship management (CRM) system, it’s vital to follow up as quickly as possible to keep the momentum going.
Send a follow-up email alongside the next steps and any resources they may find helpful, like white papers and case studies. If you agreed to a follow-up meeting, proactively schedule one.
How long should a sales discovery call be?
According to Mindtickle, the average length of a discovery call is 38 minutes. However, the length of a successful discovery call will vary depending on the following factors:
- The product or service you sell: Complex products or services typically require longer discovery calls.
- The length of the sales cycle: Products or services with longer sales cycles, or where multiple decision-makers need to be involved, generally need longer discovery calls.
- The communication style of your prospect: Some potential clients will be able to iterate their needs quickly, while others may need more time.
A great discovery call needs to be long enough to uncover a prospect’s pain points but short enough to ensure focus and show you respect your prospect’s time.
How to make a good discovery call in 5 steps
We’ve looked at the sales discovery call basics, but what else can you do if you want a better understanding of your potential customers?
Here are 5 additional tips to help you make great discovery calls.
Step #1: Be honest and transparent
Solid business relationships are built on understanding and trust. By being honest and respectful from the start, you’re more likely to have a successful long-term relationship.
Focus on how you can provide value to your prospect rather than just trying to move the deal forward.
Step #2: Use storytelling to engage your prospect
Storytelling can help you connect with prospective customers and make you more memorable—this is ideal if a prospect has several discovery calls with multiple businesses lined up.
A great way to use storytelling is to share the relevant success stories of other clients you work with. How did you help them solve their problems, and what benefits did they see?
Don’t be afraid to share personal anecdotes with your prospect, too. This makes you more approachable and relatable.
Step #3: Focus on the benefits rather than the features
A discovery call shouldn’t be a sales pitch. You need to understand your prospect’s goals and how you can help achieve them.
The best way to do this is by focusing on the benefits of your product or service rather than its features.
For example, let’s say you sell payroll software. Rather than saying that it integrates with multiple platforms, show your prospect how much time they will save by not manually entering data.
Step #4: Finish on a clear call to action
By proposing a definitive call to action at the end of the call, you’re showing that you’re in control and can guide the conversation toward the next step in the sales process.
Your call to action will depend on how the discovery call goes.
If you’re confident your prospect is a good fit, you can schedule another call. If you’re not sure but want to keep the conversation going, you can signpost the prospect toward additional resources like blogs or case studies.
Step #5: Record your calls
Recording your discovery calls (with your prospect’s permission) can help you identify what parts of the call went well and where there is room for improvement.
Recording calls can also help maintain consistency, ensuring all your Sales Reps touch upon the same topics and are all on the same page.
Key takeaways
- What is a discovery call? A discovery call is a conversation with a potential customer where you identify their pain points and see if they’re a good fit for your business.
- Discovery calls save time and resources: By determining whether prospects are an ideal match early on, your Sales Reps can focus their attention on the clients that are most likely to convert.
- Thorough research is essential: Before the meeting, visit the prospect’s website and social media pages to understand what they do and the potential issues they face.
- Effective discovery calls are a 2-way relationship: Use active listening and give your prospect your undivided attention.