Discovery Call & Needs Analysis Flashcards
7 cards from real CST practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Discovery Call & Needs Analysis flashcards as text
A CST trainer is coaching a rep to use 'implication questions.' What is the goal of this question type in SPIN Selling?
Answer: Amplify the consequences of an unresolved problem to increase urgency
Implication questions connect a problem to its downstream consequences, making the cost of inaction feel tangible and building urgency to act.
What is the purpose of pre-call research before a discovery call?
Answer: To formulate intelligent, context-specific questions that demonstrate credibility and save time
Pre-call research enables the rep to ask informed questions that signal professionalism and quickly zero in on likely pain points.
Which scenario best illustrates 'needs behind the need' thinking during discovery?
Answer: Asking why fast reporting matters and discovering it's about board-level credibility, not just speed
Exploring why a stated need matters often reveals a more fundamental business or emotional driver that strengthens the value proposition.
When a prospect gives a very brief, one-word answer during discovery, what technique should the rep use to encourage elaboration?
Answer: Use silence or a simple prompt like 'tell me more' to invite further response
Silence and bridging prompts ('tell me more,' 'go on') signal attentiveness and encourage the prospect to elaborate without leading them.
A rep discovers during a call that the prospect has an unrecognized process inefficiency. According to best practice, what should the rep do with this insight?
Answer: Use implication questions to help the prospect self-discover the impact of that inefficiency
Guiding a prospect to self-discover a problem is far more persuasive than pointing it out directly, as it creates internally motivated urgency.
In a discovery call framework, what does 'FAINT' stand for as a qualification acronym?
Answer: Funding, Authority, Interest, Need, Timing
FAINT (Funds, Authority, Interest, Need, Timing) is a modern qualification framework that replaces BANT's 'Budget' with 'Funds' to better reflect how companies actually allocate money.
What is the primary risk of using a rigid, script-based discovery call checklist?
Answer: It causes reps to miss contextual cues because they are focused on checking boxes rather than listening
Over-scripted discovery prevents adaptive listening; effective reps use a guide as a safety net, not a verbatim script.