Pitching in Disco

Hey Savages,


Been a bit since I've been on. New role, but I'm back.


What's everyone's opinion on pitching to start a discovery call?


The team I've joined seems to rarely do it, but I've always been of the mind set that if it's my job to guide you to the right solution for you business needs and that starts by pitching what we do and who we do it for.



Update*** My manager didn't like it so right or wrong, back to that status quo #FallInLine

Do you pitch during the first call?

Attached poll
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๐Ÿ‘‘ Sales Strategy
โ˜๏ธ Software Tech
โ˜‘๏ธ Qualification Calls
19
CadenceCombat
Tycoon
7
Account Executive
โ€œPitchโ€ is kind of a loaded term in this context.

I firmly believe that pitching during a disco = amateur hour.

That being said, I absolutely plant seeds leading up to a tailored pitch / demo within the discovery call and will familiarize the prospect with my company and product but in very broad terms so that I can confirm at least some basic alignment.

This is also specific to SaaS solution selling. If its a more transactional process with a simple product, that can change things.
funcoupons
WR Officer
6
๐Ÿ‘‘
Exactly this.

I educate about us at a high level and give them relevant info as to why we might be a good fit for them and are at least worth looking into (as long as the disco questions went in the right directon.) I absolutely do not give them a hard pitch or get into the weeds on a disco call.
Sunbunny31
Politicker
4
Sr Sales Executive ๐Ÿฐ
Yep, agreed.ย  This is why I fell into the "grey area".ย  I'm not going to pitch, but I am going to provide some reasons why they'll be interested in continuing our conversation, as you and funcoupons both mentioned.
jefe
Arsonist
1
๐Ÿ
100%.

For any complex solution you have to lay groundwork but focus on the prospect and their needs to ensure your actual pitch is compelling.
dwightyouignorantsale
Politicker
5
Account Executive
Unless you are selling a pretty transactional it-is-what-it-is type product, itโ€™s really hard to tailor a pitch when you have no idea whatโ€™s going on or what the person youโ€™re talking to cares about.

not only should you be actively qualifying throughout the entire call (and cycle), this also gives you a chance to understand your prospects needs and challenges that you can reference and solve for throughout the entire deal.
Do.it.for.the.checks
Politicker
0
Account Executive
3 things. We sell a comprehensive suite of APIs and Saas. Pricing is publicly displayed and we offer a pay as you go model, so your dev team can get started without ever talking to me.

I "pitch" to set the groundwork that you don't need me, but I am here to get you to the most efficient path to your short and long term needs. It sets the context for why I ask questions about B when you came to buy A. I've always felt the context gives me better and more open answers.

The pitch isn't here are our products. It's here's the breadth of what we do and for me to adequately provide consultation I need to understand a lot more than you may expect about your business.
dwightyouignorantsale
Politicker
2
Account Executive
Do you primarily work on inbound opps or outbound?
With inbound, itโ€™s a little easier to get to the pitch quicker because generally they know what they are coming to you for and will bring up their challenges pretty voluntarily. With outbound, in my experience and with what I sell, so much of a 1st call is trying to learn about them to understand if there is even a fit and how. Once confirming, then I can get into a conversation of this is where we would add value and why versus a straight up pitch. But this differs depending on what youโ€™re selling.
Do.it.for.the.checks
Politicker
0
Account Executive
It's both. Because our APIs are self-serve, we routinely talk to someone spending 100 bucks a month trying to build a PoC. It's very easy to just collect the low hanging fruit. My objective is to move them to a more comprehensive solution or at least setup the big picture opportunity. (I also get paid more on contracts than consumption)

However even in previous roles, I've always felt pitching in outbound discos is even more important. Except I usually flip it. My pitch was always my companies "why". Why we exist, what people with similar titles come to us to solve. Avoid giving solutions or product focused stuff, but try to set context around the questions you are asking.

If I can explain that I understand you, your role, and the challenges you face, you typically are more willing to discuss them with me and more importantly discuss ways that together we can try to solve them.
CuriousFox
WR Officer
5
๐ŸฆŠ
Chillax man. You will have your chance. Disco ain't the time.
Do.it.for.the.checks
Politicker
0
Account Executive
Why? I'm genuinely curious why people think this.
funcoupons
WR Officer
2
๐Ÿ‘‘
How can you execute a finely tuned pitch without knowing all of the important details about your prospect, their needs, their current solution to the issue etc? Unless your product is very simple and transactional this just isn't possible in one, or even two calls. Especially true for complex SaaS products or very high value products. One really can't expect to build enough rapport in a 30 min disco call to successfully sell someone on a 500k purchase lol.

If you were to jump into some canned pitch in a disco call you'd be using up all of your gunpowder way too early in the game or giving straight up irrelevant and incorrect information.
Do.it.for.the.checks
Politicker
0
Account Executive
Clearly Pitch has different definitions to different people. I'm not trying to close anything in the first 30 minutes. I'm setting context for the questions being asked.

Taking the first 5-10 minutes of discovery session to set your company's why and breadth is my definition. We exist because of these set of problems. Now even though, the point of this meeting is to discuss Problem A, in our experience problem B and C are part the big picture too.

