Sales Glossary

Discovery Call

Definition

A discovery call is the initial sales conversation where a salesperson asks questions to understand a prospect's challenges, goals, timeline, and buying process.

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Understanding Discovery Call

Discovery calls are typically the first substantive sales conversation after initial contact. The primary goal is to understand the prospect's situation through open-ended questions, not to pitch products. Effective discovery calls qualify opportunities, uncover pain points, identify decision-makers, and establish whether there's a genuine fit. The quality of discovery directly impacts the entire sales cycle, influencing deal velocity and win rates.

Key Takeaways

What You Need to Know

1

Discovery calls focus on understanding the prospect, not presenting solutions

2

Open-ended questions are essential for uncovering real pain points

3

BANT, MEDDIC, and other frameworks guide discovery questioning

4

Pre-call research significantly improves discovery call effectiveness

5

Discovery call quality directly correlates with deal outcomes

Real-World Examples

See It in Action

BANT Discovery

Using the BANT framework to uncover Budget, Authority, Need, and Timeline through strategic questioning during the discovery call.

Pain Point Discovery

Asking questions like 'What's your biggest challenge with [area]?' and 'What happens if this problem isn't solved?' to understand prospect pain points.

Process Discovery

Understanding the prospect's buying process by asking 'Who else would be involved in a decision like this?' and 'What does your evaluation process typically look like?'

Master Discovery Call with Prepd

Prepd helps you excel at discovery call with automated research briefs delivered before every call.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about discovery call.

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