BY Jessica Helinski
Asking effective discovery call questions can determine if you move forward with a lead. Poor questions may lead to no new insights and prevent a connection with the buyer. But effective questions can reveal the necessary information to connect your solution to the buyer’s needs.
Why do effective discovery call questions matter?
And while pre-call research is important, there’s only so much you can learn. You must dig deeper during the discovery call to determine if your solution can help. They have the power to open up opportunities to keep the process moving.
As the professionals at Showell believe, “These questions are more than mere inquiries; they are strategic instruments that decode your client's essential needs.”
Sellers must determine which questions are worth asking. Discovery calls take up precious time for everyone involved. It’s important that sellers maximize this time by asking the best questions. And knowing the most effective questions isn’t always intuitive.
Tap into other sellers for insight
It can be helpful to look to experts for guidance. LinkedIn’s Paul Petrone shares some top questions from industry professionals. They discuss the questions that they use during their own discoveries.
One question that may be helpful in your calls is, “Why are we talking today?”
This question comes from Revolutionize Ventures Owner, Wade Burgess. He uses this question to tap into the mind of the buyer and understand their goal.
He points out that the buyer is choosing to spend valuable time with you. It’s up to sellers to first find out why before they can go further. Getting context of their objectives can then guide the rest of the call.
“I want to understand why they took the time to speak with me,” he explains.
He adds that the insights you gain just from this one question can be the “catalyst to yes.”
Ask about what they want from the call
Just like Burgess, Nick Cegelski, founder of 30 Minutes to President’s Club, considers the buyer’s hopes for the call. He recommends another effective discovery call question that asks the seller what they ultimately want.
His go-to question is, “How can I make sure the next 30 minutes are a good use of your time?”
This approach again turns attention to the other person. By doing this, you show the buyer that you care about their experience. This matters, according to SalesFuel research.
SalesFuel found that “discussing my overall goals” is most important to nearly 40% of buyers during a first call.
Asking this question helps immediately uncover their priorities. Buyers want to know how your solution fits their needs. Their response to this question can reveal this. And, as Cegelski explains, it also ensures you’re not wasting anyone’s time with a poor agenda.
“This gives the other person a chance to edit or disagree with the agenda, instead of me just domineering the meeting.”
Asking “types” of questions
When considering effective discovery call questions, sellers should also consider types of questions. These are general categories of questions that can help reveal insights. Specifically, one type of question to consider is a “layer” question.
These questions build on each other, unlocking layers of responses that can go deeper into a topic. In particular, President of Venli Consulting Group Marcus Chan suggests what he calls a “fourth-layer” question.
He recommends asking, “Can you elaborate on that?” after the seller says something you’d like them to expand on.
With this question, he explains, “…you go really deep, and get into their psychographics and how they make decisions.”
SalesFuel agrees that these questions are especially effective.
“This strategy of question layers navigates sellers to a more thoughtful and organized approach to uncovering needs.”
Want more examples of effective discovery questions? Take a look at these. By including powerful inquiries into every discovery, you can learn vital information and move the process forward.
Photo by Berkeley Communications