discovery-guide

name

discovery-guide

description

Run structured discovery calls using SPIN, Sandler, or Challenger frameworks with tailored question sets and call guides. Use this skill whenever a rep needs help preparing discovery questions, is about to do a first call with a new prospect, wants a discovery call template, says "what questions should I ask", "help me prepare for a discovery call", "I need a call guide", or is working on improving their discovery process. Also trigger when someone mentions SPIN selling, Sandler, Challenger, or gap selling in a sales context.

Discovery Guide

Help reps run better discovery calls by asking the right questions in the right order. Discovery is the most important part of the sales process — everything downstream (demo, proposal, close) depends on how well you understand the prospect's situation.

Why Discovery Matters

Bad discovery leads to generic demos, weak proposals, and lost deals. Good discovery:

• Uncovers the real problem (not just the stated one)
• Identifies all stakeholders and their priorities
• Quantifies the impact of the problem (sets up ROI conversations)
• Establishes urgency and timeline
• Gives you everything you need for a compelling demo and proposal

---

How It Works

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                     DISCOVERY GUIDE                               │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  MODES                                                            │
│  1. Call Prep — Generate a tailored discovery guide for a call    │
│  2. Framework Training — Learn SPIN, Sandler, or Challenger      │
│  3. Question Library — Browse questions by topic and stage        │
│  4. Call Review — Evaluate discovery quality from a transcript    │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  FRAMEWORKS                                                       │
│  • SPIN — Situation, Problem, Implication, Need-Payoff           │
│  • Sandler — Pain, Budget, Decision                              │
│  • Challenger — Teach, Tailor, Take Control                      │
│  • MEDDIC-aligned — Metrics, Economic Buyer, Decision Criteria   │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

---

Getting Started

• "Prepare discovery questions for my call with [Company]"
• "Give me a SPIN framework call guide for [industry/persona]"
• "What questions should I ask a VP of Engineering about [topic]?"
• "Build a discovery question library for our SDR team"
• "Review my discovery call transcript — did I miss anything?"

---

What I Need From You

For a tailored call guide:

1. Who are you meeting? — Name, title, company
2. What do you sell? — Your product and key value propositions
3. What do you know already? — Any context from prior conversations or research
4. What's the goal? — First meeting? Follow-up? What do you need to learn?
5. Framework preference? — SPIN, Sandler, Challenger, or "whatever works"

---

The SPIN Framework

The most universally applicable discovery framework. Questions progress through four stages, each building on the last:

S — Situation Questions

Understand their current state. Keep these brief — don't interrogate. You should know most of this from research.

Purpose: Establish context without wasting the prospect's time.

P — Problem Questions

Identify pain points, challenges, and gaps in their current approach.

Purpose: Get the prospect to articulate what's not working.

I — Implication Questions

Explore the consequences of the problem. This is where deals are won or lost — most reps skip this entirely.

Purpose: Help the prospect realize the problem is bigger than they thought.

N — Need-Payoff Questions

Get the prospect to describe how a solution would improve their situation. Let them sell themselves.

Purpose: The prospect articulates the value, not you.

---

Output Format: Call Guide

# Discovery Call Guide: [Company Name]

**Prospect:** [Name, Title]
**Company:** [Company] — [Brief description]
**Date:** [Call date]
**Framework:** [SPIN / Sandler / Challenger]
**Goal:** [What you need to learn from this call]

---

## Pre-Call Context
[What you already know about the prospect and company, relevant news, any prior interactions]

---

## Opening (2-3 minutes)

**Agenda Set:**
> "Thanks for making time, [Name]. I was hoping to learn more about [their situation] and see if there's a fit. I've got a few questions, and of course I want to leave time for yours too. Does that work?"

**Build Rapport:**
- [Personal connection point from research]
- [Company-specific observation: recent news, growth, initiative]

---

## Situation Questions (3-5 minutes)

Keep brief — show you've done your homework.

1. "[Question about their current setup/process]"
2. "[Question about team structure or ownership]"
3. "[Question about tools they're using today]"

**Listen for:** [What signals to pay attention to]

---

## Problem Questions (5-8 minutes)

This is where discovery really begins.

1. "[Question about challenges with current approach]"
2. "[Question about what's not working]"
3. "[Question about what they've tried before]"
4. "[Question about impact on their goals]"

**Listen for:** [Pain indicators, frustration signals]

**Follow-up prompts:**
- "Tell me more about that..."
- "How does that affect [downstream outcome]?"
- "How long has that been an issue?"

---

## Implication Questions (5-8 minutes)

Help them connect the dots to bigger consequences.

1. "[Question about business impact: revenue, cost, time]"
2. "[Question about team impact: morale, productivity, retention]"
3. "[Question about strategic impact: competitive position, growth goals]"
4. "[Question about what happens if they don't solve this]"

**Listen for:** [Quantifiable impact, emotional reactions, urgency signals]

---

## Need-Payoff Questions (3-5 minutes)

Let them describe the ideal outcome.

1. "If you could wave a magic wand, what would [process/outcome] look like?"
2. "What would solving [problem] mean for [their goals]?"
3. "How would your team's day-to-day change if [pain point] went away?"

**Listen for:** [Their vision of success — use this in your proposal]

---

## Qualification Check

Before wrapping, confirm:

- [ ] **Pain:** Clearly articulated problem with measurable impact
- [ ] **Champion:** This person can advocate internally
- [ ] **Timeline:** There's a reason to act now (or within a defined window)
- [ ] **Budget:** They have or can get the resources
- [ ] **Decision Process:** You understand who else is involved

---

## Close the Call

**Summarize:**
> "Let me make sure I've got this right — [recap key pain points and desired outcomes]."

**Propose Next Step:**
> "Based on what you've shared, I think [specific next step] would be valuable. How does [date/time] look?"

---

## Notes Template

After the call, capture:
- **Key pains:** [What they said in their words]
- **Impact:** [Quantified if possible]
- **Decision process:** [Who, how, timeline]
- **Next step:** [What you agreed to]
- **Red flags:** [Anything concerning]

---

Question Library

When building a reusable question library, I'll organize questions by:

1. Framework stage (Situation, Problem, Implication, Need-Payoff)
2. Buyer persona (C-suite, VP, Director, IC)
3. Industry vertical (SaaS, Healthcare, Financial Services, etc.)
4. Topic area (Budget, Timeline, Decision Process, Technical Requirements, etc.)

---

Call Review Mode

Paste a transcript or notes from a discovery call, and I'll evaluate:

1. Coverage — Did you hit all four SPIN stages?
2. Depth — Did you go deep enough on implications?
3. Balance — Prospect talk time vs. rep talk time (aim for 60/40 prospect)
4. Missed Opportunities — Questions you should have asked
5. Next Steps — What to follow up on based on what was uncovered

---

Related Skills

• deal-qualification — Use discovery findings to formally qualify the deal
• objection-handling — Handle objections that surface during discovery
• proposal-builder — Turn discovery insights into a compelling proposal
• buyer-persona — Understand your buyer before the call