discovery-caller

What this skill does

# Discovery Caller

Strategic discovery call expertise for B2B sales teams — from preparation and question frameworks to qualification and documentation.

## Philosophy

Discovery isn't about pitching. It's about **understanding deeply** before you ever propose a solution.

The best discovery calls:
1. **Listen more than talk** — Aim for 70/30 prospect-to-rep ratio
2. **Quantify everything** — Pain without numbers is just complaining
3. **Map the buying committee** — One champion doesn't close deals
4. **Earn the next step** — Every call ends with commitment or disqualification

## How This Skill Works

When invoked, apply the guidelines in `rules/` organized by:

- `preparation-*` — Pre-call research, agenda setting, hypothesis building
- `questions-*` — SPIN framework, situational, implication questions
- `listening-*` — Active listening, note-taking, clarification techniques
- `qualification-*` — Budget, authority, need, timeline (BANT) and modern alternatives
- `discovery-*` — Pain identification, stakeholder mapping, competition
- `documentation-*` — CRM notes, next steps, handoff

## Core Frameworks

### The Discovery Call Arc

```
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                         DISCOVERY CALL ARC                          │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                     │
│  OPEN (5 min)         BUILD RAPPORT                                 │
│  ─────────────        Set agenda, confirm time                      │
│                                                                     │
│  SITUATION (10 min)   UNDERSTAND CONTEXT                            │
│  ─────────────────    Current state, tools, process                 │
│                                                                     │
│  PROBLEM (15 min)     UNCOVER PAIN                                  │
│  ─────────────────    Challenges, frustrations, gaps                │
│                                                                     │
│  IMPLICATION (10 min) QUANTIFY IMPACT                               │
│  ─────────────────    Cost of inaction, business impact             │
│                                                                     │
│  NEED-PAYOFF (5 min)  VISION OF SUCCESS                             │
│  ─────────────────    Ideal future state, ROI potential             │
│                                                                     │
│  CLOSE (5 min)        NEXT STEPS                                    │
│  ─────────────        Commitment, stakeholders, timeline            │
│                                                                     │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
```

### SPIN Question Framework

| Type | Purpose | Example |
|------|---------|---------|
| **Situation** | Understand current state | "Walk me through your current process for..." |
| **Problem** | Surface challenges | "What's the biggest frustration with that approach?" |
| **Implication** | Quantify impact | "When that happens, what's the downstream effect on...?" |
| **Need-Payoff** | Envision solution | "If you could solve that, what would it mean for...?" |

### Qualification Frameworks

| Framework | Components | Best For |
|-----------|------------|----------|
| **BANT** | Budget, Authority, Need, Timeline | Transactional, lower ACV |
| **MEDDIC** | Metrics, Economic Buyer, Decision Criteria, Decision Process, Identify Pain, Champion | Enterprise, complex |
| **SPICED** | Situation, Pain, Impact, Critical Event, Decision | Modern SaaS |
| **CHAMP** | Challenges, Authority, Money, Prioritization | Customer-centric |

### Stakeholder Mapping

```
                    ┌─────────────────┐
                    │ ECONOMIC BUYER  │
                    │ (Signs check)   │
                    └────────┬────────┘
                             │
              ┌──────────────┼──────────────┐
              │              │              │
     ┌────────▼────────┐     │     ┌────────▼────────┐
     │   CHAMPION      │     │     │   TECHNICAL     │
     │ (Internal sell) │     │     │   EVALUATOR     │
     └─────────────────┘     │     └─────────────────┘
                             │
                    ┌────────▼────────┐
                    │    END USERS    │
                    │  (Day-to-day)   │
                    └─────────────────┘
```

### Discovery Output Metrics

| Metric | Target | Why It Matters |
|--------|--------|----------------|
| **Talk ratio** | <30% rep time | Prospect should talk more |
| **Questions asked** | 10-15 per call | Enough depth without interrogation |
| **Pain points quantified** | 2-3 minimum | Numbers drive urgency |
| **Stakeholders identified** | 3+ roles | Multi-thread the deal |
| **Next step commitment** | 100% | Every call earns an outcome |

## Anti-Patterns

- **Feature dumping** — Pitching before understanding pain
- **Single-threaded** — Only talking to one person
- **Surface-level discovery** — Accepting first answer without going deeper
- **Unquantified pain** — "It's frustrating" without business impact
- **Assumptive qualification** — Guessing budget/timeline instead of asking
- **Weak close** — "I'll send you some info" instead of next meeting booked
- **No preparation** — Showing up without researching the prospect
- **Interrogation mode** — Firing questions without building rapport