The Go-To Playbook for Mastering Discovery

(7-10 minute read)

Discovery in itself is not binary and is conducted throughout all of your calls. You never actually stop doing discovery, you should constantly be learning. Discovery is handled throughout the entire sale, not just the first call; a state of perpetual curiosity.

The purpose of Discovery is a mutual exploration of "is this right for me"? We are asking questions to understand the core driving pain and motivation. Discovery IS NOT a place to pitch.

A good rule of thumb for discovering whether you had a productive conversation is “What did I learn from this interaction that I couldn’t Google?”. 

MEDDPICC/R/

MEDDPICC/R/ is qualification methodology into the visibility of a deal. It provides a framework to keep our deals on track.

• Metrics: How does your company quantify success and measure the return on investment (ROI) for this type of initiative?

• Economic Buyer: Who within your organization holds the budget authority and is responsible for final approval on this project?

• Decision Criteria: What are the key factors your company considers when evaluating and selecting software solutions?

• Decision Process: Could you walk me through your typical decision-making process for a purchase like this? Who are the key players involved and what are their roles?

• Paper Process: What internal procedures or approvals are required for this purchase (e.g., legal review, procurement process, security assessment)? How long does this typically take?

• Implications of Pain: What are the potential consequences for your business if this problem remains unaddressed? What opportunities might you be missing?

• Champion: Who within your organization is most passionate about solving this problem and would be our internal advocate for this solution?

• Competition: Are you evaluating any other solutions or vendors at this time? If so, what are you looking for in those alternatives? How satisfied are you with your current approach/solution?

• Risks: What potential roadblocks or challenges do you foresee that could prevent a successful implementation of a new solution?

The Flow of Discovery

Creating Undeniable Momentum

Discovery is a dance of attention, an artform. You can do all the right things and have the best process but if you’re boring nobody will be open to hearing your ideas or entertaining your questions.

There’s a certain Feng Shui, Yin & Yang to productive and effective discovery.

Effective discovery uses elements of Authority, Story Telling, Imagination, & Curiosity.

You absolutely have to be able to convey and articulate your ideas into something that the prospect can remember. People forget about facts and data but never how they feel when they leave your call. There’s a certain degree of showmanship that’s required to invoke those feelgood feelings that conveys charisma and being perceived as a person who can solve my problems.

We use story telling because great stories are memorable and can be used to convey complex ideas into interesting landing points for our calls.

Here’s the framework I follow on my calls:

• Set frame and context

  • Introduction → Set the "theme" of the meeting. The tone.

• Demonstrate yourself as an expert

  • Enter their world as an expert. Share strong opinions about challenges you’re seeing.

• Share customer stories around pain

  • Share a relevant customer story of their problem. “Your problem reminds me of when I dealt with...”

• Reveal the Intrigue

  • Connect the customer story pain to your solution

• Invite Open Dialogue

  • Tie in elements of the pain to drive the conversation around the customer challenges

• Make next steps worth while

  • Give customers a reason to care to show up for a next meeting

The Customer-Centric Storytelling Framework

1. The Relatable Challenge:

   • Start by introducing a relatable challenge or pain point that your target customer is likely facing. This could be a specific problem, a missed opportunity, or a common frustration.

   • Make it specific and tangible, not just a vague or generic issue. Use vivid language to paint a picture that resonates emotionally.

   • Example: "Have you ever struggled to keep up with the ever-changing demands of your customers? Have you felt the pressure to deliver faster, better, and more personalized experiences, all while facing budget constraints and resource limitations?"

2. The Protagonist's Journey:

   • Introduce the protagonist of your story – a customer who is very similar to your prospect in terms of industry, size, or challenges.

   • The more personal you can relate the protagonist that they are “just like me”, the more impactful the story will be.

   • Briefly describe their initial situation, highlighting the challenges they were facing and the negative impact those challenges were having on their business.

   • Give the story some drama. Add stakes to the problem.

   • Example: "Dustin Philips [Director of Facilities] with Acme, a leading manufacturer in your industry, was struggling to keep up with the demands of their growing customer base. Their manual processes were slow, error-prone, and couldn't scale to meet the increasing volume of orders. Dustin’s department was on the verge of collapsing unless he could figure out how to solve this challenge.

3. The Turning Point:

   • Introduce your solution as the turning point in the protagonist's journey. Explain how they discovered your product or service and decided to give it a try.

   • Highlight the key features or benefits that attracted them to your solution.

   • Example: "Dustin came to us borderline defeated. He exhausted his search with other providers and was at his wit’s end. So we worked together in implementing…”

4. The Transformation:

   • Describe the positive impact your solution had on the protagonist's business. Focus on the quantifiable results and specific outcomes they achieved.

   • Use data, statistics, or testimonials to back up your claims and make the story more credible.

   • Example: "Within weeks of implementing our platform, Acme Corp saw a 20% decrease in customer support costs, a 15% increase in customer satisfaction, and a 10% boost in overall sales revenue."

5. The Invitation:

   • End the story with an invitation for the prospect to envision themselves in the protagonist's shoes.

   • Ask a thought-provoking question that encourages them to consider the potential benefits of your solution for their own business.

   • Example: "Dustin's story resonates with me because [mention a personal experience or observation related to their industry]. I'm curious, what challenges are top of mind for you right now in terms of [relevant area]?"

Additional Tips:

• Keep it concise and focused. Your story should be short enough to hold the prospect's attention but detailed enough to paint a vivid picture.

• Use emotional language to connect with the prospect on a personal level.

• The more personal the stronger the impact. Keep it relevant to the problem.

