Qualifying Prospects Using Trust and Discovery

I’ve joined 100s of discovery calls as a buyer—only 1 in 10 was run to help me vs the AE. Most companies treat discovery as just a stage and rely on weak BANT. That’s why AEs get stuck at ‘Level 1’ thinking Disco = Qualification and NEVER win 6-figure deals. Here’s my breakdown of Discovery Levels 1–3 (and the exact steps to finally break free): LEVEL 1 - Thinks: “Discovery is for me—are they worth my time?” - Uses BANT as box ☑ qualification (and to get managers off their backs).  - Asks a few surface questions (“Why are we here?”, “Do you have budget?”). - Disco isn’t leveraged throughout the sales process; it sits in call-1 notes. - If it is used, it’s only for ‘guilt-trip’ moves—“I guess solving X is not a priority?”. - Deals lost/stall/heavily discounted; disco never influenced the buying process. LEVEL 2 - Thinks: “Discovery is for prospects; to help THEM see why they should buy”. - Levels up from BANT to *real* disco using GAP Selling, MEDDIC, SPICED, etc. - Dives deeper than Need—to Impact, Priorities, and Rout Causes of Problems. - Disco is leveraged to tailor demos—give problem-solving tours vs generic tour. - Deals close at OK win rate. Buyers feel understood and see high $$$ problems. LEVEL 3 - Thinks: “Discovery IS the sales process—shaping buying and sales decisions”. - Framework agnostic; digs deep, letters only used for consistency & forecast. - Every call is about shaping the ultimate buying moment—the Business Case. - Every call gets documented; discovery continuously builds their Account Plan. - Doesn’t use a bank of questions; but prepares points to explore (e.g. urgency). - Leverage MAPs to discover & align on how to best run the process—together. - Disco drives unstoppable business case narratives that unlock $6-7 fig budgets. —— Stop treating discovery like just another task. Turn it into your entire selling strategy. Business Case > BANT Qualification. Mutual Plan > “What’s your Timeline?” Discovery as a Service. That’s how you go from chasing… To being a partner that gets trusted with 6-7-figure budgets. Always be discovering.

I’ve done 350+ discovery calls in the past 3 years and closed 7+ figures in contract value. I always structure my 1st call in the same 5-step format: Great sales is nothing more than a structured approach to help prospects make a decision. It shows them that I’m understanding and have their best interest at heart. I consider sales to be part of the service. It’s consulting. Here's how my discovery calls look: 𝟭. 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 I want to find out as much as possible about them. My goal is to understand their journey & personality, and also make them feel heard & understood off the bat. They talk, I shut up. If they jump straight into business, I gently steer them back. ___ 𝟮. 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘇𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝘁 Next, I dive into their business model, bottlenecks, and top goals: • Who’s your ICP? • What do you offer? • What’s your marketing status quo? • etc. I figure out if a collaboration makes sense and whether they need our help or something else entirely—like coaching, a new tool, a different vendor, or just advice on improving their current setup. ___ 𝟯. 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲 𝗠𝘆𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 I recap what they’ve shared and then introduce myself. Here, I try to mirror how they shared their story: • what topics did they focus on? • how far back did they go? • what did they highlight? At the same time, I look for similarities between us to create relatability. Then at the end, I explain what I do on a high level. ___ 𝟰. 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲𝘀 & 𝗥𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗕𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗥𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 From there, I introduce the 3 key theses they need to believe for us to work together. • Thesis 1: The decisions we make are influenced by the people we trust and the content we consume. • Thesis 2: Content helps build relationships & trust at scale. • Thesis 3: Content is an infinite game If they're not aligned with this thesis, it usually indicates we're not a fit. At the same time, I also discuss the rough budget range to make sure we're on the same page about expectations early on. ___ 5. 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 If it feels like a fit, I lock in a follow-up call right then. I never leave this for later—it just adds uncertainty and hassle. If it’s not a fit, I still try to offer value—maybe I send some free resources or give advice. ___ 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗜 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄: • I call out any elephants in the room. • I recap what they say to confirm my understanding and give them a chance to add details. • This also helps me process what they’ve shared. • I always leave room for their questions. • Their needs are #1 priority. #b2bsales #founderledsales #consultativesales

