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(514)

Club Playbook: How to cold call (ft. Morgan J Ingram)

Club Playbook: How to cold call (ft. Morgan J Ingram)

Join the most tactical sales newsletter in the world: https://hubs.ly/Q01-R33G0 Download Morgan's Cold Call Script ACTIONABLE TAKEAWAYS Overview - Fisherman’s Framework: Break your cold call into Waiting (Openers), Bite (Value Props), Fight (Objections) Section 1 - Openers (Waiting): Use one of two cold call openers — the PLA (pleasant, laugh, arms-up) or the confident pause Section 2 - Value Props (Bite): Reverse engineer soundbites from your customers and have 2-3 foundational pillars of problems you solve to build your talk track. Section 3 - Objections (Fight): Handle any objection by pausing, acknowledging, questioning → pulling → driving the next step PATH TO PRESIDENT'S CLUB Founder and CEO @ Ascension Media Productions VP, GTM Talent and Development @ Sales Impact Academy Director of Sales Execution and Evolution @ Sell Better by JB Sales RESOURCES DISCUSSED Join our weekly newsletter Things you can steal

5 Jun 202313min

148 (Sell): Sealing the deal with executives (Lynn Powers, Enterprise Sales Director,@ Clari)

148 (Sell): Sealing the deal with executives (Lynn Powers, Enterprise Sales Director,@ Clari)

Join the most tactical sales newsletter in the world: https://hubs.ly/Q01-R33G0 FOUR ACTIONABLE TAKEAWAYS Preschedule the final executive meeting upfront if you get access to the executive buyer at the beginning of the sales cycle. Map out the 10 things you’ll need to do now, to prepare for the big executive meeting. Send 1:1 messages to each department lead before the call to find out what is important to them. Have your economic buyer pre-sell each executive before going into the big team meeting so that you can position it as the introduction to the implementation phase. PATH TO PRESIDENT’S CLUB Enterprise Sales Director @ Clari Commercial Account Representative @ Xactly Corp Commercial Account Representative @ MapR Technologies Technology Account Representative @ Oracle RESOURCES DISCUSSED Join our weekly newsletter Things you can steal

31 Mai 202336min

147 (Sell): Negotiate like a pro during a savings showdown (Hunter Swanson, Enterprise Regional VP @ DocuSign)

147 (Sell): Negotiate like a pro during a savings showdown (Hunter Swanson, Enterprise Regional VP @ DocuSign)

Join the most tactical sales newsletter in the world: https://hubs.ly/Q01-R33G0 FOUR ACTIONABLE TAKEAWAYS When you are asked for a discount ask in return, “Why a discount at all” and then create a cost to each item they’re asking for. When asking for contract turnaround time, don’t just stop at legal approval. Break it down from prioritization to stakeholders. Take the time to get approval. Don’t make it seem like it’s too easy. When returning a proposal, walk through the additional savings being approved, and have the “Valid by” date in bold red. PATH TO PRESIDENT’S CLUB Enterprise Regional VP @ DocuSign Team Lead @ Strideline Marketing Representative @ Russell Investments RESOURCES DISCUSSED Join our weekly newsletter Things you can steal

24 Mai 202330min

146 (Sell): Winning over the CEO by turning their team into champions (Henry Schuck, CEO & Founder @ ZoomInfo)

146 (Sell): Winning over the CEO by turning their team into champions (Henry Schuck, CEO & Founder @ ZoomInfo)

Join the most tactical sales newsletter in the world: https://hubs.ly/Q01-R33G0 ZoomInfo: 5 Plays, 30MPC Style FOUR ACTIONABLE TAKEAWAYS Don’t let the fear of breaking rapport prevent you from asking for the next step. Answer the yes-or-no questions and SHUT UP! Figure out their vision through discovery, then tell the story of their business in terms of how other world class teams use you to achieve it. Turn the CEO's team into your champions to get the inside scoop on everything about them beforehand. PATH TO PRESIDENT’S CLUB CEO & Founder @ ZoomInfo CEO & Co-founder @ DiscoverOrg Adjunct Professor @ Washington State University RESOURCES DISCUSSED Join our weekly newsletter Things you can steal

