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Discovery Call Questions Template
Ask the right questions to qualify leads, understand needs, and close more deals.
📋 The Questions
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# Discovery Call: [Prospect Name]
**Date:** [Date]
**Duration:** 30-45 minutes
## Opening (5 min)
- "Thanks for taking the time today. Before we dive in, can you tell me what prompted you to reach out?"
- "What are you hoping to get out of our conversation today?"
## Current Situation (10 min)
### Understanding Their Business
- "Can you walk me through how you currently handle [problem area]?"
- "What does your process look like today?"
- "Who's involved in this process?"
- "What tools or systems are you using right now?"
### Pain Points
- "What's working well with your current approach?"
- "What's not working as well as you'd like?"
- "How is this impacting your team/business?"
- "What have you tried to solve this problem?"
## Impact & Urgency (10 min)
### Quantifying the Problem
- "How much time does your team spend on this each week?"
- "What's this costing you in terms of [time/money/resources]?"
- "If you could solve this, what would that mean for your business?"
### Timeline
- "When do you need to have this solved by?"
- "What happens if you don't solve this?"
- "Is there a specific event or deadline driving this?"
## Decision Process (10 min)
### Stakeholders
- "Who else is involved in making this decision?"
- "Who will be using this solution day-to-day?"
- "Is there anyone else we should include in future conversations?"
### Budget & Authority
- "Have you allocated budget for solving this?"
- "What's your budget range for this project?"
- "What's your approval process for a purchase like this?"
### Evaluation Criteria
- "What criteria will you use to evaluate solutions?"
- "What's most important to you: [price/features/support/timeline]?"
- "Are you evaluating other solutions? Which ones?"
## Vision & Goals (5 min)
- "If we solve this perfectly, what does success look like in 6 months?"
- "What would make this a home run for you?"
- "How will you measure success?"
## Next Steps (5 min)
- "Based on what we've discussed, I think we can help. Here's what I'd recommend as next steps..."
- "Does [proposed next step] make sense?"
- "When would be a good time for [next meeting]?"
## Qualification Checklist
- [ ] Clear pain point identified
- [ ] Quantified impact (time/money)
- [ ] Timeline established
- [ ] Budget confirmed
- [ ] Decision-makers identified
- [ ] Next steps agreed upon
## Red Flags to Watch For
- [ ] No clear pain point
- [ ] No urgency or timeline
- [ ] No budget allocated
- [ ] Can't identify decision-maker
- [ ] Evaluating 5+ solutions
- [ ] Just "gathering information"
## Follow-up Actions
- [ ] @[Sales Rep]: Send proposal - Due: [Date]
- [ ] @[Sales Rep]: Schedule demo - Due: [Date]
- [ ] @[Prospect]: Provide [requested info] - Due: [Date]💡 Discovery Call Best Practices
Listen More Than You Talk
- 80/20 rule - They talk 80%, you talk 20%
- Ask follow-up questions - "Tell me more about that"
- Take notes - Capture exact phrases they use
Dig Deeper
- Use the "5 Whys" - Keep asking why to find root causes
- Quantify everything - Get specific numbers
- Find the pain - What keeps them up at night?
Qualify Hard
- Don't waste time - If they're not a fit, say so
- Confirm budget early - Don't wait until the end
- Identify blockers - What could prevent this from happening?
✅ Pro Tips
- Do your research - Know their company before the call
- Use a framework - BANT (Budget, Authority, Need, Timeline) or MEDDIC
- Mirror their language - Use the words they use
- Create urgency - Help them see the cost of waiting
- Always get next steps - Never end without a commitment
🚀 Skip the Note-Taking
Potato joins your discovery calls and captures what matters. Need to look something up mid-call? Ask and get an answer in 30 seconds. Focus on the conversation, not your notepad.