Buyers don't want to educate you; they want to feel understood. Begin calls by presenting a hypothesis based on your research. This signals expertise, builds trust, and fosters a more natural, collaborative conversation rather than an interrogation.
Engaging an executive late in a deal requires a different approach than initial discovery. Bring them up to speed on the project, frame the conversation around what you hope to achieve, and then ask high-level questions that connect to their strategic priorities to respect their time and position.
Sales reps often get stuck trying to ask smart-sounding questions they find online. The real breakthrough is focusing on understanding the prospect's current state and identifying what information is missing to build a business case, which will naturally lead to the right questions.
Most AEs get stuck at 'Level 2,' where discovery is a stage focused on understanding the problem. Elite 'Level 3' sellers see discovery as a continuous process used throughout the entire deal cycle to build the business case, drive consensus, and facilitate the buying journey.
Prospects often state facts like "our sales process is complex." This is not a problem that gets budget. AEs must dig deeper for the root cause (e.g., single-threaded deals) and then the business problem (e.g., low win rate affecting fundraising) to build a compelling case for the CFO.
Late in a deal, a team met a Global SVP who had different priorities than the champion. Instead of forcing it, the AE pivoted. They worked with the champion to find a new executive sponsor (a Mid-Market VP) whose business needs aligned, ultimately saving the deal.