A discovery call is a marketing strategy that uses phone conversations to assess the customer's needs, identify potential solutions and determine if the customer and the business are mutually beneficial for a successful, ongoing business relationship. A discovery call is typically performed at the onset of a business relationship, after the customer has already expressed some interest in the services offered by the company.
Essentially, a discovery call serves to gain insight into the customer’s needs in order to better understand what they require, so that the business can determine if they can meet those needs. This knowledge will allow the business to assess whether they want to pursue a relationship with the customer.
The ultimate goal of a discovery call is to understand if there is a genuine opportunity to create a successful, ongoing relationship between the business and the customer. For a successful relationship to be established, both parties must mutually benefit. The business must be able to meet the customer's needs and ensure a positive return on their investment of time and resources, while simultaneously providing the customer with a product or service that satisfies their needs.
A discovery call should be conducted in an open and honest manner, in order to best understand the customer's needs in a succinct manner. The conversation should start by introducing yourself and the company, and then focus on assessing the customer's needs by asking open-ended questions. This allows for a dialogue to develop as the customer reveals important information about their needs, expectations and timeline.
The deeper insight into the customer's needs that these conversations can provide will help the business determine whether they are capable of meeting those needs and generating a long-term relationship with them.
Once the call is concluded, it's important to review the information that was revealed and compare it against the company's capabilities and any existing processes. This will allow the business to assess whether they can satisfactorily answer the questions raised and provide the customer a valuable solution that meets their expectations.
There are a few general guidelines and best practices that should be followed when conducting a discovery call.
• Start by introducing yourself and your company, and ensuring the customer knows who they are speaking with.
• Ask open-ended questions that will help you learn more about their needs.
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• Listen to the customer carefully and try to understand their perspective.
• Respect the customer's opinion and avoid being too pushy or trying to upsell.
• Use positive body language and tone of voice.
• Be flexible and willing to adjust the conversation based on customer feedback.
• Take brief notes throughout the conversation so that you remember important information.
• Summarise key points of the conversation and restate the customer’s needs to ensure that you have understood them correctly.
• Explain the next steps for progressing the customer relationship.
Overall, a discovery call is an important tool in the sales process, allowing the business to gain invaluable insight into the customer's needs in order to assess whether they can meet those customer needs and form a successful, ongoing relationship. By following these general guidelines and best practices, businesses can ensure that they conduct discovery calls in an open and respectful manner that is tailored to each customer's unique needs.