Sales Discovery Calls: 10 Effective Sales Call Tips

Sales discovery calls are more effective than MLM 3-way calls if you want to build authority with your leads and close sales.  

Why?

Because, the 3 way call puts someone other than yourself in the leadership position.

It makes you look like someone who does not really know what you are doing. And since, you are first contact with your prospect yet you push them to talk to someone else when they are familiar with you, you make it that much more difficult to win them over.

And while MLM 3-way calls are still popular, I think that the sales discovery call is going to become the gold standard.

Of course, the idea of running a call yourself may not be one that thrills you.  But, believe me when I say, I was terrified to get on the phone in the beginning until I mastered this sales call process.

The good news..?

You can get comfortable with making sales discovery calls easily if you have the right information and plan.

With that in mind, check out the 10 effective sales call tips that actually helped me crush my phone fears  and increase my sales and sign-ups.

#1: Prescreen Your Leads

My first sales call tip is that you shouldn’t jump on sales discovery calls with every person who fills out your opt-in form. You’ve got to screen them to ensure that it’s worth your time to talk to them.

One way to do that is to create a screening questionnaire. After getting the prospect’s name and email address, here are some suggestions for what to ask:

• What are your business goals?
• What is your current budget for (relevant product or opportunity)?
• How much time are you prepared to dedicate to (product or biz building)?

The goal is to determine if the person is a good fit for your team. You should specify that by filling out the questionnaire, they’re giving you permission to contact them by email – and that you’ll only contact people you think are a good fit.

#2: Map Out Your Sales Discovery Calls

There’s no way to know exactly what a prospect will say to you, but that doesn’t mean you can’t prepare for the call. Make a list of:

• Common objections to your desired outcome
• Common questions (so you can anticipate them)
• Information you need (so you can ask the right questions)
• Your timeframe for a response

Having a rough outline of your part of the call will increase your confidence and make it easy to stay on point.

#3: Write a Strong Opening Pitch

You’re the one leading the call, and that means you’ve got to have a strong opening pitch. The pitch should focus on why your product or opportunity is a good fit for the prospect and how it can benefit them. You may also want to pitch your own expertise and authority.

Think of this has an elevator pitch. It should be short (less than a minute) and to the point. This isn’t the time for fluff or filler. Be direct, succinct, and persuasive.

#4: Practice Your Pitch

You can and should plan out your pitch ahead of time, but you don’t want to sound overly rehearsed. That’s why I recommend rehearsing your pitch with a friend or family member. Practice it until you can get through it without looking at your notes.

You may also want to record yourself talking through your pitch. That’s a good way to make sure you’re not speaking too quickly (or saying “um” and “er”) during the pitch.

#5: Prepare a List of Open-Ended Questions

Asking yes and no questions can be useful, but sales discovery calls are a fact-finding mission. For that reason, most of the questions you ask should be open ended, leaving room for your prospect to give you the information that’ll help you close the deal.

Here are a few examples of open-ended questions:

• What are your goals?
• What problem are you trying to solve?
• Why hasn’t (problem) been solved yet?
• What other solutions have you tried?
• What’s your timeline for solving (problem)?
• What would prevent you from buying (product)?
• Are you the primary decision maker?

What these questions have in common is that they encourage your prospect to give you information – and that’s your most valuable commodity.

#6: Listen

One of the reasons I like sales discovery calls is that they’re ideal for introverts. Introverts tend to be wonderful listeners and a discovery call is the perfect opportunity for you to put that skill to use.

When your prospect talks, listen carefully.  Take notes. Pay attention to what they say and how they say it. Remember that even in a phone call, a lot of communication is non-verbal. Your prospect’s tone, inflection, and pauses can tell you a lot about them.

#7: Use Mirroring to Build Trust

When a prospect gives you permission to call them, they’re telling you that they’re trusting you with their time. It’s your job to make them understand that their trust in you is well placed.

When your prospect answers your questions, acknowledge what they say. Don’t interrupt, of course, but it’s always a good idea to say something like, “What I hear you saying is that you’ve experienced (problem) and tried X, Y and Z solutions.” That way, your prospect knows that you’re listening and that you care about their needs.

#8: Ask Follow-Up Questions

The chances are good that in the course of your discovery call, your prospect will say things that make you want to know more. When that happens, make a note of it and then – when they’re done speaking – ask a follow-up question.

Follow-up questions show that you’re paying attention. They also help you gather additional information that you can use to close the sale.

#9: Wrap Up the Call

Just as you need a powerful opening pitch, you also need a compelling closing for your call. Here again, you should rehearse but not sound overly scripted. You should:

• Reiterate your key points about why you think your offer is a good fit for the prospect
• Restate a few things that the prospect said in the call
• Tell them what will happen next
• Thank them for their time

Your wrap-up should be quick and to the point. Make sure that the prospect knows that you value their time and that you’ll be in touch.

#10: Follow Up Promptly

The final step is to follow up on the call promptly. Did you promise to email them a resource or the answer to a question? Do it right away. It’s also a good idea to send a general thank you email right after the call.

I recommend creating a follow-up email sequence that builds on the nurturing you did during the call and makes it easy for your prospect to take the next step.

Conclusion

Sales discovery calls may be new to you, but they’re the best way I know to build a personal connection with your qualified prospects and move them toward buying what you’re selling. The 10 tips I’ve listed here can help you get comfortable with sales discovery calls and use them to increase your profits.

Want to learn how to start raking in sales and sign-ups with just a phone call? I’ve got you covered!!

 Click here to get my free step-by-step guide; Selling Made Easy! Master the Discovery Call Process Even if You Hate Talking on The Phone.

P.S  If you're feeling stuck in your business even after you did everything your upline told you to do... Take a minute to Check out my 3 Step Marketing Blueprint to learn how to start marketing your business without feeling like a pushy salesman. CLICK HERE TO WATCH

"As an introvert entrepreneur I don't particularly enjoy chasing strangers online, networking events, talking about myself on social media or anything else you can think of that involves selling! But, because I learned how to market online the right way, I don't have to do those things."

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