HOW TO LEAD A DISCOVERY SALES MEETING

Mike Faherty- Founder & CEO

ProSales Connection, LLC

mike@prosalesconnection.com

832-365-0730 x302

Connecting our Client with their Prospects

Agenda

What is a Sales Discovery Meeting? Preparation Open Meeting Discovery Conversation Vision Engineering Next Steps Close Meeting Follow-up Activity

832-365-0730 x302

What is a Discovery Meeting?

The purpose of a discovery meeting is to: Learn their priorities Uncover their challenges Align your solutions to their priorities Qualify the opportunity

832-365-0730 x302

Preparation

Review your notes Research the company Research the attendees Prepare thoughtful and targeted questions

832-365-0730 x302

Opening the Meeting

Start on time Check for time Introduce yourself (Sample Opening) Around the table Review agenda

832-365-0730 x302

Sample Opening

“Thank you for agreeing to spend some time with me this afternoon. I’m excited to learn more about your organization and I will certainly share with you more about our experience and capabilities as it relates to your specific business.”

“Before we get started, I’m sure you have some questions about me and our company. We are based in ____ and have been for ____ years. We work with clients like ____ and ____ to help them INSERT VALUE PROPOSITION. I’ve been with the company since ____ and as the ____(title) I’m responsible for ____.”

“Obviously, you spoke with ________ on our team last Tuesday and I understand she shared with you some high level information about our company on that call. I met with _______ shortly afterwards and she briefed me on the information you were able to share with her as well. That was very helpful.”

832-365-0730 x302

Discovery Conversation

Getting Started Ask a prepared and well thought out open ended

question that starts the discussion in an area that is important to you

It should not be a direct qualifying question. You are setting the tone for the meeting and putting yourself in control of the dialog.

832-365-0730 x302

Conversation Starters

Clarify Something “Before we get started, I was reviewing my

notes/reviewing your website/reading your quarterly report and I saw that you provide/service/work with XYZ… Can you tell me more about this? Can you explain how your group supports this? Would you mind elaborating on that briefly?”

832-365-0730 x302

Conversation Starters

Qualify the Prospect “Before we get started, I read your profile on

your website and I understand your title is __________... I wondered if you wouldn’t mind telling me a little

more about your responsibilities and how you are involved with this area of the business?”

832-365-0730 x302

Conversation Starters

Generic Opening (when something goes wrong and your are not prepared) “Like I mentioned before I will take you through

our capabilities today, but I hoped you wouldn’t mind if we started by asking you to give me a high level overview of your business… I find that websites don’t always tell the real story of a business. Would you mind?”

832-365-0730 x302

Keep the Convo Moving

Questions: 5 W’s and H Who wants that fixed? What does it cost the business? Where did the problem start? When does it need to be completed by? Why hasn’t that been changed yet? How have people tried to fix that in the past?

Make it your goal to ask at least two (2) follow-up question to each question you ask.

mike@prosalesconnection.com Subject “Convo”

832-365-0730 x302

Vision Engineering

After you have identified a couple significant problems and fully understand the issues, it is time to start to “engineer a vision” of the problem being fixed with your solution.

Transition to the Solution Conversation Restate the problem(s)

Highlight the 1st problem identified and begin to make possible recommendations based on proven experience and capabilities.

Stay high level and don’t dive into the details Check for understanding and alignment along the way

832-365-0730 x302

Double Check - BANT

Budget The best sales people don’t shy away from these

questions. They ask them directly with confidence. Determine Authority

Identify who in the room or organization has the authority to make the investment in your solution

Need These are the confirmed “pain points” that you have

uncovered with your questions. Timeframe

If you have aligned your solution to a funded project or an existing timeline then you simply confirm this.

Next Steps

Secure the next steps before concluding the meeting

Don’t accept “We’ll get back to you.” “Give me a call next week.”

Try to get all the players in the room for the next meeting Technical buyers Critical users Business influencers Financial decision makers

Engage with dissenting voices separately

832-365-0730 x302

Close the Meeting

Finish on time Thank them for their time Reiterate that you are confident that your solution

will help solve their business challenge(s) Restate the action items for both sides Exit “stage-left”

832-365-0730 x302

Follow-up Activity

This step is critical to your sales organization’s long-term success! Follow-up is where the money is made! Step 1 – Next Day – quick “Thank you” call Step 2 – 2-4 Days Later – Follow-up Letter

Follow-up letter format Your understanding of their present situation What they would like their future to look like How you recommend achieving this desired outcome Any budget or time-frames that need to be considered Confirm what you understand to be the decision process The recommended/agreed upon next steps

832-365-0730 x302

Mike Faherty, Founder & CEOProSales Connection, LLC

mike@prosalesconnection.comwww.prosalesconnection.com832-365-0730 x302– Direct

866-347-9423 – Free