Revenue Remix - Inspiring Visionary Leaders

The Anatomy of a Great Discovery Call (And Why CEOs and Sr. Leaders Should Care)

• summer poletti

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Most sales teams think they have a closing problem. In reality, they have a discovery problem.

If your pipeline is full of stalled deals, prospects who "need to think about it," or buyers who ghost after a demo, chances are your discovery process is broken. The discovery call is the most important step in the sales process—get it right, and you’ll close more deals with less effort. Get it wrong, and you’ll waste time chasing people who were never serious buyers to begin with.

In this episode of Revenue Remix, we’re breaking down the perfect discovery call (and why perfection is overrated). You'll learn:
✅ Why most deals are lost before the close—and how to prevent it
✅ The critical mistakes reps make during discovery (and how to fix them)
✅ How to separate serious buyers from tire-kickers in the first call
✅ The structure of a high-impact discovery call—without sounding scripted
✅ How AI can prep you in seconds so you show up ready to win

🚀 If you’re tired of “interested” prospects ghosting you, this episode will help you tighten up your discovery process, qualify (or disqualify) faster, and focus your time on real deals.

Related Resources & Links:

Show notes:

  • Connect with Summer on LinkedIn
  • Visit Rise of Us for more information about Summer's services or to guest on the show and share your insights
  • Episode recorded and edited using Descript
  • Repurposed content, such as this description created using CastMagic
summer:

It's important to gain alignment on what will be discussed during discovery so that you can prepare and they know what to expect. What if they're expecting a demo, but you're expecting a Q and a to qualify them.

AI:

Welcome back to Revenue Remix, a podcast from Rise of Us, where we take a fresh spin on driving revenue growth, hosted by Summer Pelletti, a fractional CRO who works with business owners and leaders who feel held back by outdated systems. This podcast explores how adaptable, unified frameworks can transform static processes, equipping teams to meet evolving customer needs and drive resilient, lasting growth. Each episode features insights from Summer and her guests, offering practical strategies to sidestep common pitfalls and build real revenue momentum. It's time to re mix the way we think about growth. Enjoy the show.

summer:

Hello and welcome back to Revenue Remix. Today we're breaking down the anatomy of a great sales discovery call. But I'm not going to be doing this one alone. No, and I'm only a fan of role playing when I'm coaching someone, so it won't be like that either. For a topic like this, we definitely need to interview someone with some sales leadership chops. But I don't trust my clients with anyone's sales philosophies other than my own. So I have brought in a very special guest, an up and coming sales professional, an AI generated one. That's right, everyone. Please give a warm welcome to Jimmy Jimmy's a younger, ambitious sales professional who never blinks, always looks straight into the camera, speaks in a robotic monotone, has perfect hair. He's got one and only job today. Jimmy! Is going to interview me and you will get my philosophies on sales discovery calls. So, Jimmy, my friend, let's get it started. Hit me with the 1st question.

AI:

Thank you for that amazing introduction. I'm happy to join you and push the envelope of B2B podcast interviews. Let's explore the anatomy of an ideal sales discovery call so that the audience can get a peek into how you work. Let's start with the basics. Why are discovery calls so important to you? Why do a full breakdown?

summer:

The fact of the matter is that everything starts with the discovery call, right? Closing isn't the most important step. It's that one. And why I think owners and senior leaders need to pay attention is when I do a pipeline review with a new client, I uncover missed opportunities in the discovery process. Sales pipelines are full of stalled deals. Companies miss projections because of those stalled deals. And then when I take a hard look at them, a lot weren't even deals to begin with because they weren't properly qualified. Now, I don't fault sales folks, you get 99 no's for every yes. So, of course, they're going to pounce all over someone who books a discovery call and they want a demo too, and they want to see pricing. They must be hot, the thing is that buyers are looking around all the time and they have their reasons and they're not always completely clear about them. Maybe they're mad at their current provider and it's cathartic to look around. Maybe they're price checking their current provider ahead of contract renewal. Maybe they just want to see what else is out there in case anything changes or they're curious. Maybe they really are in the market to buy. But they hold their cards close to the vest, and all of those different types of shoppers will tell you one thing. We're very interested, and it's up to you to make sure your salespeople spend their precious time on only the right deals and that they don't overpromise on their projections. And it all starts with discovery.

AI:

Before we dive into the call details, let's start with something crucial, and that's alignment. Why is it so important to get on the same page with a prospect during a discovery call?

summer:

Whoa, you're coming out swinging, Jimmy. This is a big one. I'm used to working with sales folks who are just happy to find someone willing to talk. I've been guilty of it myself. It's important to gain alignment on what will be discussed during discovery so that you can prepare and they know what to expect. What if they're expecting a demo, but you're expecting a Q and a to qualify them.

