Discovery Prep

Pipeline contract

Stage 19 of 20. Reads 18-qualified.csv plus that lead's rows in 09-signals.csv, 13-personalized.csv, and 17-replies.csv. Writes 19-account-notes/<account_domain>.md.

• Start from what the run already knows: why they were targeted (source_type, signals), what was sent, what they replied. Research only the gaps.
• Every claim carries its source URL or the run file it came from. Unknown stays "unknown".
• One brief per booked or likely meeting — not for the whole list.

Files live in runs/<run>/. Column definitions: /prospecting-system. Standalone use: ignore this block.

Customize This Skill

This is a template, not a finished skill. Before using it for real work, customize it for your business.

When this skill is loaded for the first time, Claude should:

1. Ask the user about their specific context (industry, ICP, tools, voice, processes)
2. Suggest specific edits to the frameworks and templates below
3. Update the skill file with the user's answers
4. Only then proceed to execute the skill

To customize, tell Claude: "Read this skill and help me adapt it for my business. Interview me about what needs to change."

The frameworks below are proven starting points from running hundreds of campaigns. But they work 10x better once you plug in your specific tools, voice, and data.

When to Use

• Preparing for a first call with a new prospect
• Briefing before a follow-up or demo call with new stakeholders joining
• Re-engaging a stale opportunity (refresh your knowledge before reaching back out)
• Preparing for an upsell or expansion conversation with an existing customer
• Any meeting where you have 15+ minutes of prep time and access to research tools

Before You Start

Gather context from the user before researching. Ask for:

1. Who is the meeting with? (Name, title, company. If multiple stakeholders, get all names.)
2. What type of call is this? (First call, follow-up, demo, negotiation, renewal - this changes the entire briefing structure. See "Call Type Playbooks" below.)
3. How did they enter your pipeline? (Inbound, outbound, referral, event, warm intro)
4. What do you already know? (Prior emails, notes, CRM history, anything from a previous conversation)
5. What do you sell? (So the briefing can tailor pain hypotheses and value props to your product)
6. How much time do you have for prep? (10 minutes = layers 1-2 only. 30 minutes = all 4 layers.)
7. Any specific concerns or objectives for this call?
8. What is the desired outcome of this call? (Second meeting, demo scheduled, proposal requested, verbal yes)

Do not produce a generic briefing. The value of this skill is specificity. A briefing that could apply to any company is a wasted briefing.

Research Framework

Research happens in four layers. Each layer adds depth. For a quick 10-minute prep, cover layers 1 and 2. For a high-value meeting, cover all four.

Layer 1: Company Research

Goal: Understand what this company does, how big it is, and what stage it is at.

Layer 2: Prospect Research

Goal: Understand who you are talking to, what they care about, and how they communicate.

Layer 3: Competitive Landscape

Goal: Know who else they might be evaluating, using, or comparing you to.

Layer 4: Recent Signals

Goal: Find time-sensitive events that create urgency or relevance.

Call Type Playbooks

Different call types demand different prep. Always identify the call type first, then follow the relevant playbook.

First Call (Discovery)

Primary goal: Validate pain hypotheses. Earn a second conversation.

• Prep emphasis: Layers 1-2 (company + prospect). Layer 4 if time allows.
• Talking ratio: You talk 30%, they talk 70%.
• Structure: Rapport (2 min) > Context-setting (1 min) > Discovery questions (15-20 min) > Brief value statement (3 min) > Next steps (2 min).
• Key questions: Focus on current state, pain points, and what "good" looks like for them.
• Do NOT: Pitch features. Show slides. Demo anything. Talk pricing unless they ask.
• Success metric: They agree to a second meeting with a clear reason.

Follow-Up / Second Call

Primary goal: Deepen understanding. Expand to other stakeholders. Build the business case.

