Panic At The Disco?
Panic At The Disco?
Fine-tune your discovery to identify pain, overcome objections, and close more deals
Discovery…
The most important part of the sales process IMO.
Want to get better at closing? Get better at discovery. As such, I’m devoting today’s newsletter entirely to this subject. Hear from the experts on what we can do, why we need to, and how we can get better at discovery in sales.
This is just the tip of the iceberg as it pertains to content on discovery. (discovery resource library coming soon)
So check out some of the more recent podcasts, articles, and posts I’ve come across that are sure to translate to a refined sales process and more deals crossing that magical Closed WON stage…
In this week’s edition of Stretch Weekly -
Charles Muhlbauer and Kevin Dorsey take us to school discussing why discovery is everything!
Learn from Ian Koniak as he talks with Nick and Armand on focusing on discovery to close more deals.
Get better at discovery to close more deals with Dave Kennett and Collin Stewart.
Of course, loads of snippets to discover why, how, and what we can do to close more deals by getting better at discovery.
THANKS for reading!!
-Grant
And lastly - as always, if you find this newsletter valuable- subscribe or share it with someone who might as well 👊.
STRETCH SHARES
Discovery is Everything
Two steps to better discovery.
Step 1: Follow Charles Muhlbauer and Kevin Dorsey on LinkedIn. They continually share tactics, scripts, phrases, and best practices to get better at discovery.
Step 2: Listen, bookmark, share, relisten to this episode over and over again. I’m a big fan of both Charles and KD. Especially because they share my belief in the importance of discovery. So clear 47 min and listen to these two gents wax poetic while dropping some serious wisdom to get better at discovery. Too many quotes, practices, and tactics to list here. This one is a MUST LISTEN!
Highlights for me:
Difference between qualification and discovery
Status Alignment Questions - (provide insights to build trust and talk problems)
Using Humbling Disclaimers to ask tough questions
THREADING (keep that conversation and dialogue going)
The "I'd rather be more accurate than optimistic" approach
Active listening and Upfront Contract to manage expectations
Recapping to clarify and continue to discover (not Parroting)
Asking for permission to ask a very direct question
Layered questioning provides a better way to get buy-in for future discovery
Focusing on Discovery to Close Deals
Another excellent podcast by Nick and Armand on using better discovery to close deals of any size - from Enterprise to SMB. Learn the strategies Ian Koniak uses to be a top seller (and 7-figure earner) at Salesforce.
Four Actionable Takeaways:
Talking to execs: figure out their pain points and do the digging in the weeds for them
Start high, work down the chain, then bubble back up in one business case (Yo-Yo Selling)
Leverage your executive champion to make intros and walk them through the process
Lean on your technical resources for a better buyer AND seller experience
5 Reasons Why You’re Not Closing Deals
If it were up to me, I’d rename this episode: “Get Better at Discovery to Close More Deals”. The OG of call coaching - Dave Kennett chimes in with Collin Stewart to riff on all things sales, but specifically getting better at Discovery and what he sees as traits separating top reps from the average ones.
Highlights include:
Things most reps get wrong early in the discovery call (15:04)
How to resist the question about price when it comes up too soon (35:20)
The discovery process top reps are using (45:52)
How to change your mindset for demos (52:30)
Crafting the perfect customer story soundbite (1:01:02).
STRETCH SNIPPETS
👉 Revisit this original Stretch VP post on Discovery - The Most Important Stage in Sales
🛑 Jake Dunlap says, if you're not going to tailor your demo based on the discovery, then skip it altogether...
🤕 7 levels of PAIN! Ronen Pessar outlines 7 levels of implicating pain that great salespeople do flawlessly...
🌊 Top, middle, and end of the waterfall? In SaaS Sales, Meet Your Prospects at Their Point of Awareness says Anna Talerico
👂 Mor Assouline points out the difference between Proactive listening vs. Active listening in discovery calls and demos
👀 Paul Salamanca reminds us that buyers are people too. Focus on helping them solve THEIR problems.
🤔 80% of the sales process happens in Discovery. This is when prospects decide to buy. - Jeb Blount.
⁇ Check out these 28 Questions to Ask on a Call During the Sales Discovery Process via Dan Tyre
😂 Need a good laugh at BANT’s expense? Tom Boston shows us how discovery is much more than identifying Budget, Authority, Need, Timing.
🧠 Mindset
Thanks for reading!
My hope is if you find this valuable, consider sharing it with friends (or signing up if you haven’t already).
— Grant 👋
About stretch vp: confessions, learnings, and insights from sales leaders in SaaS
Compiled and aggregated from a network of sales leaders in SaaS, Stretch VP showcases learnings, insights, and experiences as well as best practices to overcome common hurdles, obstacles, and setbacks in your quest for excellence as a sales leader in SaaS.
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