AI:

Okay, I get it now, and it sounds like there's a story in there. Care to share?

summer:

Yeah, and of course, this lesson about getting alignment before the discovery call is one I learned the hard way. One story that sticks out to me is when I first was promoted to VP of Sales and my boss, the former VP of Sales, lined up for me. A meeting with someone who was interested in learning a little bit more about our brand new system. And it's my process to do a discovery call first. So I prepared for a discovery call. I didn't know that she had already told them all sorts of stuff about the system and talked it up. And what they were hoping for was a demo. I didn't even bring my laptop to that meeting. I'm lucky that I have some improv in my background, so I scrambled pretty quickly. We. Borrowed the laptop that was in their conference room. Luckily enough, I remembered all of the login information. And was able to do the demo on their server instead of our demo server. It was really awkward. So I learned that no matter who tees up the meeting. There needs to be a short discussion, or at a minimum an email that asks them, hey, just so that I can prepare. What were you hoping that we could cover

AI:

So you get in sync before the call. How do you like to start the call to create engagement right from the beginning?

summer:

starting the meeting? Sure, you have to start with some small talk, but most of the time we're not trying to waste time. You know, you're. Not really going to go on vacation with these folks. Right? And I don't want sales people to ever blur the lines between who they think is their buddy and who's actually a business associate. So, we want to start with a little bit of small talk the 1st, minute or 2 greet people, introduce people. And the little mini agenda that we set when we got aligned before the call. So that we know what we're going to talk about that. I confirm that. We've got 30 seconds set aside. We're going to go over this today and then lay out the outcome of the call or the expected outcome of the call so that we don't spend an hour and not really move the ball forward. So. Engagement in the beginning is light and then we're going to get down to business because most of the time. These are not social calls.

AI:

More managing expectations. I see a trend. What are the key things a salesperson should have prepared before the call starts?

summer:

So, we already talked about the fact that Discovery Call is the most important part of the sales process. PrEP is pretty much the most important part of discovery. The discovery call because you don't want to show up looking flaky. This might be your first call with this prospect, but most B2B buyers right now have filtered down their hot list and are talking to their top three contenders. You cannot afford a fumble here. So make sure you do research on the prospect. And an AI model can help you do that in seconds. I actually tested it today. It did the research and started producing potential questions that I could ask the prospect in 7 seconds.

AI:

When it comes to asking questions, what separates an okay discovery call from a truly great one?

summer:

So you're going to prepare. three to five open ended questions that you need to ask them. And these are your qualifying questions, the ones that let you know if there's a deal or not. And do not assume that just because they're talking to you that you had a deal. Remember, you can ask them, what were you hoping we could help with? You can ask some pointed questions that show you've done some research, which is again, why it's good to have an AI model do your research. Buyers today expect some amount of personalization, so you need to know who they are, how big they are, what industry they are, and then tailor some questions around that. That AI model can do that while you're doing something else. And then you're going to decide in advance, what is the next logical outcome after the call is done so that you don't fall into their check back in two weeks trap. I'm going to tell you, we're interested. We have to discuss internally, call us back in two weeks. That is Southern auntie for no.

AI:

Is there a structure or framework you follow to make sure you're uncovering the right information

summer:

a great discovery call. Is 1 that has structure and purpose and 1 that is designed to. Understand as quickly as possible. If this is a company that fits your ideal client profile that needs something that you can provide and who is really serious about buying a flimsy or okay. Discovery call is going to go through the motions and put somebody in your pipeline. But the good discovery call. Sorts out the shoppers from the buyers and buyers expect some level of personalization. Of course. So, your pre prepared questions aren't generic. Remember, they're at the end of their buying journey, whether or not this is the 1st time that you've talked to them. So you have to show up. Looking like you know what you're talking about So on that discovery call, do not waste time finding out things that the search could tell you, like, how many employees they have, or how many clients they have, or what's their annual revenue you're going to skip those and get straight to the meat of it. The good discovery call gets a really meaty discussion in. Even though it's your first discussion with them. Find out their business challenges that you can solve. Find out the impact of those decisions. Is it costing them money? Is it costing them clients? Is it costing them personal stress? And. You're going to find out about their buying process. Remember, they're 70 percent of their way to their decision, so they're going to know their cost expectations or what their budget is. They're going to have a committee working on this project, so they're going to know who's involved in making or influencing the decision. They're going to know approximately what their time frame is and what their urgency is. A good way to get to that without seeming too nosy is to ask them, tell me about the last time you implemented something like this. So, with all that structure. Generic scripts don't work. If that's the way you're going to sell, just send them a questionnaire. Like a good story, I want a beginning, middle, and an end. Set the agenda, have the conversation, and then wrap it up and establish next steps. To avoid sounding like an interrogator, you're going to have to react when they answer a question. Thank them for sharing, show some empathy. To transition to the wrap up, a good question is, is there anything else you'd like me to know? And once you're done with extra things that they'd like you to know, you can wrap it up. Be sure to keep an eye on that clock. Remember in the beginning, we establish how much time we've got. We don't want to go over. So you can remind people we've got 10 minutes left. I need to get you back to your day and then start wrapping it up.