The best discovery move you’re (probably) not using: The Red Pen Exercise. I’ve watched this technique transform skeptical prospects into vocal champions. And the best part? It’s not about pitching harder. It’s about getting corrected. THE WHAT: Before a discovery call, you put together a 1-slide POV with 3 simple sections: 1) Current State: What you think they’re dealing with 2) Business Impact: The consequences of that problem 3) Future State: Where you believe they want to go Then you say something like: “This is what I gathered based on my research. Can you take a red pen to this and tell me where I’m off?” Frame it softly: “This may be off—but I’d love your feedback on what I got right vs. where I missed.” And then... magic happens. Why it works (7 reasons) 1) People love correcting others Behavioral psychology 101: we’re wired to spot errors. By inviting correction, you lower defenses and trigger engagement. 2) Prep = Respect 82% of B2B buyers say sellers are unprepared for meetings (Forrester). Showing a POV proves you’ve done your homework. That earns trust and elevates you above 82% of sellers who ask lazy, generic questions. 3) Co-Creation Now the prospect is helping build the case for change with you. This makes your solution feel more like a joint decision, not a pitch. 4) Gets Them Talking Average sellers ask weak questions like “What’s keeping you up at night?” and get 1 word answers. Red pen sellers do not. 5) You Learn More You get validation or correction instantly. You take the guesswork out. 6. It accelerates urgency Once you build a shared understanding of the current problem and ideal outcome, it’s easier to bridge the gap and create urgency. Read Gap Selling if you don't know what I'm talking about. 7.Sales Process Discovery is not a stage, it's a process. This info is CRITICAL in running a proper sales cycle with qualified buyers and will help you disqualify non-ICP fits. TAKEAWAY: The Red Pen Exercise isn’t about being “right.” It’s about being useful. Show up with a hypothesis. Let them sharpen it. Now you’re solving problems together. Give it a try this week.

Most sales calls put the burden of conversation on the buyer. What if you flipped the script and made your preparation part of the value you deliver? Too many sellers rely on their prospect to do the heavy lifting. They jump in with generic questions - “What are your goals?” or “What challenges are you facing?” - and hope for the prospect to instantly open up. But the best reps have done their homework, and it shows. Here’s a better example: You’re calling the Head of Sales at a mid-market tech company. Instead of asking, “How’s your pipeline looking?” you say: “I saw your team just launched a new partner program. That must be shaking up your sales targets. Are you thinking about how to keep your reps focused on both direct and partner-driven deals?” Even if you’re not spot on, you’ve shown you care enough to understand their world. You’ve turned a discovery call into a conversation between peers. Why this matters? • Advancing the Deal: According to Gong, sales reps who do thorough research before discovery calls have a 30% higher chance of advancing the deal. • Builds Trust: Research shows 70% of buyers feel reps aren’t prepared. Those who are stand out and build rapport faster. • Unlocks Real Conversations: Insightful openers invite your prospect to share what’s really on their mind. How to make it happen? • Do your homework. Check news, LinkedIn, and recent company updates. • Formulate a point of view. Use what you learn to craft a conversation starter. • Invite dialogue. Present your insight as a question, not a statement. Listen and adapt. Let your prospect guide the conversation from there. Bottom line? Arriving with a researched point of view isn’t just about impressing your prospect, it’s about building trust, sparking real conversations, and accelerating the path to solving their problems. How are you uncovering pain beyond the surface level?

Good Discovery Leaves Your Prospect Feeling Heard 👂 Too often, Discovery becomes a rigid quest to uncover a prospect’s pain points, transforming what should be a conversational exchange into a checklist-driven interrogation. While it’s essential to understand their issues, it's equally important to make the prospect feel heard and validated. Why is this important? 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: It avoids making the prospect feel like they are alone in their problems. 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗲: It provides an opportunity to show deep understanding and empathy towards their unique challenges. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝘀 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁: When prospects feel understood, they're more likely to trust and engage with you. Example in Action: Prospect: "Managing feature requests is a nightmare. We log them in Jira, Salesforce, and multiple Slack channels. Any changes require manual updates everywhere, and it’s impossible to link multiple prospects to a single issue effectively." Me: "That does sound incredibly cumbersome, especially if it’s a frequent task. You're not alone in this—you'd be surprised at how many people I interact with who have a very similar process. Luckily, Homerun has helped others streamline this exact process with functionality designed to automate and simplify capturing feature requests/gaps." By acknowledging the emotional weight of their struggle, we reassure them that their situation, while frustrating, isn’t unique or insurmountable. We then introduce our solution as a tested and trusted remedy, used by others in similar circumstances. Good Discovery is more than just gathering information—it's about fostering a connection that makes every prospect feel valued and understood. When you master this, you're not just selling a product; you're providing a solution that feels tailor-made. #ducklife #salesengineering #presales

Prospects aren’t targets. They’re humans. Humans respond best when they feel understood, not convinced. The best salespeople know how to make others feel heard. When you ask a question, then another question, then another unrelated question, discovery calls can feel like interrogations. If you don’t listen and instead rapid-fire scripted questions, it feels like you’re not genuinely interested in the response but rather focused solely on your agenda of quantifying pain so you justify your solution. If people don’t feel understood, they’re not going to trust what you recommend. The way out? Ask fewer questions on discovery calls. Go deeper. Like a therapist: “What’s on your mind?” (Inbound.) “How's it going?” Mute. (Digging deeper) “Afraid to dial?” (Digging deeper) “It’s like the phone is a cactus.” Mute. (Digging deeper) “What else?” Mute. “There are so many sales trainers. What prompted you to call us?” “What's the real challenge?” (Digging deeper.) “What's your perspective on why that is?” “If you're looking back 6 months from now, what has to have happened for you to feel really happy with your progress?” (Digging deeper.) “How so?” Don't ask a digging deeper question if you're not curious about the answer. When people feel understood, you build trust. And in a world of similar products, trust is why people choose you. Seller’s don’t have the answers. Buyers do. The seller’s job is to draw them out. Learn the gentle art of making others feel understood here: https://lnkd.in/eVfUevmz