• Tailor the story to your specific audience and their unique challenges.

• Be authentic and genuine. Share real-life examples and stories that resonate with your own experiences.

How you ask questions matters, a lot

One major key takeaway covered in “Never Split the Difference” is that there is real psychology in the art of asking questions.

How & What oriented questions lead to mutually productive ways forward.

Why oriented questions lead to defensive posturing to defend our position. Why comes off as amateurish in most cases and can derail a conversation.

How can we work together, what are the steps needed to work together vs why can’t we work together? See the difference?

Ways to think about discovery using MEDDPICC/R/

I use MEDDPICC/R/ as a way to give a general structure to what questions I should ask. There definitely isn’t a rule to the order but there definitely is a logical and congruent way the conversation can flow.

Not every question can or even should be answered in the first conversation because it not be appropriate.

MEDDPICC Discovery Questions - Prioritizing Pain

1. Pain (Directly)

   • What are the potential consequences for the company if this problem persists unresolved? (Financial loss, market share decline, talent attrition, etc.)

   • What's at stake for the company if you fail to act now? (Potential loss to competitors, falling behind in the market)

   • How does this issue affect your company's reputation or brand image?

2. Root Cause Analysis

   • What are the underlying root causes of this problem? (Don't just focus on symptoms.)

   • What historical factors have contributed to this situation?

   • What assumptions or beliefs within the company have led to this issue?

   • What external factors or trends have influenced the situation?

3. Metrics (Indirectly)

   • What's the potential positive impact on the company if you successfully solve this problem? (Financial gain, market share increase, improved productivity, etc.)

4. Economic Buyer (Directly)

   • Who are the key stakeholders who need to be on board to make this initiative successful?

   • What concerns or objections might these stakeholders have?

   • How will success be defined and measured not only for the individual but also for the company as a whole?

5. Decision Criteria (Directly)

   • How does this problem align (or misalign) with your company's overall mission and vision?

   • How does this issue impact your company's ability to achieve its long-term strategic objectives?

   • What opportunities are you missing out on because of this challenge?

   • How does addressing this problem fit into your company's broader growth or transformation plans?

6. Decision Process (Directly)

   • How can we build a coalition of support across the organization?

   • What challenges do you anticipate encountering when implementing a solution?

   • How can we ensure that the change is embraced and sustained by the organization?

   • What resources will be needed to support the change process?

   • What are the potential risks of not managing the change effectively?

7. Champion (Indirectly)

   • Who within your organization is most passionate about solving this problem and would be our internal advocate for this solution?

Potential Blockers - Always Stay Paranoid

It’s good deal hygiene to always assume your deal can go sideways for any reason. I’m always looking out for reasons my deal won’t close. Not asking about these don’t make the challenges magically go away. Great sellers know they need to get ahead of blockers.

Champion and Decision-Making Process:

• Champion's Influence: Does the champion have the authority to make the final decision, or are they just an influencer?

• Decision-Making Hierarchy: Who are the other decision-makers involved, and what are their priorities and concerns?

• Internal Politics: Are there any internal conflicts or competing agendas that could affect the decision?

• Previous Experience: Has the company purchased similar solutions before, and if so, what was their experience? Has your champion been involved in purchasing your solution before?

Budget and Timing:

• Budget Seasonality: Is the company's budget cycle aligned with your proposed timeline?

• Funding Sources: Where is the budget coming from, and are there any restrictions on how it can be used?

• Competitor Pricing: How does your pricing compare to competitors, and is it within the company's budget expectations?

• Hidden Costs: Are there any additional costs (implementation, training, maintenance) that might not be immediately apparent?

Legal and Security:

• Compliance Requirements: Does the solution need to comply with any specific industry regulations or standards?

• Security Concerns: What are the company's security requirements, and how does your solution address them?

• Data Privacy: How will the solution handle sensitive data, and does it comply with relevant privacy laws?

• Legal Review Process: How long does the legal review process typically take, and are there any potential roadblocks?

Competition and Alternatives:

• Competitive Landscape: Who are your main competitors, and what are their strengths and weaknesses?

• Status Quo Bias: Is the company resistant to change, or are they open to new solutions?

• Alternative Solutions: Are there any in-house solutions or workarounds that the company might consider instead of purchasing your product?

• Differentiators: What makes your solution unique and better than the alternatives?

Other Potential Blockers:

• Technical Compatibility: Will your solution integrate with the company's existing systems and infrastructure?

• Resource Constraints: Does the company have the necessary resources (IT staff, time, etc.) to implement and maintain the solution?

• Change Management: Is the company prepared to handle the organizational changes that may be required to adopt the solution?

• Unforeseen Events: Are there any upcoming events (leadership changes, budget cuts, etc.) that could impact the decision-making process?

Next Steps — Why should I care?

Give prospects a reason to care about next steps. What’s in it for them? Why would this be a good use of their time?

Are next steps actually productive or are they just a box for you to check so you can feel productive?

If the prospect hasn’t indicated any real pains worth solving or you’re unclear you really could help, save yourself the trouble and call it out. If the problem isn’t really obvious, is it really worth exploring still?

Key Considerations:

• Relevance: Ensure the proposed next steps are directly relevant to the prospect's specific needs and interests.

• Value: Clearly articulate the tangible benefits the prospect will gain from taking the next step.

• Choice: Offer multiple options for next steps, allowing the prospect to choose what resonates most with them.

• Collaboration: Emphasize your willingness to work together as partners, not just push a product.

Don’t be afraid to disqualify a meeting. Not every problem is worth solving.

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-Landon