The idea
Discovery is a conversation to understand whether an offer fits a customer’s situation. Preparation helps you ask relevant questions without pretending you already know the answer. Public information and prior notes can provide context, but they may be incomplete or outdated. An agenda gives both parties a shared purpose and time boundary. It should allow the customer to add priorities rather than forcing a rigid script.
Apply it
Review the organisation, role, previous contact, and reason for the meeting using appropriate sources. Write a few hypotheses and label them as hypotheses. Prepare an opening that confirms the customer’s aim, available time, and desired outcome. Outline discussion areas such as situation, challenges, options, and next steps. Ask permission before recording a conversation and follow relevant policies. Avoid collecting personal information unrelated to the purchase decision.
Worked example
A training consultant is meeting a warehouse manager. The enquiry mentions inconsistent new-starter onboarding. The consultant prepares questions about current training, safety procedures, shift patterns, and the desired change. The opening confirms a thirty-minute meeting to understand the issue and decide whether a more detailed review is worthwhile. It does not begin with a long presentation about every available course.
Guided practice
Write a research note with three verified facts and three hypotheses. Draft a short opening agenda and one question inviting the customer to add a priority. Use a real business, a community project, or a clearly labelled fictional case. Work on one offer or customer segment so your notes remain comparable. Write your answer before reading it aloud. Replace vague claims with a name, number, date, or observable action. Keep a short list of assumptions and the evidence you would need to check them. Save this worksheet for the next lesson.
Checkpoint
Can you distinguish what you know from what you assume? Check that the proposed agenda helps both parties decide something useful by the end. Do not mark the lesson complete until you can explain your choice and identify one practical next action.