Wealth screening alone is failing your major gifts program. 3 dead-simple steps to qualify prospects that actually predict giving (not just capacity): Assess AFFINITY first • How connected are they to your cause? • What personal experiences shape their philanthropic interests? • Which programs naturally align with their values? Look for ENGAGEMENT patterns • Consistent giving (even small amounts) over 3+ years • Volunteer involvement (especially leadership roles) • Event attendance with thoughtful follow-up questions Evaluate CAPACITY last • Traditional wealth markers (real estate, business ownership) • Philanthropic history with peer organizations • Lifestyle indicators that suggest discretionary resources For context: I wasted my first two years in major gifts chasing high-capacity prospects with zero affinity. When I reversed my approach to prioritize affinity and engagement, our major gift revenue increased 237% in 18 months. Have you found wealth screening alone to be insufficient? What other qualification methods work for you?

You’re doing discovery wrong. The purpose of discovery is not to determine if the prospect is a fit for your product. Any question you ask a prospect that revolves around your product is not discovery. Asking a prospect if they need Feature A or think they’d find value in doing Function B is not discovery. That’s qualification. Discovery is all about understanding the buyer and understanding their goals and challenges. Their business. (What value do their customers receive from their product/service?) Their markets.  (Who are they selling to?) Their customers. (Who is buying their product?) Their company.  (How do they make money?) Their stakeholders. (Who are the internal and external influencers of the decision?) Their Most Important Things. (What are the most important business outcomes they want to achieve?) If your product has any level of complexity, if it touches multiple departments within the customer, if more than a couple stakeholders are involved in the decision, then your lack of true understanding of the buyer, more often than not, will come back to bite you. So, if your win rates are low, and you want to analyze and understand why, start by looking at how you do discovery.

98% of sales leaders think their AEs need to get better at closing. IMO, they're dead wrong. The next generation of top-performing sales teams will focus on improving discovery over everything else. Here's 7 reasons why discovery will be the #1 sought out sales skill: 1. Closing Skills Aren't the Bottleneck Many AEs already know how to close, but they don't have enough information from the discovery phase. Without knowing what the prospect really needs, even the best closers have a hard time. 2. Personalized Solutions Win Deals: Thorough conversational-discovery helps AEs tailor their calls and demos to address specific pain points, making the solutions offered far more relevant and compelling to prospects. 3. Builds Trust and Credibility When AEs invest time in understanding their prospects, it builds trust - ESEPCIALLY when they've done preliminary research. Prospects feel heard and valued, which lays the foundation for a stronger / transparent relationship. 4. Identifies the Right Fit: Effective discovery helps in qualifying prospects better. AEs can focus their efforts on leads that are more likely to convert, rather than wasting time on poor-fit opportunities (something SMB, MM, and ENT deal with all the time). 5. Shortens the Sales Cycle: When AEs ask good questions early, they can fix problems quickly. This helps prospects decide faster, and deals get done sooner. 6. Enhances Forecast Accuracy: With a deeper understanding of each deal's nuances, sales leaders and AEs can more accurately predict outcomes and set realistic forecasts (and 1:1s don't have to be about information chasing). 7. Increases Win Rates / Reduce Churn: Deals rooted in thorough discovery have higher win rates (and lower churn) because they are based on a clear alignment between the prospect's needs and the solution offered. TL;DR It’s almost 2025. The traditional focus on closing skills is outdated. The next great sales teams will prioritize improving discovery (and help close deals). Not only is it what our prospects want from us, but... It will create accurate sales pipelines and happier clients that trust salespeople This is shaping up to be the future of sales strategy I'm calling it “Discovery-Driven Sales”

There’s something few tell you when you’re learning how to sell: The goal of your first call isn’t to "move the deal forward." It’s to find out if there’s even a deal worth moving. Most people come into a discovery call thinking: "How do I show them we’re a good fit?" It sounds reasonable. It sounds positive. But it’s a trap. Because the moment you assume fit, you stop discovering — and you start pitching. You begin shaping what they say to fit your story.⤵ You hear what you want to hear.⤵ You lose your objectivity.⤵ Instead, try this: Before the call, mentally reset: "I don’t know if this prospect is a fit for us. They don’t know if we are a fit for them. My job is to explore that honestly — and quickly." When you sell this way, a few powerful things happen: ✔️ You disqualify bad fits early. ✔️ You save your energy for real opportunities. ✔️ You build trust because you’re seen as someone who doesn’t force things. A simple checkpoint: At the end of the call, you should be able to say to yourself, with clarity, one of two things: "There’s a strong, mutual reason to keep talking," or "There’s no good reason to waste either of our time." That's real selling. That’s professional respect. That’s where great pipeline — and peace of mind — begins. Stay curious