• Prep emphasis: Review notes from first call. Research any new stakeholders joining. Layer 3 (competitive) becomes critical.
• Structure: Recap first call (2 min, confirm you heard them right) > Deeper discovery on specific pain (10 min) > Present tailored solution (10 min) > Address concerns (5 min) > Next steps (3 min).
• Key questions: "Last time you mentioned [X]. Has anything changed?" / "Who else on your team would this affect?" / "What would solving this be worth to your team?"
• Do NOT: Repeat the same discovery questions from call one. They will notice.
• Success metric: Clear next step (demo, proposal, or intro to decision-maker).

Demo

Primary goal: Show them exactly how your solution solves their specific problem. Not a feature tour.

• Prep emphasis: Map their stated pain points to specific product capabilities. Prepare 2-3 scenarios using their language.
• Structure: Recap their situation (2 min) > Show solution to pain #1 (8 min) > Show solution to pain #2 (8 min) > Q&A (10 min) > Next steps (2 min).
• Key questions: "Does this match how your team would use it?" / "What would you change about what you just saw?"
• Do NOT: Show every feature. Click through settings screens. Demo things they did not ask about. Say "and another cool thing is..." more than once.
• Success metric: They say "Can you send pricing?" or "When can we start?"

Negotiation / Proposal Review

Primary goal: Agree on terms. Remove final blockers. Get to yes.

• Prep emphasis: Competitive positioning (Layer 3), contract terms, ROI calculation, internal champion coaching.
• Structure: Confirm mutual interest (1 min) > Walk through proposal (10 min) > Address objections one at a time (15 min) > Agree on terms or next step (5 min).
• Key questions: "What would need to be true for you to move forward this month?" / "Is there anyone else who needs to sign off?"
• Do NOT: Discount immediately. Show desperation. Rush past objections. Assume silence means agreement.
• Success metric: Signed contract, or clear timeline with named blocker.

Renewal / Upsell

Primary goal: Demonstrate value delivered. Expand the relationship.

• Prep emphasis: Usage data, ROI metrics from their engagement, new features since they signed, their evolving needs.
• Structure: Review wins together (5 min) > Share metrics (5 min) > Discuss what is next for their team (10 min) > Present expansion opportunity (5 min) > Next steps (5 min).
• Key questions: "What has been most valuable so far?" / "What are your priorities for the next quarter?" / "Is there a team adjacent to yours that faces similar challenges?"
• Do NOT: Take the renewal for granted. Skip the value review. Pitch expansion before confirming satisfaction.
• Success metric: Renewal confirmed, or expansion meeting scheduled.

Briefing Doc Template

This is the output. A one-pager the rep can scan in 5 minutes. Fill in each section based on your research.

============================================================
SALES CALL BRIEFING
============================================================

MEETING: [Date] [Time] [Duration]
PROSPECT: [Name], [Title]
COMPANY: [Company Name]
CALL TYPE: [First call / Follow-up / Demo / Negotiation / Renewal]
SOURCE: [How they entered pipeline: inbound, outbound, referral, event]
DESIRED OUTCOME: [What you want to walk away with]

============================================================
30-SECOND VERSION (if you only have time for this)
============================================================
- They are a [size] [industry] company that [what they do].
- You are talking to [Name] who is [title, tenure].
- They likely care about [top pain hypothesis].
- Open with: [one specific reference to their world].
- Ask: [one killer discovery question].
- Propose: [specific next step] at the end.

------------------------------------------------------------
1. COMPANY SNAPSHOT
------------------------------------------------------------
- What they do: [1-2 sentences]
- Size: [Headcount] employees, [Revenue if known]
- Stage: [Bootstrapped / Seed / Series X / Public]
- Key markets: [Geographies or verticals]
- Recent news: [1-2 bullet points of relevant recent events]
- Key decision-makers: [Names/titles of likely buying committee members]

------------------------------------------------------------
2. PROSPECT PROFILE
------------------------------------------------------------
- Role: [Title], in role since [date]
- Background: [Previous companies/roles, 1-2 sentences]
- LinkedIn activity: [What they post about, any recent notable content]
- Communication style: [Formal/casual, data-driven/narrative, fast/deliberate]
- Mutual connections: [Names, if any]
- Personal hooks: [Specific things to reference - a post they wrote,
  a conference they spoke at, a career milestone]

------------------------------------------------------------
3. PAIN HYPOTHESIS
------------------------------------------------------------
Based on their company stage, role, and signals, they are likely facing:

- Pain 1: [Specific problem + why you think they have it + evidence]
- Pain 2: [Specific problem + why you think they have it + evidence]
- Pain 3: [Specific problem + why you think they have it + evidence]

Note: These are hypotheses. The call's job is to validate or disprove them.
Lead with curiosity, not assumptions.

