Sales 101 // Top Tips for an Impactful Discovery Call
A discovery call is often the first interaction you have with a potential client, making it a crucial step in the sales process.
It’s your opportunity to understand their needs, present your services, and establish a strong connection. I wanted to share a few of my top tips for an impactful first impression.
Preparation is Key
Before the call, take the time to thoroughly prepare. Research your potential client and understand their industry, challenges, and goals. This preparation shows that you value their time and are genuinely interested in their business. Here’s how to prepare effectively:
Review their Website and Social Media: Gain insights into their products, services, and company culture.
Understand Their Market: Familiarize yourself with industry trends and challenges they might be facing.
Prepare Your Questions: Have a list of tailored questions ready to guide the conversation and uncover their needs. You can also send them a questionnaire ahead of time if you feel it's a value add for an efficient call.
Know Your Offerings: Have some understanding on how your services can address their pain points and add value. You might not know exactly yet, and that's ok.
Ask Good Questions
Asking the right questions is essential to understand your potential client’s needs and build rapport. Open-ended questions encourage detailed responses and provide deeper insights. Here are some key questions to consider:
What are your current challenges?
What goals are you aiming to achieve in the next 6-12 months?
What solutions have you tried in the past, and what were the results?
What criteria are most important to you when selecting a service provider?
How do you envision our services helping you achieve your objectives?
These questions help you gather valuable information and demonstrate your interest in their specific situation. I also recommend coming up with some specific to your niche, services and their needs.
Make sure you also have a spot to take notes, if that is in google drive, or in your PM tool like ClickUp. Don't assume you will remember, documenting is essential.
Mirror Their Needs
Mirroring is a technique that involves reflecting your potential client’s language, tone, and key points back to them. It helps build rapport and ensures that you are aligned with their needs. Here’s how to do it effectively:
Paraphrase Their Statements: Repeat their key points in your own words to show understanding. For example, "It sounds like you're looking for a more efficient way to manage your project timelines."
Use Their Language: If they use specific terminology or phrases, incorporate them into your conversation.
Highlight Their Priorities: Emphasize the aspects they value most in a solution, such as reliability, cost-effectiveness, or innovation.
Mirroring helps create a sense of connection and demonstrates that you are listening and responsive to their concerns. There is a great book that includes how to do this called, Never Split the Difference if sales and negotiating are skills you want to improve in, I highly recommend the read!
Provide Value During the Call
An impactful discovery call should offer value to the potential client, not just gather information. Share insights, tips, or recommendations that can help them address their challenges. Here’s how to add value:
Share Relevant Experiences: Mention similar cases or success stories from your previous clients.
Offer Quick Wins: Suggest small, actionable steps they can take immediately to improve their situation.
Educate: Provide information about trends, best practices, or new approaches relevant to their industry.
I love sharing quick wins, even if they don't sign on, I want them walking away feeling like I gave them value with no expectations.
Outline the Next Steps
At the end of the call, clearly outline the next steps. This ensures that both parties know what to expect and keeps the momentum going. Here’s how to structure the follow-up:
Recap the Call: Summarize the key points discussed and confirm mutual understanding.
Propose a Plan: Suggest a timeline for moving forward, including any further meetings, proposals, or actions.
Set Expectations: Clarify what you will provide next and what you need from them.
Schedule the Next Meeting: If possible, schedule the next call or meeting before ending the current one.
The point of a discovery call is NOT to sell your service, but to sell the next touch point. Make sure to leave time at the end of the call to recap and book the next meeting.
Follow Up Promptly
After the call, follow up promptly to reinforce your interest and professionalism. Send a thank-you email summarizing the discussion and reiterating the next steps. Here’s what to include in your follow-up:
Express Gratitude: Thank them for their time and the opportunity to discuss their needs.
Recap Key Points: Briefly summarize the main topics and any agreements made.
Next Steps: Restate the next steps and provide any additional information promised during the call. This could be a proposal or statement of work.
Contact Information: Ensure they know how to reach you if they have any further questions or need clarification.
A timely and thoughtful follow-up reinforces the positive impression you made during the call. Timeliness can also show efficiencies, and help close deals. You might be up against other service providers. The key here is having easy to update templates so preparing proposals/estimates/statements of work don't take hours on end.
You have an opportunity during the discovery call phase to build know, like and trust. You can show a glimpse of what it would be like to work with you as well provide massive value, so they have no other choice than to say YES!!