I'd argue the more comprehensive the product is, the more important this approach is. In simple sales, I need to figure out if you need X, if you need X I sell you X. In complex sales, I need you to trust me and the easiest way to trust me is to show I am an expert in this area. Then once you understand that I understand you, then I can ask questions and get complete and accurate answers.

And rapport is built by actively pitching "their pain/cost/problem"ย  back to them as the sales cycle continues on. Constant affirmation that my company and I have been here before.
funcoupons
WR Officer
2
๐Ÿ‘‘
Pitch generally means a sales pitch - your value prop, your proposed solution etc. What you're talking about is just sales process and fact finding.ย 
StringerBell
Politicker
2
Account Executive
I used to think it was better to save all my information and unload it at the demo presentation. However, Iโ€™ve noticed that since the disco is a first impression I have much better close rates in deals where I shared insights on the disco. Maybe this is obvious but without taking too much, I want them to feel like they got something of it other than me collecting info so I can demo better.
Sunbunny31
Politicker
2
Sr Sales Executive ๐Ÿฐ
I think to that point, sharing insights is different than launching into a pitch.ย  You can certainly provide relatable points along the way during your discovery.
Do.it.for.the.checks
Politicker
1
Account Executive
So this rationale is why I "pitch" but also because in provides context for the disco questions.ย 

Pitch is a bad term possibly. I don't give a solution, but instead lay out the breadth of problems we work with and how other companies do business with us.

My objective is that when you say I want to accomplish A, but I am asking you about B. It's because in the bigger picture A and B are both related.
poweredbycaffeine
WR Lieutenant
2
โ˜•๏ธ
I said yes, but I want to add some color/context.

Framing the solution is what I would consider "active discovery". You want to get their pains/challenges/needs etc, but while you gather that detail you can repeat it back and frame your solution as a solve/value add.

Don't kick off with a pitch deck, but certainly inject solution statements and confirmations into your first call.
Beans
Big Shot
2
Enterprise Account Executive
I'd say you're positioning in disco, not pitching, learning where you need to show value.ย 
Do.it.for.the.checks
Politicker
1
Account Executive
Yeah based on the comments. I think pitching is a bad term. It means too many different things to different people.

My pitch is context for the questions I am about to ask
Beans
Big Shot
0
Enterprise Account Executive
Yea you're absolutely going to start laying out value after you've found some pain, but I guess what I meant was you're not going to just dive in with a 30 second elevator pitch after introductions.
braintank
Politicker
1
Enterprise Account Executive
If you're pitching pre-discovery you're doing it wrong
Do.it.for.the.checks
Politicker
0
Account Executive
Why? I'm genuinely curious why people think this.
braintank
Politicker
1
Enterprise Account Executive
As you alluded in other threads -- I think "pitch" is too strong a word. I will definitely offer a 30 second overview of what we do to make sure everyone is on the same page, but my ideal disco call is 55 minutes of them talking, 2 minutes of me talking, and 2 minutes of planning next meeting where *maybe* I'll start to pitch based off "what we heard".ย 
SaaSguy
Tycoon
1
Account Executive
Im pitching first call! Maybe not an over the top explicit pitch but im guiding expectations and aligning with need and what we offer.
Blackwargreymon
Politicker
1
MDR
Unless you are selling a pretty transactional it-is-what-it-is type product, itโ€™s really hard to tailor a pitch when you have no idea whatโ€™s going on or what the person youโ€™re talking to cares about.
Clashingsoulsspell
Politicker
1
ISR
I "pitch" to set the groundwork that you don't need me, but I am here to get you to the most efficient path to your short and long term needs. It sets the context for why I ask questions about B when you came to buy A. I've always felt the context gives me better and more open answers.
cw95
Politicker
0
Sales Development Lead
Clicked the third option as it made me laugh but definitely don't pitch straight away. I always think about times where I have received a cold call and they've pitched without me having a scooby of who they are and getting completely put off. 100% just add humour and when the time is right, pitch!ย 
Diablo
Politicker
0
Sr. AE
I try to make it conversational by discovering more on why are talking today. This gives me fair idea about what I should speak that adds value to our 30 mins.
SalesSage
Valued Contributor
0
National Account Manager
not easily answered, call warmed some how? maybe. No for the most part.
MCP
Valued Contributor
0
Sales Director
Donโ€™t do it Wild Thing.
They donโ€™t care about you, they care about themselves ie; where theyโ€™re at today & where they want / need to be tomorrow. Ask questions about them, then ask if they want to see how you can help them realize their dreams. Tease, donโ€™t pitch.
AlexGG
Opinionated
0
Senior Enterprise AE
I will give a 1:30-2min high level overview of what we do and give them the opportunity to ask questions along the conversation, but a discovery call should be about exactly that : discovery. Absolutely no slides or proper lengthy sales pitch.
MR.StretchISR
Politicker
0
ISR
Unless you are selling a pretty transactional it-is-what-it-is type product, itโ€™s really hard to tailor a pitch when you have no idea whatโ€™s going on or what the person youโ€™re talking to cares about.
Mr.Floaty
Politicker
0
BDR
Thatโ€™s the way to finish.
Cyberjarre
Politicker
0
BDR
Hey, way to go, congrats!
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