Discovery is an important aspect of your sales process. It is like the getting-to-know-you stage in any relationship. The more you know about the person, the more you will understand who they are and what they want. However, you can only go so far with it. You wouldn’t want to jump the gun and increase the odds of winning them over.
With that said, there are several things you need to keep in mind while making Discovery calls. Avoid doing any (or all) of these, so you won’t hurt your chances of closing the sale.
1. Talking instead of Listening
Talking more than your prospect and jumping into the conversation from the beginning will prevent your prospect from sharing and telling you what you need to know. Instead, listen to your prospect and let them speak their mind. You might catch something really important that could help you and your prospect later on.
2. Showing the Product
Sales is all about getting a buyer exactly what they need. And the beauty of doing software demos is that you can show the product to your prospect as you explain it to them. But showing the product too early (during discovery) will kill this benefit as they won’t be able to see the product live while you explain how it works. Save the showing for after discovery is done.
3. Don’t Sell in Discovery
I would always tell this to my clients time and time again. It’s a lot easier said than done, especially when your prospect says a problem or challenge that you know you could fix. But listen to them, learn their pain points, and start to think about how your product can help them. Talking can take a back seat for now.
Closing Remarks
In Discovery, jumping the gun should be the last thing on your mind. Stay patient, take your time, and embrace the process. Doing these will pay dividends later on, especially when it’s time to close.