------------------------------------------------------------
4. TALKING POINTS (adapted for call type)
------------------------------------------------------------
- Open with: [Specific reference to something personal - their content,
  a mutual connection, a recent company event. NOT "tell me about your role."]
- Bridge to pain: [Transition question that moves from rapport to discovery.
  Example: "I saw you recently [signal]. A lot of [similar role] are telling
  us [pain]. Are you seeing the same thing?"]
- Value prop (if asked): [One sentence. Outcome-focused, not feature-focused.
  Format: "We help [who] achieve [outcome] without [pain they currently feel]."]
- Proof point: [One specific example - company name if allowed, metric,
  timeframe. "We helped [similar company] go from [before] to [after]
  in [timeframe]."]

------------------------------------------------------------
5. QUESTIONS TO ASK
------------------------------------------------------------
Discovery (validate pain hypotheses):
  1. "Walk me through how you currently handle [area you address]."
  2. "What is working about that process? Where does it break down?"
  3. "If you could fix one thing about [area], what would it be?"
  4. "What has that problem cost you - in time, revenue, or headcount?"

Qualification:
  5. "Who else would be involved in evaluating something like this?"
  6. "What does your timeline look like for making a change?"
  7. "Have you looked at other solutions? What did you like or not like?"
  8. "Is there a budget allocated for solving this, or would we need to
     build the case together?"

Closing:
  9. "Based on what we discussed, would it make sense to [specific next step]?"
  10. "What would need to happen on your end before [next step]?"

Stage-specific questions (pick based on call type):
  - Follow-up: "Last time you mentioned [X]. Has anything changed since then?"
  - Demo: "Does this match how your team would actually use it day-to-day?"
  - Negotiation: "What is the one thing that would make this a no-brainer?"
  - Renewal: "What has been most valuable to your team over the past [period]?"

------------------------------------------------------------
6. OBJECTIONS TO EXPECT
------------------------------------------------------------
| Likely Objection | Why They Say It | Your Response |
|------------------|-----------------|---------------|
| "We already have a solution for this" | Status quo bias, switching cost fear | "That makes sense. What made you take this meeting despite having something in place?" (Forces them to articulate the gap.) |
| "The timing isn't right" | No urgency or competing priorities | Tie to a signal: "You mentioned [X is a priority]. What changes if you wait another quarter to address it?" |
| "I need to talk to my team" | Not the sole decision-maker | "Totally understand. Would it help if I put together a one-pager they can review? Who specifically should I tailor it for?" |
| "Send me more info" | Polite brush-off or genuinely need material | "Happy to. What specifically would be most useful - a case study, pricing overview, or product walkthrough?" (Narrows the ask. If they cannot say what they need, it is a brush-off.) |
| "It's too expensive" | Budget constraint or unclear ROI | "Help me understand - too expensive relative to what? Your current cost, another vendor, or the budget you had in mind?" |
| "We tried something like this before and it failed" | Past trauma, risk aversion | "What went wrong last time?" (Listen fully.) Then: "Here is specifically how our approach is different on that exact point." |
| "Can you just send a proposal?" | Skipping discovery, wants to compare on price | "I want to make sure any proposal actually fits your situation. Can I ask two more questions so I don't waste your time with something generic?" |
| "Our team won't adopt this" | Change management concern | "That is the #1 concern we hear. Here is how [similar company] rolled it out - they started with [small scope] and expanded from there." |
| "We're going to build this in-house" | Belief they can DIY cheaper | "Some of our best customers started that way. The question is usually not 'can we build it' but 'should our engineers spend 6 months on this vs. shipping [core product feature]?'" |
| "I'm not the right person for this" | Genuinely wrong contact, or deflecting | "Appreciate you telling me. Who on your team would own a decision like this? Would you be open to making an intro?" |

