Discovery calls aren’t just the first part of the process - they’re where the close begins. In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, Donald will dive into seven common mistakes salespeople make when making discovery calls (and, more importantly, how you can fix them.)  Stop the lackluster pre-call prep. We know back-to-back zoom meetings can be tiring. But from the prospect’s perspective, you have just one meeting. So come prepared! It’s not just a discovery for you; it’s a discovery for the prospect to see if they’re interested in working with you. Consider creating an agenda for the prospect to review before the meeting to ensure everyone gets what they want out of it. Don’t ask what you should already know. Call the company ahead, speak to end-users, and get helpful information. Entering the discovery call with the intel you need will set you apart as a salesperson and demonstrate the qualities you want to convey. Talk less Salespeople should not be taking more than 40% of the time. Instead, ask questions that provoke the prospect to spend more time responding. Build a rapport. Top performers engage in 17% less small talk than other salespeople. When it comes to conversations with the prospect, don’t waste time on small talk that doesn’t contribute to a substantial discussion.  Even if it isn’t necessarily related to your product, discuss things that further develop a relationship between you and the prospect. (AKA, not the weather.) Fully understand pain points. Only 13% of customers believe a salesperson can understand their needs. 44% of customers feel that only 25% of current providers help them maximize their value As a salesperson, don’t be afraid to have the prospect explain their situation in detail, so you have a comprehensive understanding (and thus provide a comprehensive solution.) Don’t ask a set standard of questions - ask clarifying and follow-up questions to get the most out of your interactions!  While a scripted template of questions can be a starting point, it is far from the only thing you should ask.  Next steps Don’t end a meeting without setting up a plan for the next one. Instead, consider setting aside the final five minutes of the meeting to ensure time to arrange the next steps.  Focus on the wrong competitors. The biggest competitor you have isn’t a company; it’s the status quo. People like keeping things the way they are. What about your product should make them embrace change? 60-80% of deals end in no decision - meaning the prospects don’t see enough of a reason to change their current situation.  This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio. Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real. But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com. This episode is brought to you in part by mParticle. Are you tired of wading through thousands of open sales positions to find the one perfect for you? Well, look no further. mParticle is one of the leading independent customer data platforms out there, and they’re looking for motivated remote sellers (just like yourself.)  With top-name clients from Spotify and Burger King to Airbnb, we don’t want you to let this opportunity go to waste! For more information and to view open positions, go to https://www.mparticle.com/careers/. This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, designed to help new and struggling sellers master sales fundamentals and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. We value your opinion and always