Discovery, the secret behind effective sales pitches

Spoiler alert: This is not the same kind of "discovery" involved in litigation

This article is part of a newly launched series of deep dives on sales, marketing, and business development that you can get access to with a paid subscription, which you can learn more about here.

“Discovery” in the sales context is the process of engaging in conversation with the potential buyer to understand their problems and needs, which helps to place the sales pitch in context. The process helps to solve the problems of (a) not having credibility to deliver a compelling pitch, (b) not knowing the buyer’s most urgent problems, and (c) not knowing how much value the potential buyer assigns to solving the problem.

By asking a series of well placed questions and engaging in a substantive dialogue, the salesperson can gain important information to structure their pitch effectively, leading to an inevitable follow-up meeting or in some rare instances, closing the entire transaction. In this article I will break down the four steps to conducting effective discovery:

1. Begin With Open Ended Questions

2. Engage In Active Listening Throughout

3. Provide A Glimpse Of The Promised Land

4. Make The Ask For The Next Step

Before we move on, it’s important to highlight a few key requirements before you can have a successful discovery conversation. First, you have to have a target buyer in mind (ie. an “ideal customer profile.”) Second, you must offer a solution that solves a real problem for these buyers. Third, you should know how to articulate how your solution actually solves the problem. These three requirements ensure that you don’t just ask questions and end up going in circles.

1. Begin With Open Ended Questions

Start off the conversation with an open-ended question related to what you're selling. Examples of good questions to ask include:

• “Tell me about your current workflow / process.” (if you’re a legal tech sales rep)

• “How are things going for you at the firm?” (if you’re a legal recruiter)

• “How do you currently handle your employment matters?” (if you’re a defense side employment attorney)

It's important to remember that this part of the conversation involves 90% listening and only 10% talking. I’m making up numbers here, but you get the gist. When you do actually talk, make sure it's not filler words or content. Instead, encourage the customer to say more by asking follow-up questions like "Interesting, why's that?" This will help you gain a deeper understanding of their needs and challenges.

In addition to asking open-ended questions and actively listening, it's important to validate what the customer is saying with empathy. For example, if a customer shares a difficult experience they've had with a product or service, responding with "Wow, that's terrible" can help them feel heard and understood. This can be especially important in building trust and rapport.

Ultimately, the goal of the conversation should be to understand the customer's needs and challenges, and to identify ways in which your product or service can provide value. By asking thoughtful questions, actively listening, and validating the customer's perspective, you can build a stronger foundation for your pitch.

2. Engage In Active Listening Throughout

This is a critical component of effective communication, especially in the discovery process. It’s important to ask thoughtful questions that help you learn more but also demonstrate your expertise. For instance, asking highly specific questions related to the buyer's day-to-day activities or pain points shows that you understand their situation deeply and can actually help. On the other hand, asking generic questions can lead to annoyance and undermine credibility.

When you combine active listening with empathy, it can be pretty powerful. For example, you can say something like “This is what we also hear from our clients”¹ because it suggests that you have solved similar challenges in the past. This provides social proof and can build trust.

When asking follow up questions, the more narrow, the better. Don’t use canned follow ups if you can’t help it. Use the buyer’s words. This is why I always recommend taking notes while listening because then you can emphasize key phrases the buyer keeps using in the conversation. Referencing the buyer’s language in your pitch makes it more effective.

This article is part of a newly launched series of deep dives on sales, marketing, and business development that you can get access to with a paid subscription, which you can learn more about here.