AI:

A lot of sales reps talk about finding the prospect's pain points, but sometimes the real issue isn't obvious. How do you help prospects uncover their true challenges

summer:

Huh, oh boy. If every prospect who complained about service actually bought, I would live in a much bigger house. That is the hardest thing, digging beyond surface level pain or finding out that the person who says they're fine isn't. Boyfriends, of course, know what I'm fine really means. You can politely challenge people. Oh, you're happy with your provider. That makes sense. They do good work. I'm curious. What do you love about them? And what you're looking for is, well, I don't know that I'd say love. If they complain about a surface level pain, you have to know that that's rarely enough to make a change of software provider or service provider. So you can politely push back here. I bet you manage, though. And sometimes they're willing to tell you about a challenge that sounds bad, like my CPA caused me a tax issue last year, but you have to dig to find out more. Ooh, that sounds tough. What happened?

AI:

What's one question you always ask that consistently leads to deeper insights?

summer:

Hmm. There's not really one magical question.

AI:

Summer Pelletti of Rise of Us helps her clients transform by building adaptable, customer focused sales systems that replace outdated models. With these new frameworks, their teams can respond quickly to evolving customer needs, reduce friction, and work as one cohesive unit. This shift equips them with the tools to drive consistent growth. Lowering churn and creating lasting customer relationships. As a result, they achieve sustainable revenue growth that positions them ahead of competitors and prepared for future challenges. Together, you and Summer will create a foundation that not only meets today's demands, but supports long term success.

summer:

There's not really one magical question. I work with my clients on custom questions, but you can try getting your prospect to imagine a perfect world. Like, if you had 1 wish from a genie, what would you change about your what you do process? Or you can wave a magic wand. I mean, you kind of make that question your own, but basically you're asking them to paint that process with a perfect brush. Help you uncover some things. Oh, they talked about this particular issue. If that's a problem, you hear a lot, you know,, you can start digging, but that paint a perfect brush is a good way to get them to open up a little bit. It's also a silly question that might get them to laugh a little.

AI:

Let's talk about objections. What do you do when a prospect is interested but hesitant? Maybe they're holding back key details, or they seem like a fit but aren't fully engaged.

summer:

Now that one is easier to do live with a real prospect. There are generally two reasons that people are hesitant, either they're hiding something, maybe they're not that serious about making a change, but they're getting quotes to price check their current provider, or there's a buying project and they already have and you're that quota filler. It's also possible that you're dealing with an introvert. Sales folks tend to be loud and energetic. Not that I embody that or anything. I always say that the one question burning in your mind, that is the only question you need to ask. You can try something like, some hesitation. I hope I didn't offend you. I am a fan of falling on the sword. It really humanizes you.

AI:

What are some subtle red flags that indicate a prospect may not be as qualified as they first seemed?

summer:

Ooh, there are a lot of red flags. Prospect dominates the conversation and peppers you with questions. They might be looking for free consulting. They don't talk about their process or their stakeholders when they might make a decision. In short, you get pushback on what seems like pretty basic questions. That could be a clear indicator that they're researching, you know, they're just looking instead of serious about buying.

AI:

A lot of salespeople struggle with either being too pushy or not taking enough control. How do you strike the right balance in a discovery call?

summer:

I am all about being gently persuasive without being pushy during a discovery call is tough because you haven't built a relationship That's why I like that mini agenda in the beginning. You tell them how the call is going to unfold and you do it as setting the table. So it's not pushy. And hopefully you remembered to gain alignment on that before you got on the call in the 1st place. Most of a discovery call is a Q and a. So as long as you're laying some empathy, it won't come across as pushy. I am a fan of I'm curious. I'm wondering help me understand while you're asking the questions. So you don't sound like an interrogator. I'm also a fan of giving people space to say no. You're going to give them permission to tell you that they're not interested. So that they're, they don't think they have to be polite and string you on, you're going to give them permission to not answer some questions that might feel a little bit too probing when you give people space to politely say no or decline, you're less likely to get that ghosting situation. And more than anything, you got to watch your tone. You don't want to sound like you're plowing through your list of questions. Again, that's why I don't love call scripts. You have to care about their problems and whether or not you can solve them. And to demonstrate that you have to be willing to walk away if you can't solve a problem or if they don't have a problem. People will sense if you just see them as a wallet.

