Gong.ai have analysed literally thousands of sales calls to get some really interesting, data-driven insights into what makes a successful discovery. They have summarised this into the 11 tips below.
- Discovery is a process, not an event
- Match your questions to the buyer’s journey
- Re-validate everything you uncover
- Phrase your questions to get long answers
- Say the three “magic” words
- Use “commercial-grade” listening
- Ask questions based on what your buyer said
- Ask questions only an expert could ask
- Ask the “sweet spot” number of questions
- Maintain a healthy talk-to-listen ratio
- Turn on your webcam
My favourite point is about maintaining a good talk-to-listen ratio. They have uncovered some compelling data that shows a correlation between top-performing sales reps and the proportion of time they spend listening.
I would urge you to give this article a read; it’s well worth the time.