Post Discovery Meeting Checklist
She Said : First , it ’ s important to arrange your schedule so you ’ re not rushed . Whether it ’ s a Zoom meeting or in-person , running late throws you off mentally . You ’ ll be thinking about that instead of being prepared with the right questions and the right tone .
If it ’ s in-person , make sure your car ’ s clean and you ’ re carrying a neat laptop bag or briefcase , not a beat-up old bag . And dress up ! Personally , I like to dress as if I ’ m sitting in front of somebody with a three-piece suit . That way , I stand out from the other MSPs and am dressed appropriately no matter what the prospect is wearing .
He Said : Agreed . Your attire should be professional . If remote , look at your background : Is your unmade bed in view ? At a minimum , use the blurred background feature , but if you ’ re making virtual sales calls often , you need a designated , intentional space behind you .
The other part is your mindset . You know that feeling when you go into something fully prepared , and you know the feeling when you haven ’ t done your homework . If you ’ re winging it , you aren ’ t bringing 100 % confidence to those meetings .
Make A Positive First Impression
First impressions can make or break a sale before you even pitch your services , so you want to make a positive impact .
She Said : For me , the turning point when I started closing deals was when I started giving myself a pep talk : no matter whether I get the sale or not , I am going to provide such incredible value to the prospect that they ’ re going to love and remember who I am because I made their day better .
Act confidently and smile ! Ninety percent of communication is nonverbal . And take notes . It shows you ’ re paying attention , and you ’ ll need that information later to draft your proposal .
He Said : Shifting your frame of mind from “ I need the sale ” to “ I ’ m going to make their day better ” is a big part of de-stressing sales . Turning the focus onto helping someone else comes across in your credibility too . The next MSP in that prospect ’ s office will be pitching their business and talking about how great they are , not learning about the prospect . That mindset shift goes a long way toward positioning you as a credible expert .
Get Started On The Right Foot
The beginning of the meeting shapes how the rest of it will play out , so prepare an agenda to share with the prospect .
He Said : An agenda sets up guardrails to keep the meeting on track ; it also demonstrates that you have a process . Part of what you ’ re doing here is teaching the prospect how to buy IT services , and people trust experts with a clear process .
She Said : Right . Your agenda should start with quick introductions . Introduce yourself and ask everyone present to do the same . You don ’ t want to find out later that the guy to the left of the owner was actually the CFO and decision maker .
Then , confirm that you ’ re on the same page by summarizing what you discussed in the qualification call . If you sent over any marketing materials beforehand , this is a good time to ask if they ’ ve looked them over .
After you ’ ve gone through the discovery process and answered all their questions , set a time to conduct the technical assessment and confirm a date for the next meeting to go over your findings .
Check Your List , Then Write That Winning Proposal !
Keep in mind that every step of the 5 Step Process is to sell the next step , not the contract at the end . Focus on one step at a time .
After the meeting , use a post discovery meeting checklist ( see sidebar ) to make sure you have answers to all the questions . This information will help you put together a winning proposal !
Post Discovery Meeting Checklist
Use this checklist to review both before and after your meeting to make sure you have all the information you need . Follow up with an email or phone call if necessary .
Situation , Need And Motives
q Who currently supports their IT ? Are you replacing or augmenting ?
q Why are they considering changes now ?
q Can you clearly articulate their specific needs and goals ?
q What does success look like for them ?
q What are their main pain points and frustrations ?
q How do they use technology in their business ?
Right Fit q Can you solve their specific problems and meet their needs ?
q Is the solution within your expertise and supportable ?
q Are they a desirable long-term client ?
Money q Have you discussed a price range ?
q Do they have the budget and willingness to spend ?
Competition q Which competitors are they considering ?
q What are your strengths and weaknesses in this deal ?
Decision-Making Process q What is their decision timeline and process ?
q Do you know all the stakeholders and their decision-making authority ?
q What are their buying criteria and concerns ?
Next Step q Did you set a date for the presentation meeting or the network audit ? q Based on what you discovered , what do you think you can send to the prospect or do to give you an advantage in winning the deal ?
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