Discovery Call: What It Is, How to Do It, Pros, and Cons

What is a discovery call?

A discovery call is a conversation between a salesperson or service provider and a potential client to learn about the client’s needs, challenges, and goals. A discovery call serves as the first step in the sales or service process, which helps both parties know if they are a good fit for working together. 

The importance of a discovery call in its role as a foundation for building trust and understanding. A discovery call allows the provider to gather important information about the client’s situation, make solutions accordingly, and build trust.

A discovery call is an opportunity for the client to ask questions, share their needs, and assess the provider’s expertise. The purpose of a discovery call is to make clear whether there is a mutual benefit in moving forward. A discovery call helps identify the client’s pain points, set expectations, and decide on the next steps, such as scheduling a follow-up meeting or presenting a proposal.

How does the discovery call work?

A discovery call follows a structured process to make sure it is productive. A discovery call begins with an introduction where the salesperson or service provider sets the tone for the call by explaining its purpose and what it aims to achieve. This is followed by the main discussion phase, where the provider asks open-ended questions to learn about the client’s needs, challenges, and goals. During the call, the provider listens actively, takes notes, and engages the client in a two-way conversation to learn the pain points and priorities. They also share information or ask questions to better understand the client’s situation. Once enough information is taken, the provider summarizes the discussion and highlights areas where their solution helps. The call concludes with an agreement on the next steps, such as scheduling a detailed presentation, sending a proposal, or deciding to move forward with the collaboration. A discovery call works best when both parties are prepared and willing to communicate openly.

How to make a discovery call?

The step-by-step process to make an effective discovery call is listed below. 

• Research the prospect. Before the call, gather information about the prospect's company, industry, and potential challenges. This initial preparation will allow you to ask questions and show genuine interest.
• Set a clear agenda. Begin the call by outlining its purpose and structure. This will set expectations and ensure that both parties are on the same page on the objectives.
• Build rapport. Establish a connection by engaging in light conversation or finding common ground. Building rapport builds trust and open communication.
• Ask open-ended questions. Encourage the prospect to discuss their challenges and goals by asking open-ended questions. This approach provides deeper information about their needs.
• Listen actively. Pay close attention to the prospect's responses, taking notes and acknowledging their points. Active listening shows that you value their goals and understand their needs.
• Identify pain points. Through your questions and listening, pinpoint the specific challenges the prospect is facing. Understanding their pain points is important for offering relevant solutions.
• Summarize and confirm understanding. Recap the main points discussed to ensure all the points are clear and mutual understanding. This step verifies that you are parallel with the prospect's needs.
• Outline the next steps. Conclude the call by discussing the next steps, such as scheduling a product demo or sending additional information. Clearly defined actions maintain growth in the sales process.

What are the benefits of discovery calls?

The benefits of discovery include understanding the customer needs, building trust, qualifying leads, and personalizing your sales strategies.

The 4 benefits of a discovery call are listed below.

• Understanding customer needs. Discovery calls allow sales representatives to learn about the prospect's specific challenges and objectives, enabling the team to personalize solutions to meet those precise requirements.
• Building trust and credibility. Engaging in meaningful conversations during discovery calls helps establish a foundation of trust and positions the salesperson as a knowledgeable person, which strengthens client relationships.
• Qualifying leads successfully. Discovery calls help to know whether a prospect suits the company's services, which ensures that time and resources are invested in leads with genuine potential.
• Personalizing sales strategies. The information gained from discovery calls allows sales teams to customize their approach, addressing the unique needs and pain points of each prospect, which leads to successful sales outcomes.

What are the drawbacks of discovery calls?

The drawbacks of discovery calls include being time-consuming, lacking guaranteed outcomes, requiring preparation, and the potential for information overload.

The 4 drawbacks of a discovery call are listed below.

• Time-consuming. Discovery calls are lengthy when learning about client needs. Sales professionals dedicate proper time to thoroughly understand each prospect's situation, which is challenging with a busy schedule.
• No guaranteed outcomes. After investing time and effort, there is no guarantee that a discovery call will result in a sale. Prospects can decide not to proceed due to budget issues, changing priorities, or choosing a competitor.
• Initial preparation required. Effective discovery calls work with proper research and planning. Sales professionals must learn about the prospect's industry, challenges, and goals to ask relevant questions and provide valuable information.
• Potential for information overload. During discovery calls, there is a risk of overwhelming the prospect with too much information. Providing extra details confuses potential clients, which makes it important to balance information sharing with active listening.

What are the common mistakes of discovery call?

The common mistakes of discovery call include talking too much, asking generic questions, rusing the call and failing to define the next steps.

The 4 common mistakes of a discovery call are listed below.

