I’ve reviewed 100s of discovery calls. The #1 difference between AEs converting 40% and AEs converting 70%+ of first calls is the number of problems discussed.
And the top reps discuss fewer.
Average reps cover a lot of ground in their discovery calls. They go wide, trying to find anything and everything to tie their product to. The logic makes sense: “The more problems I find, the better chance I have of solving some of them.”
The best reps aren’t trying to uncover a lot of problems. They understand that:
- No company has the capacity to take on a bunch of priorities at once
- Discussing a bunch of problems leaves your prospect overwhelmed and not wanting to book more time
- Deals are won by solving the biggest priority – not by solving a bunch of annoyances
So they focus on finding and attaching to a problem worth solving.
Next time you uncover a problem in discovery, ask:
“Is [problem] something you are actively trying to solve for? Or is it on the backburner for now while you address more pressing issues?”
If it’s painful enough to solve, it’s worth going deeper. I built a discovery capture sheet that will help “guide” your conversations to go deep once you’ve found that problem.
You can get it here (just make a copy): Discovery Capture Sheet
If it’s not painful enough to prioritize, keep searching for the problem worth solving.
Kyle
