The goal of any discovery meeting is to truly learn about the needs of a prospect or client.
So why doesn’t it happen on every discovery call?
Why do some meetings end without a clear understanding of the business results the account wants to achieve?
Unveiling Prospect Needs: Beyond the Obvious
It’s easy to talk about what we have to sell and why prospects should want to buy it, but taking the time to learn about the prospect will truly pay off in the end.
It’s a simple concept, but it is always good to remember the importance of researching and preparing to ask meaningful questions to truly understand the business results your account wants to achieve.
Henry Ford once said, “If I asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” Ford was able to decipher between what they wanted and what they needed. A true need was that they needed a faster way to get from Point A to Point B.
The solution? Well, the rest is history!!
Understanding the Business for Effective Solutions
The more you understand about the business – the results it needs and its challenges, the easier it will be to present a solution that meets their expectation.
Collaborate with Your Account
Work with your account to identify a problem or growth opportunity that is important enough for the prospect to spend serious money, energy, and attention to solve.
Continuous Inquiry
Keep asking questions to identify their desired results and challenges.
Tailoring Proven Solutions
Remember, if you uncover a REAL need, you will be able to utilize your company’s assets to tailor a proven solution for your prospect. This is where it gets fun! You won’t have to try to convince the prospect because you listened to their needs and came up with a solution that you are confident will drive the desired result.
Conclusion
Once you uncover a true need and then tailor a proven solution in response to the results they need, you will be on your way to developing a long-term client.
Take the time to really discover and identify areas of need and growth. It will pay off!
*Editor's Note: This blog was originally written in 2017 and has since been updated.
