Why Your Discovery Call Isn’t Finding Real Problems | Bite-Sized Tactics

Why Your Discovery Call Isn’t Finding Real Problems | Bite-Sized Tactics

Max Licht (Enterprise AE @ MaestroQA) breaks down his shadow-based discovery process. This technique goes beyond typical discovery calls, allowing you to witness firsthand where inefficiencies and bottlenecks are happening. 1. Identify the Painful Process - Research the customer's current workflow and tools (e.g., Excel, Salesforce) to understand the manual, time-consuming steps involved. - This reveals where inefficiencies exist, giving you a clear picture of the pain your solution can alleviate. It also helps you identify the "drag them through the glass" moments where the pain is most acute, which is critical for building urgency. 2. Set Up the Shadowing Session - Frame the shadow as a collaborative step to fully understand their process. Instead of just making claims, say something like, *“Before I make any promises, I want to fully understand your current reporting process to see where we can add the most value.”* - This approach shifts the focus from selling to problem-solving, making you a trusted partner rather than just a vendor. It also sets the stage for a more meaningful business case. 3. Conduct the Shadow - Watch the prospect use their current tools and processes. Take notes, capture screenshots, and pay attention to friction points, inefficiencies, and workarounds they rely on. - Seeing the workflow in action often reveals unspoken pain points and limitations that even the prospect might not articulate in a standard discovery call. This firsthand observation helps you tailor your pitch to the reality of their day-to-day work. 4. Use Shadows to Build a Business Case - Use the insights gathered to frame your solution as a direct response to the pain points you observed. For example, highlight how your tool eliminates specific inefficiencies, reduces manual steps, or streamlines complex reporting. - This concrete evidence makes your pitch more credible and aligns your solution directly with their business goals, increasing the likelihood of internal buy-in. 5. Follow Up Strategically - After the shadow, summarize your findings in a follow-up email or meeting, highlighting specific pain points you observed and how your solution can address them. Use this to drive urgency and move the deal forward. - This reinforces your credibility as a problem-solver and keeps the conversation anchored in real, observed issues, rather than hypothetical value propositions. 6. Use the Shadow as a Catalyst for Future Conversations - Reference specific pain points in later stages of the sales cycle, using them to frame your solution as a clear, tangible fix for their current frustrations. - This approach keeps the focus on solving their problems, reducing friction in the decision-making process and increasing the likelihood of a successful close. RESOURCES DISCUSSED: ⁠Join our weekly newsletter⁠ ⁠Things you can steal⁠ ⁠Save $50 on any 30MPC course with code “PODCAST”

Episoder(516)

210 (Lead) Turning Pressure to Productivity for Happier Reps (Adam Ochart, Gong)

210 (Lead) Turning Pressure to Productivity for Happier Reps (Adam Ochart, Gong)

FOUR ACTIONABLE LEADERSHIP TAKEAWAYS The best reps never ask the same question twice. Turn pressure to productivity. Our job as leaders isn’t to pass pressure; it’s to use pressure to get more out of our reps. Ask your reps, “I look forward to seeing how you answer that question.” Listen early, join late. Pre-prep and game planning will save you some time in the long run. PATH TO PRESIDENT’S CLUB Manager, Commercial Sales @ Gong Mid-Market Account Executive @ Gong Senior Commercial Account Executive @ Gong Commercial Account Executive @ Gong RESOURCES DISCUSSED Join our weekly newsletter Things you can steal Want more Gong x 30MPC Content? Check out the Masterclass we filmed.

11 Apr 202431min

209 (Sell) Winning Technical Deals by Leveraging Your Entire Company (Shelby Ferson, Databricks)

209 (Sell) Winning Technical Deals by Leveraging Your Entire Company (Shelby Ferson, Databricks)

FOUR ACTIONABLE TAKEAWAYS To learn about what’s going on in other parts of your organization, get on the email alias distribution lists. Build out your go team of people that you can rely on in legal, product, marketing, deal desk, etc. so that you’re never stuck trying to figure out how to get a function to help you with a deal. To determine the next steps and what’s important to a buyer, ask, “Say you’re evaluating a few technologies, and they’re similar. What are the things that make you pick one over the other?” When dealing with technical buyers, always under promise so you don't lose credibility. PATH TO PRESIDENT’S CLUB Named Account Manager - Digital Natives UK @ Databricks Named Account Manager - Digital Natives @ Databricks Snr Manager, Commercial Sales, ANZ @ Databricks Enterprise Account Executive @ Databricks RESOURCES DISCUSSED Join our weekly newsletter Things you can steal

9 Apr 202433min

Hall of Fame: Stephen Guerguy Ep. 100

Hall of Fame: Stephen Guerguy Ep. 100

FOUR ACTIONABLE TAKEAWAYS Challenge your prospect on fit early and often to test buy-in. Set landmines for competitors during the requirement-gathering phase. Require an exec-level bridge with your CEO instead of spending hours on an RFP. Use carrots to drive close when internal compelling events are lacking. PATH TO PRESIDENT’S CLUB Head of Strategic Accounts @ Monte Carlo Enterprise Sales Leader @ Monte Carlo Former Enterprise Sales @ Segment (acquired by Twilio) Former Commercial Sales / Founding AE @ WePay (acquired by JP Morgan Chase) RESOURCES DISCUSSED Join our weekly newsletter Things you can steal

