I have reviewed 400+ discovery calls. 3 Things You Should Implement Right Now.
I have learned this the hard way.
If you’re losing deals, let me tell you something I’ve learned (often painfully): 70-80% of the problem comes from your discovery call.
It took me years and hundreds of calls to figure this out, but it changed the game once I did.
Let me explain.
Some numbers to back this up
In the past two years, I’ve worked with 80 startups.
Each company had 2 to 8 salespeople, so I’ve led over 320 sales professionals and founders.
When I start working with a team, I always ask them to record their sales calls and send them to me via Slack.
Then, I listen to every call.
It’s time-consuming, but it's a game-changer. Over the past two years, I’ve reviewed more than 400 calls, most of which were discovery calls.
Here’s the pattern: Discovery calls are usually the weakest part of the sales process.
But how do you fix them?
3 DOs you should implement right now 👇
DO #1: Start with ACE
Here’s a framework I picked up over the years.
It’s called ACE, and it works every time.
Appreciate: Start by saying, “Thank you for taking the time to speak with me today.”
Check End Time: “We have 30 minutes scheduled. Does that still work for you?”
End Goal / Set Expectations: “The goal of this call is to understand your needs and see how we can help. We can discuss the next steps if it feels like a good fit.”
This simple structure puts everyone on the same page. It’s clear, respectful, and sets expectations right from the start.
Try it. I promise it’ll make a difference.
DO #2: Level 2 Pain
Here’s a mistake I always see: most salespeople stop at Level 1 pain.
Let me break it down:
Level 1 pain is surface-level. It’s a nice-to-have, not a must-have.
Level 2 pain is deeper. It’s the real problem - the one that creates emotion and urgency.
If you only address Level 1 pain, you leave deals on the table.
To get to Level 2, you must ask better questions and stay curious.
For example:
“You mentioned you are exploring AI agents to help with [X]. Can you tell me more about that?”
Then keep digging:
Why is this a priority now?
What happens if it doesn’t get fixed?
How does this impact you personally?
When you hit a nerve - when there’s emotion in their answer, you’ve found Level 2 pain.
That’s the pain that moves deals forward.
DO #3: Build Perceived Value
Founders and early-stage sales teams often love their product’s features.
I get it, it’s your baby. But features don’t close deals. Value does.
During discovery, focus on helping the prospect see the value of solving their pain.
For example:
“You said [Y] isn’t efficient, and it’s wasting your [X]. With [Z], we helped [a similar company] achieve [W] in three months. Would something like that help you, too?”
This does two things:
It shows you’ve been listening.
It helps them visualize what success could look like with your product. (I call it the Promised Land).
Discovery calls can sometimes feel one-sided, like an interrogation.
That’s why giving something back is important, a glimpse of what’s possible.
A look into the future.
A Little Perspective
I wasn’t the best salesperson when I started. But I was lucky enough to work with some of the best, and here’s what I noticed:
The top closers? They ran killer discovery calls.
And the rest? Well, they didn’t.
Here’s the thing: a bad discovery call sets the stage for a bad deal (or no deal at all).
But an excellent discovery call? That’s where great deals begin.
Discovery defines the deal.
Think about that.
Thanks for reading this far. See you all next week!