------------------------------------------------------------
7. COMPETITIVE POSITIONING
------------------------------------------------------------
If they mention [Competitor A]: [Your key differentiator. One sentence.]
If they mention [Competitor B]: [Your key differentiator. One sentence.]
If they are doing it in-house: [Why your solution beats DIY at their stage.]
If they say "We're not looking at anyone else": [Reframe around the cost of
  the status quo, not the cost of competitors.]

------------------------------------------------------------
8. DO NOT SAY
------------------------------------------------------------
- Do not trash competitors by name. Differentiate, don't denigrate.
- Do not say "We're the best at..." (let proof points do this).
- Do not bring up pricing unless they ask. If they ask early,
  give a range and redirect: "It depends on scope. Let me understand
  your situation first so I can give you an accurate number."
- Do not say "That's a great question" before every answer.
- Do not promise things you cannot deliver to win the deal.
- Do not mention features that are "coming soon" as if they exist today.

------------------------------------------------------------
9. NEXT STEPS TO PROPOSE
------------------------------------------------------------
Based on call type, propose ONE of:
- [ ] Send tailored follow-up with [specific resource]
- [ ] Schedule demo with [their team + your SE]
- [ ] Share proposal / pricing
- [ ] Intro to [customer reference in their industry]
- [ ] Trial / pilot with defined success criteria
- [ ] Schedule follow-up with [additional stakeholder they named]

Always confirm: who, what, and when. "I'll send you [X] by [date],
and let's book [next meeting] for [specific day]. Does [day/time] work?"

============================================================

Data Sources Quick Reference

Where to pull research data, organized by what you need.

Pre-Call Checklist

Run through this before every call. If you cannot check at least 6 of these, you are underprepared.

• I know what the company does and their approximate size
• I know the prospect's title, tenure, and background
• I have 1-2 recent signals or news items to reference
• I have a pain hypothesis (at least one) grounded in research, not assumption
• I have 3+ discovery questions written down, tailored to this specific prospect
• I know who the likely competitors or alternatives are
• I have a specific proof point ready (customer story, metric, timeframe)
• I have a clear next step to propose at the end of the call
• I have checked my CRM for any prior interactions or notes
• I know who else might be on the call and have researched them
• My calendar is blocked 5 minutes before the call for final review
• My tech is tested (Zoom/Teams link works, screen share ready if demo)
• I have the briefing doc open on a second screen or printed

Anti-Patterns

Tips

• The goal of the first call is almost never to close. It is to understand their situation, validate your pain hypothesis, and earn the right to a second conversation.
• Quote their own words back to them. If they wrote a LinkedIn post about a challenge, reference it. If they said something in a prior email, bring it up. Nothing builds rapport faster.
• Silence is a tool. After asking a question, wait. The prospect will fill the silence with information you would never have gotten by talking over them.
• Take notes during the call and update your CRM within 10 minutes after. Memory decays fast. The briefing doc is wasted if the follow-up is generic.
• For calls with multiple stakeholders, prepare separate prospect profiles for each person. Different roles have different pain points and different decision criteria.
• Keep a running "objection library" for your product. Every time you hear a new objection, document it with the best response. This compounds over time.
• The best closers are the best listeners. If you are talking more than 40% of the time on a discovery call, you are talking too much.
• Send a calendar invite with a brief agenda 24 hours before the call. It reduces no-shows and sets expectations. Example: "Looking forward to learning about [their specific situation]. I'll share how we have helped similar teams with [relevant outcome]."
• After the call, send the follow-up email within 2 hours. Recap what you discussed, confirm the next step, and attach anything you promised. Speed signals professionalism.