🦾 The Discovery Call Question That's Costing You Millions

Hey Insider, "So what challenges are you facing right now?"

Sarah cringed as she listened to the recorded call.

That same tired question had been her go-to opener for years.

Today was different—she was investigating why Jason, a rep with half her experience, was outselling everyone on the team.

She pulled his last five discovery calls and spotted it immediately.

Where Sarah and others asked questions that could apply to any business on earth, Jason's questions hit like precision strikes:

"I noticed when your CEO presented last quarter, she highlighted a 12% increase in customer acquisition costs after the platform migration. How has that specifically impacted your enterprise segment economics?"

The prospect's response was immediate: "Finally, someone who gets our actual problem."

When we analyzed 100+ discovery calls across performance levels, the pattern was undeniable.

Average performers asked 2-3 customized questions per call. Elite performers asked 9+ questions that showed deep pre-call research. Their close rates? 4.6X higher.

The transformation insight:

Your prospect decides your value in the first seven minutes of discovery. If you sound like everyone else, you'll be treated like everyone else—a commodity to be price-shopped.

Your actionable framework:

1. The Research Multiplier: For every 10 minutes of call time, invest 15 minutes researching specifics that will shock your prospect with your preparation.

2. The Pattern Interruption Question: Start with a question that makes them think, "I've never been asked that before" within the first 90 seconds.

3. The Business Impact Sequence:

   • "What happens to [specific business metric] when this problem continues?"

   • "Who besides you feels that pain most directly?"

   • "What's prevented you from solving this already?"

4. Silence as a Weapon: After asking a high-impact question, count to SEVEN before speaking again, even if uncomfortable. This is where the gold emerges.

Think You're Different?

"My discovery process works fine. I check all the important boxes."

Reality Check: If your questions could appear in any generic "discovery call template," you're positioning yourself as a replaceable commodity. Your prospect has heard it all before—and given the same rehearsed answers.

Moment of Truth

After implementing this approach, Sarah's prospect-to-opportunity conversion jumped 38% in just three weeks. But more importantly, her average deal size increased 26% because she uncovered pain points her competitors never found.

Sales Fit Challenge

This week: Record your next discovery call. Count how many questions you ask that could ONLY apply to this specific prospect and their situation. If it's fewer than 5, you're leaving money on the table.

Your move: What's the single most impressive insight you could bring to your next discovery call that would make your prospect think, "This person really did their homework"? Do that research today.

Win the Day! Ken Lundin