#82: The Simple Way To Uncover Needs And Buyer Motivation

Read Time: 3.5 min

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Today, I will show you how to use what I coined the "One by One or One by Two Framework" to better identify the root cause of prospect pain on a discovery call.

Prospects typically will give you surface level answers to questions. It’s your job to peel back the onion and identify where the heart of the problem lies. This framework doesn’t just make you a better communicator; it positions you as a real pro who truly understands and cares. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. You convey you care by asking well thought out questions. The only way you do that correctly is by listening.

Most people stop at the first question, leaving valuable details on the table—or fire off too many unrelated questions, overwhelming the prospect and derailing the conversation. Don’t do this. Even worse, their follow-ups fail to address the specifics of what was just said—conveying to the prospect that they’re really not listening.

People buy people. People are primary. Product is secondary.

~ Yours Truly

In Issue 77, I discussed the framework we use with our clients to run discovery calls. In this issue, we’ll explore Step 2 of the discovery call process: identifying BANT.

Questions, for the most part, will be arbitrary based on your product and market you service, but these examples will cover the majority of info you need to understand.

Let’s take a look.

Current Process

Initial Question:
Great! I’d love to start by understanding how you’re currently managing [their workflow or process]. What systems or processes do you use to [specific task, e.g., consolidate revenue data, align teams on KPI tracking, automate customer touchpoints]?

• Follow-Up 1:
  You mentioned [specific detail they shared, e.g., that you’re using spreadsheets for tracking KPIs]. How has that method worked for your team? Are there any frustrations or inefficiencies that stand out?
  

• Follow-Up 2 (Optional):
  What happens when [describe a potential challenge they hinted at, e.g., you have to update reports manually or collaborate across departments]?

Challenges

Initial Question:
What are your biggest challenges when it comes to [specific pain point, e.g., integrating data from multiple sources, reducing manual errors, or ensuring real-time reporting]?

• Follow-Up 1:
  You mentioned [specific challenge they brought up, e.g., delays in getting accurate data]. Could you walk me through a recent example where this caused an issue for your team or your decision-making?
  

• Follow-Up 2 (Optional)
  What’s the impact of this on your team’s ability to [specific goal they’re trying to achieve, e.g., hit deadlines, scale processes]?”

Efficiency & Scalability

Initial Question:
“As your business grows and you handle more [specific factor, e.g., data points, accounts, customers], how are you ensuring your processes can scale without adding extra manual work?”

• Follow-Up 1:
  You mentioned [specific method or process they use, e.g., relying on a small team to manage growth]. How has that approach held up as your business has scaled? Have you encountered any bottlenecks?”
  

• Follow-Up 2 (Optional)
  What would happen if [specific scenario they’re concerned about, e.g., your data volume doubled or you expanded into new markets]?

Budget

Initial Question:
“Our typical customers allocate a budget ranging from [budget range] annually, based on factors like [volume of data, number of integrations, level of customization]. What kind of budget do you have set aside for [specific solution, e.g., workflow automation, data centralization]?”

• Follow-Up 1:
  You mentioned [specific budget constraint or flexibility]. How do you usually evaluate whether a solution is worth the investment?
  

• Follow-Up 2 (Optional)
  Are there any areas where you’ve found it difficult to justify spending, even if the ROI is clear?

Decision-Making (Authority)

Initial Question:
“Can you walk me through how decisions are made when adopting new solutions like [Your Company Name]? Who else is involved in the decision-making process?”

• Follow-Up 1:
  Can you walk me through how decisions are made when adopting new solutions like [Your Company Name]? Who else is involved in the decision-making process?
  

• Follow-Up 2 (Optional)
  Have there been any past challenges in getting alignment across stakeholders for similar decisions?

Timing (Urgency)

Initial Question:
“If we’re a good fit, what does your timeline look like for rolling out a solution like ours? Are you looking to implement something soon, or is this a longer-term project?”

• Follow-Up 1:
  You mentioned [specific time frame or dependency, e.g., aligning with your Q1 goals]. What’s driving that timeline??
  

• Follow-Up 2 (Optional)
  Is there any flexibility in the timing if we can deliver faster results for [specific pain point they mentioned earlier]?

Key Takeaways

• Drills Deeper: Your follow-ups are directly tied to what they’ve just shared, encouraging them to elaborate on key points and giving you more actionable insights and conveying you care.
  

• Shows Listening: By referencing their specific words or ideas, you demonstrate that you’re actively engaged in the conversation, building trust.
  

• Clarifies Priorities: Follow-ups like these help uncover what really matters to the prospect, enabling you to position your solution more effectively.

The "One by One or One by Two Framework" makes your discovery calls far more effective and conversational by focusing your follow-ups on their specific responses.

That’s it for today!

See you all next week.

Darren

P.S. If you’re a venture backed SaaS company interested in coaching book a call here.

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