“We’re all in shock” … Oracle reported earnings and jumped 35%.
NEWS TO KNOW
OpenAI and Oracle signed a $300 BN deal and they signed 4+ multi-billion dollar deals.
This vaulted Larry Ellison to the richest person in the world.
Who knew Oracle would be such an AI winner?
📚 – 8 rules for on-site presentations
📝 – How to handle “We need to sync internally”
💸 – When to Multithread
NEWS TO KNOW
📚 – How to Drive Sales Velocity Between Meetings (Me)
📝 – Chicago mixer with me, Jen Allen, and Jason Bay (9/25)
UPCOMING (EVENTS, WEBINARS)
The 4-Step Framework That Transforms Every First Call
From the Front Lines: After 4+ years at Gong and working with some of the best reps, one truth has become clear.
Top sellers never struggle with discovery calls. It’s the foundation skill that separates the best from the rest.
The encouraging news? Discovery mastery isn’t innate talent…it’s a learnable system.
Today, we’re breaking down the exact 4-step framework used to open every high-stakes discovery call.
Step 1: Lead With Intelligence , Not Generic Questions
The Problem: Most sellers open with lazy questions like “What are your top priorities?” This immediately positions you as another vendor fishing for information.
The Solution: Research-backed point of views that demonstrate you put in the work.
Before your call, develop 2-3 sharp observations about:
- Recent company news or leadership changes
- Industry trends impacting their sector
- Common pain points for their role and company size
Framework in Action:“Hey Shane, I’ve been tracking your space and noticed a few things: your competitors SalesLoft and Clari just merged, you brought on a new sales leader from a previous customer, and you launched into APAC.
Based on what I’m seeing with other revenue leaders, I imagine enterprise expansion and international growth are huge focuses as you aim to grow to $1BN in revenue. How does that stack up against what you’re most focussed on right now?”
Why This Works: You’re not asking them to educate you…you’re proving you’ve done your homework while making an informed guess they can validate or correct.
Step 2: Mirror Technique
The Trap: Rushing to your next scripted question instead of processing their response.
The Better Way: Active listening with immediate feedback loops.
After they share their priorities, reflect back what you heard in a more concise format:
“If I’m hearing you right…those are all important, but really it’s enterprise deals and industry expansion that are your biggest levers?”
Then pause for 3-4 seconds. Let the silence work for you.
They’ll often expand with the real insights you need.
Step 3: The “Trump” Question
Once they’ve outlined their priorities, deploy this follow-up:
“____ seems like a massive focus. What trumps that as an even bigger priority you’re focused on in the next quarter or two?”
The Psychology: This uncovers their true #1 concern, not just what they think your product can solve. You want their authentic biggest challenge, not the sanitized version.
Step 4: The Pain Funnel
Now that you know their real priority, dig deeper with strategic questioning:
- “Why did you choose enterprise expansion as #1?”
- “If we fast forward 12 months and fall short…what would be the most likely two reasons why?
- “What happens if you miss that target?”
The Objective: Walk away with complete clarity on their true #1 business priority and the emotional cost of failure.
Important: Resist the urge to explore economic buyers, decision processes, or technical requirements yet.
Build on this rock-solid foundation in calls 2, 3, and 4.
Pro Tip
Script that opening question like an NFL team scripts their first drive. When your opener is bulletproof, you can focus entirely on listening rather than scrambling for what to ask next.
The best discovery calls feel more like strategic consulting sessions than sales pitches.
