Mastering the Pitch: Marketing Agency Discovery Questions That Build Trust and Tailor Solutions
Useful B2B Discovery Pitch Questions
In a B2B sales pitch, discovery isn't just about gathering information; it's about demonstrating your expertise, building rapport, and collaboratively crafting a solution that genuinely fits. By asking the right questions, you put yourself in a strong light and gather the precise details needed for a winning proposal.
Before stepping into any pitch, thorough research of their website and publicly available information is non-negotiable. This groundwork allows you to ask insightful questions that show you've done your homework.
Here are some targeted discovery questions, which we use, designed to uncover specific problems, challenges, and scaling opportunities, positioning your business as the ideal partner:
Understanding Their Current Landscape & Pain Points
Start by showing you've considered their existing efforts and are looking to understand challenges, not just assume them.
"Based on our initial understanding of your services and what we've seen on your website, it's clear you're achieving some great things. To help us understand where we might best add value, let's talk about some of the operational realities."
Regarding Sales & Lead Generation:
"Thinking about your current lead generation channels and strategies, where do you feel there's the biggest opportunity for improvement, or perhaps where you encounter the most significant bottlenecks in getting new prospects in the door?"
"Could you walk us through your typical lead qualification process? Are there particular stages where you've noticed leads tend to drop off, or perhaps where the quality of leads passed to your sales team isn't consistently meeting the expectations you've set?"
"Once those leads are delivered, what are the most common challenges your sales team faces in converting them into profitable sales? Are there specific pain points within that latter part of your sales cycle that you feel hinder successful conversions?"
"How do you currently track and measure the ROI for your client campaigns, particularly regarding the journey from a generated lead to a closed deal? Are there any gaps in your reporting that make it difficult to demonstrate the tangible value you're creating?"
Exploring Scaling Opportunities & Future Vision
Transition to their aspirations, showing you're forward-thinking and focused on growth. This is where you can subtly introduce how your capabilities align with their future.
"That gives us a great picture of your current state. Now, let's pivot to your vision for the future."
"Looking ahead, what are your primary goals for growth in the next 12-24 months? Are you aiming to expand into new industries, significantly increase your client base, or perhaps enhance your existing service offerings? And what challenges do you anticipate in achieving these ambitious goals?"
"Given the advancements in the market, how are you currently leveraging AI in other areas of your lead generation and sales process? And, more importantly, where do you see the biggest potential for further AI integration to truly enhance your services or scale your operations more effectively?" (This is a great question to subtly introduce your AI capabilities)
"When considering a new partnership or technology to support your growth, what are the key criteria you prioritise? (e.g., proven ROI, seamless integration, scalability, cost-effectiveness, cultural fit, etc.)"
Gathering Essential Information for a Tailored Proposal
Conclude by explaining that these next questions will help you craft a precise and effective proposal, demonstrating your commitment to a truly customised solution.
"To ensure we craft a proposal that is precisely tailored to your needs and truly impactful, a few more details would be incredibly beneficial:"
Campaign Goal: "For your clients, are you primarily focused on booking Phone Meetings, Face-to-Face Meetings, Online Meetings, or are you looking for support with Direct Sales?"
Industry & Target Market: "Which specific industries and target market segments (e.g., Small Businesses, Enterprise, Government, specific verticals) do you primarily serve, and what is your current geographic focus (e.g., Local, National, International)?"
Data Supply: "How do you typically source your data for campaigns (e.g., In-house List, Purchased List, Public Data), and what is the typical quality of this data (e.g., Cold, Warm, Hot)?"
Average Value of Sale: "What is the average value of a sale for your clients (whether annually or per transaction) that you aim to generate?"
Typical Lead-to-Close Conversion Rate: "What is the typical conversion rate from the leads you provide to your clients to actually closed sales?"
Cost per Lead/Sale: "Do you have an approximate or target cost per lead or cost per sale that you aim for, or that your clients expect?"
Desired Number of Leads per Month: "What is the desired number of leads per month you aim to generate for your clients?"
Engagement Duration: "When considering a new partnership like this, what is the typical initial engagement duration you're looking for – e.g., 3, 6, or 12 months?"
Alternatives: "Just so we understand the full picture, are you currently comparing our services against other similar companies, or are you also considering bringing these capabilities in-house?"
By employing these questions, you not only gather vital information but also demonstrate your strategic thinking, client-centric approach, and a genuine desire to be a true partner.
