discovery-call-prep

Use this before every first call. Good discovery is the cheapest way to win deals and the fastest way to disqualify bad ones.

Inputs

• Prospect, company and anyone else attending.
• How the meeting was booked and what they said they want.
• Product, ideal customer and what a good next step looks like (demo, technical call, trial, proposal).

The play

1. Form a hypothesis

From research, write: "I think struggles with because , which costs them ." The call tests the hypothesis; it does not pitch it.

2. Set the agenda up front

"I'd like to spend most of the time on how runs today and what you'd want to change. If it looks like a fit, I'll show you the relevant part. And if it doesn't, I'll tell you. Sound good? Anything to add?"

3. Ask in layers

1. Situation: how it works today, who is involved, what tools.
2. Problem: where it breaks, how often, what they have tried.
3. Impact: what it costs in time, money, risk, missed targets; who feels it.
4. Priority: why now, what happens if nothing changes, other priorities competing.
5. Decision: who decides, how they buy, budget timing, what they need to see.

Read references/discovery-questions.md for the full bank with follow-ups and the qualification checklist.

4. Prepare for the likely objections

Pick the two most likely given their situation and have one question and one proof ready for each.

5. Plan the close of the call

The next step is concrete, dated and agreed before hanging up: "Let's book the technical review with your RevOps lead for Thursday; I'll send the invite now."

Call plan format

Who: <attendees + roles>     Booked via: <how>    Goal of call: <next step wanted>
Hypothesis: <problem - evidence - impact>
Agenda: <3 lines>
Top questions: <8-10, by layer>
Qualification to confirm: problem, impact, priority, decision process, budget timing
Likely objections → question + proof
Next step to ask for: <specific>

What good looks like

• The prospect talks 60-70% of the time.
• Impact is quantified in their words before any demo.
• The call ends with a dated next step or a clear disqualification.
• The common mistake is turning discovery into a demo in minute five because the prospect said "so what do you do?".

Rules

• MUST end the call with a specific next step or an honest no.
• MUST capture the buyer's words for problem and impact.
• NEVER demo before understanding the problem, unless they insist; then demo only the relevant part.
• NEVER assume budget or authority without asking.

Example prompts

• "Prep me for a discovery call tomorrow with the Head of Ops at Northwind. Research below."
• "Give me 15 discovery questions for selling to CFOs."
• "Make a post-call notes template that maps to our qualification checklist."