8 Apr 202432min

208 (Lead) Why Your SDR Team Should Be Pipe Gen Forecasting (Maya Connet, Clari)

208 (Lead) Why Your SDR Team Should Be Pipe Gen Forecasting (Maya Connet, Clari)

FOUR ACTIONABLE LEADERSHIP TAKEAWAYS Booked meetings over the last 2 quarters times conversion rate = early quarter forecast for SDRs. There's a top-down financial plan and a bottoms-up forecast. Use that to calibrate the SDR team on exactly what they need to attack to hit their number but ensure we don't put pressure on the AE team when they walk into quarters with low coverage. Everyone has to forecast at top of funnel. Marketing, SDR, even the account directors should have top of funnel quotas to meet. All of those roll up into one big bottoms-up forecast that tell you if you're gonna hit your number in three months. How you leave the batter's box matters. Make SDR forecasting easier by getting half of your meetings on the books already. After the third objection, have your SDRs tell the prospect that they’ll reach out again in 30 days and have them send a five minute hold as a reminder. They will enter the next month. PATH TO PRESIDENT’S CLUB VP of Inside Sales @ Clari Global Head of Inside Sides and Revenue Development @ Clari Director of Sales @ Clari Enterprise Sales Director, West @ Clari RESOURCES DISCUSSED Join our weekly newsletter Things you can steal

4 Apr 202432min

207 (Sell) Building Your Own Technical Depth in Sales Demos (Mike Tran, Grammarly)

207 (Sell) Building Your Own Technical Depth in Sales Demos (Mike Tran, Grammarly)

FOUR ACTIONABLE TAKEAWAYS If you don’t have enough pain, ask for some documentation prior to the demo. The SE should reaffirm and ADD 15 minutes of discovery on the front end of the call. Link the demo portions specifically back to WHO SAID they had the problem. Give your champion an email sequence to share with people during the PoC. PATH TO PRESIDENT’S CLUB Senior Manager, Sales Engineering @ Grammarly Senior Sales Engineer, Value Realization Lead @ Grammarly Sales Engineer @ Grammarly Solutions Consulting & Customer Insights @ Onera, Inc. RESOURCES DISCUSSED Join our weekly newsletter Things you can steal

2 Apr 202429min

April Special: The Future of Sales AI ft. Corporate Bro

April Special: The Future of Sales AI ft. Corporate Bro

ACTIONABLE TAKEAWAYS Do the opposite of every single thing Corporate Bro Says Listen to Corporate Bro on his podcast Demoted Follow Corporate Bro on social: Instagram and YouTube RESOURCES DISCUSSED Join our weekly newsletter Things you can steal

1 Apr 202421min

206 (Lead) Implementing a Concession Approval Matrix & Framework (Ross Shanken, Multiplier)

206 (Lead) Implementing a Concession Approval Matrix & Framework (Ross Shanken, Multiplier)

FOUR ACTIONABLE LEADERSHIP TAKEAWAYS Effective Monday Team Meetings. Add an element of fun to your Monday meetings. Follow the framework: Connect, Learn, Communicate, and Prioritize. Tuning Your Discount Matrix. Look at your current avg. discount, then make the matrix a bit better. Get a little incremental revenue out of improving discounting. The multi-Year Deal Grid. Show where a customer’s cost might change as they grow / shrink. But don’t pre-agree to growth. Speedy Meetings Are Better Meetings. Consider starting all of your meetings at the :05 mark to avoid perpetual call delays and unfocused discussions. PATH TO PRESIDENT’S CLUB VP of Sales @ Multiplier Limited Partner @ GTMfund Head of Sales, New Products @ Lattice Director of Sales, Strategic & Corporate @ Lattice RESOURCES DISCUSSED Join our weekly newsletter Things you can steal

28 Mar 202433min

205 (Sell) How To Brief Your Exec Before A Sales Call (Caitlin Zylstra, Deel)

205 (Sell) How To Brief Your Exec Before A Sales Call (Caitlin Zylstra, Deel)

Caitlin’s Checklist to Brief Your Execs Before Calls: www.30mpc.com/newsletter/checklist-to-brief-your-execs-before-sales-calls FOUR ACTIONABLE TAKEAWAYS Explain things in your customer’s language. Adapt data and demos to how the customer works and thinks. Involve your champion in every customer touchpoint because they will help share context and help be your co-quarterback for the deal. Ask your buyer to correct you. When you get to the point of the sale where you’re walking through next steps for evaluation, be ok with being corrected. Go beyond the basics when an internal call partner joins your meeting. Ask questions specific to them - their business challenges, or what does success look like for them. PATH TO PRESIDENT’S CLUB Enterprise Account Executive @ Deel Enterprise Revenue Director @ Clari Mid-Market Revenue Director @ Clari Commercial Revenue Director @ Clari RESOURCES DISCUSSED Join our weekly newsletter Things you can steal

26 Mar 202432min

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