17 Mai 202328min

145 (Sell): Getting to power for executive level discovery (Kyle Asay, Regional VP @ MongoDB)

145 (Sell): Getting to power for executive level discovery (Kyle Asay, Regional VP @ MongoDB)

Join the most tactical sales newsletter in the world: https://hubs.ly/Q01-R33G0 Download Kyle's Executive Multithreading & Agenda Email Templates FOUR ACTIONABLE TAKEAWAYS Prepare targeted questions during pre-call prep to validate your research Repackage information in exec summaries by highlighting solutions and needed resources (don't just regurgitate the champion-level business case) When an exec is impatient, share your POV and ask for their input When asking for power, show how their involvement will benefit the project PATH TO PRESIDENT’S CLUB Regional VP @ MongoDB Regional VP of Sales @ Qualtrics RESOURCES DISCUSSED Join our weekly newsletter Things you can steal

10 Mai 202334min

Hall of Fame: Keenan Ep. 7

Hall of Fame: Keenan Ep. 7

Join the most tactical sales newsletter in the world: https://hubs.ly/Q01-R33G0 FOUR ACTIONABLE TAKEAWAYS Align on the problem and impact first, then start brainstorming root causes and solutions Build a problem identification chart with the problems, impacts, root causes of your ICP Talk to customers, become an expert. Why did they buy? What problems did you have? You need customers to agree to the problem they have and be willing to solve it with you. PATH TO PRESIDENT’S CLUB Author of Gap Selling CEO @ Noted Analytics RESOURCES DISCUSSED Join our weekly newsletter Things you can steal

8 Mai 202325min

144 (Sell): Progress your sales with healthy customer tension (Jen Allen-Knuth, Community Growth @ Lavender)

144 (Sell): Progress your sales with healthy customer tension (Jen Allen-Knuth, Community Growth @ Lavender)

Join the most tactical sales newsletter in the world: https://hubs.ly/Q01-R33G0 FOUR ACTIONABLE TAKEAWAYS Start by aligning on the problem in the big team meeting and sell your champion on why it’s important. At the beginning of the big team meeting present in this order, the problem > the cost of inaction > alternatives which include you. In the big team meeting, call out those people who are not voicing their perspectives and create a safe space to air out problems. Even if there is consensus, push for one more person to get involved in the deal cycle before making a solution recommendation. PATH TO PRESIDENT’S CLUB Community Growth @ Lavender Chief Evangelist @ Challenger Player/Coach-Large Enterprise Sales @ CEB, now Gartner RESOURCES DISCUSSED Join our weekly newsletter Things you can steal

3 Mai 202333min

Club Playbook: Run discovery with a point-of-view (ft. Sarah Brazier)

Club Playbook: Run discovery with a point-of-view (ft. Sarah Brazier)

Join the most tactical sales newsletter in the world: https://hubs.ly/Q01-R33G0 ACTIONABLE TAKEAWAYS Section 1 - Agenda: Have a plan & share it. Call out surprises before they, ya know, surprise you. Section 2 - Set the Table: Teach your customer something they don’t know, and you’ll gain credibility in their eyes. Section 3 - Dig In: Don’t just ask qualification questions. Understand their challenges today and the impact those are having on their business. Ask questions about areas the prospect might not have considered, but you know you can add extra value too. Section 4 - Dessert: Tell them what’s good and recommend they give it a try: i.e. tell them what the next step is and secure it at the end of the call. PATH TO PRESIDENT'S CLUB Account Executive @ Gong Advisor @ Aligned, Chili Piper, and Ramped Instructor @ Sales Impact Academy RESOURCES DISCUSSED Join our weekly newsletter Things you can steal

1 Mai 202314min

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