Discovery calls are like first dates | Ask the wrong question, and there’s no second meeting.

In B2B sales, the discovery call is the single most important conversation in your sales process. It’s the moment when you decide whether to invest your time and your company’s resources in a deal for the next few months or move on.

A well-run discovery call builds trust, sets momentum, and paves the way to demo, proposal, and eventually close. A poorly run one quietly kills deals by creating confusion, weak commitment, or missed signals.

Start with the why

If it’s an inbound lead, begin with these simple yet powerful questions:
“What prompted you to speak with us?”
“What motivated you to meet us today?”

These surface the prospect’s real reason for the call – their why. That understanding gives you the foundation to guide the rest of the conversation.

If it’s an outbound meeting, you may spend the first 8–10 minutes giving a short overview of your product and the problem you solve. After that, shift into discovery mode.

Make it a conversation, not a checklist

Everyone says discovery should feel conversational rather than an interrogation. But how do you actually do it?

You listen. Fully. Then you ask follow-up questions tied to exactly what your prospect just said. That simple act creates flow and shows your prospect they’re heard.

Example:
You: “What are the timelines you have in mind to go live?”
Prospect: “Probably in the next two months.”
You: “Got it. What are the steps you need to complete on your side in those two months to make it happen?”
or
You: “What happens if you don’t hit that timeline?”

That kind of layered questioning uncovers motivations, constraints, and risk – all without feeling like a grilling.

And in today’s fast-moving environment, having real-time insights powered by AI during your sales conversations helps you ask sharper questions and uncover the truth faster.

Why missing a question can cost you the deal

Research by platforms like Gong shows that early-stage calls (discovery) look very different between closed-won and closed-lost deals – but by the time you’re at close stage, the differences diminish.

In other words, if you don’t ask the right questions early, you lose control of the deal before you even think you’re negotiating one. The data shows deals are influenced far earlier than most think – discovery matters most.

If you don’t uncover hidden constraints, unclear decision-making, competitor presence, or budget risks early, you may be heading into demo, proposal, and hand-off blind – and that’s how deals slip away.

Sample discovery flow (30-minute call using BANT)

Here’s a sample structure you can follow:

• What motivated you to meet us today?

• What are the current challenges you are facing in this area?

• How do you manage this process today?

• How long have you been trying to solve it?

• What have you tried so far?

• What tools are you currently using?

• What is the size of your team?

• What are the timelines for finalising a solution?

• What happens if you don’t finalise it within that time?

• Who will technically approve this solution?

• Who will commercially approve it?

• How do you plan to fund this initiative?

• If no budget is allocated yet, what needs to happen to get it approved?

• Who else are you evaluating alongside us?

And during the last five minutes, always plan the next step:
“We solve this problem for a lot of customers and would be happy to set up a demo. Would the same time next week work for you?”

This approach increases your chances of securing the next meeting.

Pro tips for a 30-minute discovery call

• Ask 10 to 12 thoughtful questions.

• Let the prospect speak about 80 percent of the time.

• Save detailed product talk for the demo – when they can see it.

• Your role in discovery is qualification, not closing.

Real-time sales enablement makes the difference

Discovery is not a one-time checklist. It happens across every conversation. But many sales teams only get enablement after the call. At that point, it’s too late.

That’s why real-time sales enablement powered by AI is a game-changer.

At convverse.ai, we built an AI sales call assistant that helps reps qualify live, during the call – whether you use BANT, MEDDPICC, or your custom framework. It listens, prompts you with relevant questions, and keeps your qualification process consistent through every call.

Because as great sellers say, ABC → Always be checking (and closing).

Happy selling.

Must Read: The real-time revolution: How sales enablement is transforming live calls in 2026

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