How To Run A Discovery Call When You Don't Know What To Sell Yet

A prospect books a call and mentions three or four things they might need help with. You could do all of them. So which one do you sell?

You don’t decide before the call. The call is where you find the one problem they’re willing to pay to solve.

Picture a funnel

Start really broad and narrow as you go.

Open with something like:

“Thanks for making the time. There are a few ways I can help, but I like to start by understanding the challenge you’re looking to overcome right now and what you’ve tried so far. Then we can work out whether and how I can help.”

That takes the pressure off both of you. You’re not there to pitch yet, and they’re not there to be sold to.

Ask open questions

• What problem are you hoping to solve?
• What does solving it mean to you?
• How big is it in numbers? Revenue, orders, hires, hours, whatever they measure.
• What have you done so far?
• What worked, and what didn’t?

Out of everything they mention, you’re listening for the one thing that hurts enough to pay for. That’s the bottom of the funnel.

Sow a seed of doubt

Sometimes there’s a service you’d like to offer that they haven’t brought up. Don’t force it in early.

Wait until you’ve heard them out. Then ask about their current process in that area:

“I noticed you put a lot of effort into your LinkedIn content. What’s your process there?”

Their answer tells you everything.

If they say someone else handles it and it’s ticking along fine, there’s no pain. Leave it.

If they say they write it themselves at the weekend and it’s disheartening to watch it flop, that’s a real problem. Now you’ve got an opening to talk about how you could help.

“What’s your current process?” is the most useful question I know for finding where your service fits.

What should the call achieve?

If your offer is consultative, your outreach has one job: getting the call booked. You can only know so much about someone’s situation beforehand, so the consulting happens on the call.

Spend the first 15 to 20 minutes on their situation: what they’re trying to achieve and what they’ve already tried. Give them something useful while you’re there.

Then it depends what they need:

• Something small and fixed, like a review. Tell them the price on the call and book the next step while you’re both still there.
• Something that involves their team. You’ll usually need a second call. Most people don’t know where their gaps are yet. Say you can help, explain what you need to find out, and book the second call. By the end of that one you can give a rough number and send a proposal.

Book the next step before you hang up

Whichever route it is, get the next call in the calendar while you’re still talking. “I’ll send over some times” is how deals go quiet.

What to do next

Before your next discovery call, write down:

1. Your opening line.
2. Five open questions.
3. One “what’s your process for…?” question for each service you might offer.

For more on converting the calls you’re already having, read 8 ways to increase your agency close rates and this simple post-call follow up process.

If you’d like someone to go through your sales process with you, that’s what monthly mentoring is for.

Frequently asked questions

How do I start a discovery call?

Thank them, say there are a few ways you could help, and explain that you'd like to start by understanding the challenge they're trying to overcome and what they've tried so far. Then ask open questions.

What questions should I ask on a discovery call?

What problem are you hoping to solve? What would solving it mean for you? What have you tried so far? What worked and what didn't? You're listening for the one problem they are willing to pay to solve.

How do I bring up a service the prospect hasn't mentioned?

Don't pitch it early. Once you've heard them out, ask about their current process in that area. Their answer tells you whether there's a real pain to solve or whether it's already handled.

Should I give a price on the first call?

For a small fixed-scope piece of work, yes, and book the next call while you're still talking. For anything involving their team, book a second call to scope it before you quote.