Why Most Sales Are Lost in Discovery and The AI Prompts to Fix It

I love the discovery part of a sales call, and you probably do too. It feels like a natural conversation where you’re just building rapport and asking questions. But here’s what most people don’t realize… discovery is actually where most sales calls secretly fail.

If you’re hearing "I need to think about it," or you’re getting ghosted after what felt like a great conversation, your discovery phase is likely the culprit.

To help you fix this right now, we’re giving you the exact AI Prompts for Sales Discovery that our clients use to instantly upgrade their sales scripts. Click here to grab the AI prompts!

Here are the most common issues we see in the discovery phase, and how to fix them so you can close more dream clients.

The two biggest discovery mistakes

As high-integrity women, we naturally want to help people. But on a sales call, this instinct can actually hurt your closing rate. Here’s what usually happens:

• Giving away free coaching. You hear a problem, and because you have the "curse of the expert," you immediately go off-script to fix it. When you jump into coaching mode, the prospect feels like they got all the clarity they need. They thank you for your time, and they leave without buying.
• Skimming past the deep stuff. A prospect will often use emotional trigger words or repeat the same phrase multiple times, giving the clue that “THIS MATTERS!!” It'll go either right over someone’s head, or they don’t want to be “nosy” and don’t dig deeper into the topic. I once reviewed a client’s sales call where a prospect said she was in an "abusive relationship" with her boss four times, and the client skipped right over it every time! No surprise that the sale didn’t close, because the prospect likely didn’t feel seen or heard. When you don't dig deeper into these vulnerable moments because you’re afraid of being nosy, you miss the chance to build real, undeniable trust and get to the heart of what truly matters for the prospect.

How to fix it: Find your blind spots with AI

We all have blind spots in our sales conversations. You’re likely repeating the same patterns over and over, which is why your close rate is stuck where it is. The easiest way to fix this is by letting AI review your calls.

Inside the Google Doc we’re sharing with you today, there are 2 specific prompts you can use with tools like ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini:

• If you record your calls: Feed the AI 10 to 15 of your recent sales call transcripts. Ask it to find the hidden patterns in what your prospects are saying, and have it generate 5 to 7 core discovery questions you need to ask every time based on those exact patterns.
• If you don't record your calls: Tell the AI exactly who you help, what your offer is, and why you think people aren't buying. The AI will ask you clarifying questions and then spit out 5 to 7 powerful, custom discovery questions just for you.

When our clients use these prompts, they get questions that completely change the dynamic of their calls. Questions like: "Where else is money currently going that matters less to you than this?" or "When you imagine doing this work, what part of you is skeptical or hesitant?"

The secret sauce: Plant seeds for "The Bridge"

When you ask the right discovery questions, you get your prospect to reveal what is truly keeping them up at night. Once they tell you their real problem, you can gently say, "I completely understand. That’s exactly what I help my clients with." You’re planting seeds. Then, when it’s time to transition to your offer, you don't have to do a sleazy "pitch."

Instead, you create a Bridge. You simply weave their exact words from the discovery phase into your offer presentation, showing them clearly how you will take them from their current pain to their desired outcome.

Ready to upgrade your sales conversations?

It takes less than 15 minutes to run these prompts, but it will make a massive difference in your bottom line.

Click here to get the AI Discovery Prompts!

(P.S. Inside that doc, you’ll also find a link to book a call with our team. If you want us to personally look at your sales process and help you stop getting ghosted, grab a spot on our calendar!)

Read related articles by The Laurens:

The 3 Ten-Second Moves That Turn 'Maybe' Into 'Yes' on a Sales Call

Four Things to Say When a Prospect Is Talking to Other Coaches