AI:

Once you've had a solid conversation, how do you like to wrap up the call to ensure a clear next step

summer:

If someone has spilled their guts and told you about all these problems they're experiencing, I like a, Hey, there's good news. I think I can help. Or even I think I can help something like that. What we want to say is, I think I can help. I'm positive. I can help. I can probably help. This goes back to not coming across as too pushy. You can tell them that you have what is needed in order to work up a proposal. When can your team get together to review? You want to make sure you got all the stakeholders on board. So, you're going to ask them something like, is there anyone who's going to feel left out if we don't. Check with them, or is there anyone who will feel left out if we don't invite them to the next call? Something like that. And then, of course, my rule is no emailed proposals unless it's a follow up. You need to be able to answer any questions that they have on the spot, and you're just, you're less likely to be ghosted if you discuss a proposal as opposed to email it and hope to God they answer their phone the next time you call. You need to get next steps on their calendar so that you don't chase them indefinitely. I like to use something like pencil in especially this early in the stage so the ask for the next meeting doesn't come across as pushy. I need a couple of days to put together the proposal. Can we pencil something in on Friday to review it? Okay, who on your team needs to see it? Okay, do we have everybody? Want to make sure we don't offend anybody by not inviting them to the meeting. Something like that can wrap it up and establish next step again without seeming too pushy.

AI:

Now we've outlined what makes a great discovery call, but in reality, No call is ever perfect. Why is good enough usually better than chasing perfection?

summer:

That is a great question. Good enough is good enough. Perfect is the enemy of good. You choose your cliche. But if someone spends so much time prepping that they don't make the calls or they don't set the calls until they know everything, this is especially dangerous with a new sales rep. That is a challenge. If you're on a call and you're following a rigid structure and don't allow rapport building, that's a big mistake too. If you forget a step or a question, you can always play clean up later. The most important is to pencil in that next date. It's like a second date, you know, you need to know they're just as interested as you are. What I advise CEOs and senior leaders is to get your folks on the phone as soon as possible, making appointments. If they don't do all of their discovery questions. You can do clean up later. You can always make improvements and fill in those gaps as long as you do it before you've talked to the prospect for, like, 6 months. Right?

AI:

Clean up? That sounds like you might have a bonus tip? Hope you have time for one more? If someone forgets a critical step, how can they make that up without feeling awkward?

summer:

Oh, my gosh, there is nothing worse than hanging up or getting in your car and realizing that you missed something. It happens to me. Unfortunately, more often than I want to admit, but don't beat yourself up. I've got a patented trick that is magical. And by the way, I stole it from someone else. So you can feel free to steal it from me. You're going to call them back whenever you do is your choice. You could call them when you're in your car, it's fine, but do it soon while the meeting is still fresh in their mind. Maybe you don't want to seem too desperate and automatically redial, but do it later that day or the next day, depending on when you have the meeting. And here's the magic. Hey, so and so, I was reviewing my notes and I had a couple more questions. Or, hey, so and so, I was thinking about this on the drive home. Um, you mind if I ask a couple of follow up questions? Reviewing your notes, thinking about it. You get to sound smart instead of like an awkward bimbo. And who is going to decline that call? You were studying. You have an extra couple of questions. Most people take that call and call you back.

AI:

I got a lot of reminders and learned a few new tips. Sales is a tough game and it's good to continuously upskill so we can keep up with the changing expectations of buyers. It was fun joining you. I'll turn it back over to you to wrap it up

summer:

Well, thank you, Jimmy What a guy! Always prepared, always professional, always wearing the same exact kind of creepy facial expression. He said he had fun. Did you believe him? All kidding aside, I generated him using freeware It is pretty cool. Go check it out. And rest assured that humans are definitely not obsolete, at least yet. All right, let's wrap this up. Just remember that surface level complaints will not compel someone to make a business change. Above all, you have to drill down to the impact that the problem is causing them, financial or personal. And if your prospect isn't willing to talk about challenges, they think you could help them with what kind of budget they have for your service, how they make decisions and who's involved. And mostly, if they won't set that next engagement, you've probably got someone who's just looking and not a serious buyer. Make sure your team isn't wasting resources, chasing deals that aren't real and get tight about those discovery meetings. Hopefully you had as much fun as I did with this, and hopefully you walked away with a tip or a reminder. If you liked this episode, drop a review, share it with your network, and if you're a real human with a good story to tell, I'd love to have you on the show. If you want to review your discovery process and look for areas that could be improved, book a quick chat, spend 15 minutes with me, and I'll give you one free insight. You can find me on LinkedIn. I'm Summer Paletti, rhymes with spaghetti, or you can find me, my services and my podcast guesting information on theriseofus. com. Appreciate the listen, and I will see you next week.

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