# Discovery Guide > Run structured discovery calls using SPIN, Sandler, or Challenger frameworks with tailored question sets and call guides. Use this skill whenever a rep needs help preparing discovery questions, is about to do a first call with a new prospect, wants a discovery call template, says "what questions should I ask", "help me prepare for a discovery call", "I need a call guide", or is working on improving their discovery process. Also trigger when someone mentions SPIN selling, Sandler, Challenger, or gap selling in a sales context. Use when this capability is needed. - Skill: `tomevault-io/discovery-guide` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add tomevault-io/discovery-guide` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/tomevault-io/discovery-guide/raw - Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS) - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Product & Planning - Author: tomevault-io (https://skillmd.com/u/tomevault-io) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/tomevault-io/discovery-guide --- # Discovery Guide Help reps run better discovery calls by asking the right questions in the right order. Discovery is the most important part of the sales process — everything downstream (demo, proposal, close) depends on how well you understand the prospect's situation. ## Why Discovery Matters Bad discovery leads to generic demos, weak proposals, and lost deals. Good discovery: - Uncovers the real problem (not just the stated one) - Identifies all stakeholders and their priorities - Quantifies the impact of the problem (sets up ROI conversations) - Establishes urgency and timeline - Gives you everything you need for a compelling demo and proposal --- ## How It Works ``` ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ DISCOVERY GUIDE │ ├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ MODES │ │ 1. Call Prep — Generate a tailored discovery guide for a call │ │ 2. Framework Training — Learn SPIN, Sandler, or Challenger │ │ 3. Question Library — Browse questions by topic and stage │ │ 4. Call Review — Evaluate discovery quality from a transcript │ ├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ FRAMEWORKS │ │ • SPIN — Situation, Problem, Implication, Need-Payoff │ │ • Sandler — Pain, Budget, Decision │ │ • Challenger — Teach, Tailor, Take Control │ │ • MEDDIC-aligned — Metrics, Economic Buyer, Decision Criteria │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ``` --- ## Getting Started - "Prepare discovery questions for my call with [Company]" - "Give me a SPIN framework call guide for [industry/persona]" - "What questions should I ask a VP of Engineering about [topic]?" - "Build a discovery question library for our SDR team" - "Review my discovery call transcript — did I miss anything?" --- ## What I Need From You For a tailored call guide: 1. **Who are you meeting?** — Name, title, company 2. **What do you sell?** — Your product and key value propositions 3. **What do you know already?** — Any context from prior conversations or research 4. **What's the goal?** — First meeting? Follow-up? What do you need to learn? 5. **Framework preference?** — SPIN, Sandler, Challenger, or "whatever works" --- ## The SPIN Framework The most universally applicable discovery framework. Questions progress through four stages, each building on the last: ### S — Situation Questions Understand their current state. Keep these brief — don't interrogate. You should know most of this from research. Purpose: Establish context without wasting the prospect's time. ### P — Problem Questions Identify pain points, challenges, and gaps in their current approach. Purpose: Get the prospect to articulate what's not working. ### I — Implication Questions Explore the consequences of the problem. This is where deals are won or lost — most reps skip this entirely. Purpose: Help the prospect realize the problem is bigger than they thought. ### N — Need-Payoff Questions Get the prospect to describe how a solution would improve their situation. Let them sell themselves. Purpose: The prospect articulates the value, not you. --- ## Output Format: Call Guide ```markdown # Discovery Call Guide: [Company Name] **Prospect:** [Name, Title] **Company:** [Company] — [Brief description] **Date:** [Call date] **Framework:** [SPIN / Sandler / Challenger] **Goal:** [What you need to learn from this call] --- ## Pre-Call Context [What you already know about the prospect and company, relevant news, any prior interactions] --- ## Opening (2-3 minutes) **Agenda Set:** > "Thanks for making time, [Name]. I was hoping to learn more about [their situation] and see if there's a fit. I've got a few questions, and of course I want to leave time for yours too. Does that work?" **Build Rapport:** - [Personal connection point from research] - [Company-specific observation: recent news, growth, initiative] --- ## Situation Questions (3-5 minutes) Keep brief — show you've done your homework. 1. "[Question about their current setup/process]" 2. "[Question about team structure or ownership]" 3. "[Question about tools they're using today]" **Listen for:** [What signals to pay attention to] --- ## Problem Questions (5-8 minutes) This is where discovery really begins. 1. "[Question about challenges with current approach]" 2. "[Question about what's not working]" 3. "[Question about what they've tried before]" 4. "[Question about impact on their goals]" **Listen for:** [Pain indicators, frustration signals] **Follow-up prompts:** - "Tell me more about that..." - "How does that affect [downstream outcome]?" - "How long has that been an issue?" --- ## Implication Questions (5-8 minutes) Help them connect the dots to bigger consequences. 1. "[Question about business impact: revenue, cost, time]" 2. "[Question about team impact: morale, productivity, retention]" 3. "[Question about strategic impact: competitive position, growth goals]" 4. "[Question about what happens if they don't solve this]" **Listen for:** [Quantifiable impact, emotional reactions, urgency signals] --- ## Need-Payoff Questions (3-5 minutes) Let them describe the ideal outcome. 1. "If you could wave a magic wand, what would [process/outcome] look like?" 2. "What would solving [problem] mean for [their goals]?" 3. "How would your team's day-to-day change if [pain point] went away?" **Listen for:** [Their vision of success — use this in your proposal] --- ## Qualification Check Before wrapping, confirm: - [ ] **Pain:** Clearly articulated problem with measurable impact - [ ] **Champion:** This person can advocate internally - [ ] **Timeline:** There's a reason to act now (or within a defined window) - [ ] **Budget:** They have or can get the resources - [ ] **Decision Process:** You understand who else is involved --- ## Close the Call **Summarize:** > "Let me make sure I've got this right — [recap key pain points and desired outcomes]." **Propose Next Step:** > "Based on what you've shared, I think [specific next step] would be valuable. How does [date/time] look?" --- ## Notes Template After the call, capture: - **Key pains:** [What they said in their words] - **Impact:** [Quantified if possible] - **Decision process:** [Who, how, timeline] - **Next step:** [What you agreed to] - **Red flags:** [Anything concerning] ``` --- ## Question Library When building a reusable question library, I'll organize questions by: 1. **Framework stage** (Situation, Problem, Implication, Need-Payoff) 2. **Buyer persona** (C-suite, VP, Director, IC) 3. **Industry vertical** (SaaS, Healthcare, Financial Services, etc.) 4. **Topic area** (Budget, Timeline, Decision Process, Technical Requirements, etc.) --- ## Call Review Mode Paste a transcript or notes from a discovery call, and I'll evaluate: 1. **Coverage** — Did you hit all four SPIN stages? 2. **Depth** — Did you go deep enough on implications? 3. **Balance** — Prospect talk time vs. rep talk time (aim for 60/40 prospect) 4. **Missed Opportunities** — Questions you should have asked 5. **Next Steps** — What to follow up on based on what was uncovered --- ## Related Skills - **deal-qualification** — Use discovery findings to formally qualify the deal - **objection-handling** — Handle objections that surface during discovery - **proposal-builder** — Turn discovery insights into a compelling proposal - **buyer-persona** — Understand your buyer before the call --- > Converted and distributed by [TomeVault](https://tomevault.io/claim/jbalbu01) — claim your Tome and manage your conversions.