Discovery calls are among the most important touch points in a company’s sales cycle. They are often the first prolonged conversations a sales rep has with their prospect and these calls can set the tone for all the interactions to follow. A positive discovery call can start the relationship on a great note, while a negative one can leave you scrambling for the next few months. Discovering what sets a great discovery call apart from the rest is therefore an urgent question to be answered.

In this report, SalesLoft & Gong uncovered a number of important insights that separate the discovery calls of top performers from those of their peers:

• Ask More Questions
  The more questions you ask, the higher your chances of success. Top performers ask between 11 and 14 questions per call.
• Have a Consistent Question Flow
  Be consistent in your timing and frequency of questions. Don’t ask all your questions up front and be sure to allow time for prospects to respond.
• Listen More Than You Talk
  Salespeople are still talking more than they listen. Top performers have a talk/listen ratio of 46:54 during discovery calls.
• Address Multiple Problems
  Don’t just focus on one business problem you can solve. Top performers cover four distinct problems during discovery calls.
• Schedule Early in the Week and Late in the Day
  Mondays are the ideal day for discovery calls with the ideal time lies between 3pm and 5pm.