• Talking too much. Salespeople sometimes dominate the conversation instead of letting the prospect speak. Talking too much limits the opportunity to learn about the client’s needs and can make the call feel like a one-sided sales pitch.
• Asking generic questions. Using generic questions such as "What are your goals?" without customizing them to the client’s business leads to unhelpful answers. Personalizing questions based on initial research can give more information about the business.
• Rushing the call. Trying to rush through the discovery call to get to the next stage often results in missing key details about the prospect’s needs. A thorough and patient approach ensures all points are covered.
• Failing to define the next steps. Ending the call without agreeing on clear next steps leaves the prospect in doubt about what happens next. This leads to misunderstandings about the growth of the relationship.

What are the questions you ask in the discovery call?

The questions asked during a discovery call are asked to understand the prospect's needs, challenges, and goals.

The 4 important questions to consider during a discovery call are listed below.

• Question 1: What encouraged you to explore our solution? This question helps identify the specific issues or needs that led the prospect to look for your product or service. Understanding their motivation allows you to personalize your conversation to address their immediate concerns.
• Question 2: Can you describe your current process? By asking about their existing methods, you can learn how they operate, where they might be lacking, and where pain points might exist. This information is important for positioning your solution as an improvement.
• Question 3: What are your primary goals? Understanding the prospect's objectives helps you customize your product or service to their desired outcomes. It also shows your interest in supporting their success.
• Question 4: What challenges are you currently facing? This question allows the prospect to share specific challenges they are facing. Knowing these challenges allows you to highlight how your solution can address them successfully.

What are the examples of discovery call?

The examples of LinkedIn connection messages are to start meaningful conversations and establish professional relationships.

The 4 examples of a discovery call are listed below.

• Mutual interest connection. "Hi [Name], I noticed we both share an interest in [Industry/Topic]. I would love to connect and exchange information on [Specific Aspect]. Looking forward to connecting!" This message highlights a shared interest, making the connection request more personalized and relevant.
• Common background connection. "Hello [Name], as fellow alumni of [University] and professionals in the [Industry] sector, I believe connecting could be mutually beneficial. Let's stay in touch!” Focusing on a common background, such as education or industry, can strengthen the basis for a connection.
• Professional appreciation connection. "Hi [Name], I've been following your work on [Project/Publication] and am impressed by your contributions to [Field]. I would appreciate the opportunity to connect and learn more about your experiences.” Expressing genuine admiration for someone's work shows that you have done your research and are interested in meaningful engagement.
• Event-based connection. "Hello [Name], I attended your recent webinar on [Topic] and found your insights on [Specific Point] particularly valuable. I would like to connect to continue the conversation and explore related ideas." Referencing a specific event or content shows a direct reason for reaching out, which makes the connection request more purposeful.

How to conduct a successful discovery call for lead generation?

To conduct a successful discovery call for lead generation, start with thoroughly researching the prospect’s business, industry, and pain points. Set a clear agenda at the beginning of the call to build expectations through light conversation. Focus on understanding the prospect’s needs by asking open-ended questions, such as “What challenges are you facing?” or “What goals are you aiming to achieve?” Actively listen and take notes to show genuine interest.

Use the information to qualify the lead by assessing their budget, decision-making authority, and timeline to determine if they are your target audience. Present your solution and how it addresses their specific challenges regarding lead generation. Conclude the call by summarizing the discussion and proposing clear next steps, such as scheduling a demo or sending a proposal.

What are the objectives of discovery calls?

Discovery calls aim to gather information about a prospect's needs, challenges, and goals to determine whether their requirements match the company's services. This process helps qualify leads and sets the foundation for a sales approach.

What is the difference between qualifying and discovery in the sales process?

In the sales process, qualifying involves determining whether a prospect meets certain criteria that make them a customer, such as budget, authority, need, and timeline. Discovery, on the other hand, is a learning process in which the salesperson learns the prospect's specific pain points, objectives, and preferences. In contrast, qualifying leads determine if the prospect is a potential fit, and discovery shows how to best address their unique situation.

What is the difference between discovery calls and sale calls?

A discovery call focuses on understanding the prospect's needs, challenges, and goals through open-ended questions and active listening. The primary purpose is to gather information and build trust. On the other hand, a sales call focuses on presenting a product or service, showing its features and benefits, and insisting the prospect make a purchase. While discovery calls are a way to explore, sales calls are more about closing the deal.

How to establish trust in discovery calls?

Establishing trust during discovery calls involves active listening, showing genuine interest in the prospect's situation, and providing thoughtful, relevant responses. Being transparent about your intentions and avoiding sales tactics contribute to building trust.

How do discovery calls differ from cold calls in lead generation?

Cold calls are when a salesperson contacts someone they have not spoken to before to introduce a product or service and see if they are interested. Discovery calls, on the other hand, happen after the person has already shown some interest. These calls focus on learning more about what the person needs and figuring out how the product or service can help them. Cold calls start the conversation, while discovery calls build on it by gathering more detailed information.

How can discovery calls effect qualify B2B leads?

In B2B sales, discovery calls help identify good leads by giving details about the prospect’s business problems, how they make decisions, and what they need to buy. This helps salespeople decide if a partnership would work and focus on leads that are the best fit for their solutions, which makes the b2b sales process smoother and more successful.

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