The Power of a Great Discovery Call

“Just get them to the demo.”

That was my goal when I got into software sales. I believed if I could just get a prospect to see the product, the rest would take care of itself. Spoiler: It didn’t.

Poor discovery at the outset wrecks the entire sales cycle. No matter how slick the demo is, it won’t land if you haven’t taken the time to truly understand the buyer’s pain, their priorities, and their process. But here’s the real issue I see today…

Too many AEs treat discovery like a checklist.

 ✅ Ask surface-level questions.

 ✅ Confirm feature needs.

 ✅ Move on.

They rely on yes/no questions. They assume the SDR did the real discovery. They nod instead of digging deeper. And they wonder why deals stall, go dark, or end in “no decision.”

Want to fix it? Here’s how:

1️⃣ Listen like you’re wrong. Assume nothing. Ask open-ended questions that start with “How” or “Tell me about.”

2️⃣ Chase pain, not features. Understand what’s costing them time, money, or reputation and why they haven’t fixed it yet.

3️⃣ Treat discovery like diagnosis. A great doctor never prescribes without understanding the symptoms, the history, and the urgency.

Ironically, the more time you spend slowing down at the beginning, the faster the deal moves later. I know, it doesn't seem to make sense. Now I know: real selling starts before the demo even loads.

👉 What’s one powerful discovery question you wish reps would ask?