How to do Discovery (BANT)
Opening: whether you’re talking to the same audience from a previous conversation or there are new stakeholders involved in the conversation, make sure to set the stage on the state of state before kicking off the call. The goal is to set the context for discussion and remind/reorient the audience on how we got to where we are today, what we’ve learned through our conversations to date, recap on initiative + pain points the organization is looking to solve, etc. You want everyone on the same page before kicking-off.
Tactical: Dedicate a single point of contact on the {Company Name} side to make intros on behalf of the team and set the stage for the conversation when there are large groups. Note: Default to the most senior person in the room.
Budget: Does the prospect have the financial resources to purchase Gradient Metrics? Is there a specific budget they are working with to allocate to research and data science?
- What is your current budget for this research project?
- Do you have a specific budget you are willing to allocate to this?
- How much are you currently spending on research?
- What would be the process for getting budgets earmarked and approved?
- Is there a specific budget threshold that would trigger a procurement review?
- Is there a specific budget number where this needs C-suite approval?
- Is this budget shared across multiple groups, or does this sit within your team’s remit?
- Who else is generally involved in deciding on a partner like Gradient Metrics?
- Who is responsible for making the final decision within the research team on spend in your organization?
- How much autonomy do you have in making decisions related to bringing on new vendors like us? Is there a formal process we should be aware of? Curious to undertand how you partner with folks like us?
- Can you describe your role and responsibilities within your organization as it relates to working with outsourced research partners like us?
- Can you provide details on the process your company uses to evaluate and approve research partners?
- Is procurement involved in the buying process? If so, how would they be involved?
- Would your leadership be involved at some point during the process? If so how are they generally involved?
- Who signs the agreement?
- When does legal/procurement get involved and what influence if any do they have in the decision?
- Can you walk me through how you are currently getting insights on {enter topic}?
- What are the team’s current capabilities and where do you see gaps?
- Do you have any current or upcoming research projects?
- Do you have an inhouse team that handles this or are you working with an outside firm?
- What business objectives are you trying to solve with this research?
- What is the main driver for wanting to explore this research today?
- How confident are you in your team’s ability to meet your clients research and data science needs?
- When thinking about a research and data partner, what specifically are you looking for?
- Talk to me about the insights you are currently getting and the process for surfacing them?
- Do you currently work with {competitor/ point solution}?
- Are you happy with the current process? What would make it better?
- How has {industry headwind} affected your ability to deliver quality research and insights for your {enter team / client}
- When do you plan to make a decision on choosing a research partner?
- When would ideally like to be live with the research?
- Are you looking to make a decision this quarter? year?
- Can you walk me through the process and associated timelines for evaluating, approving and onboarding vendors like us?
- Are there any upcoming {compelling events that would require the product}?
- What is the timeline for your budget approval process?