Overview

Ensure every discovery call runs on a consistent structure that maximizes the chance of a qualified proposal without feeling scripted. The goal is to diagnose the prospect's real situation, show Elevaite's credibility, and leave with a clear next step.

Before You Start

Access to company website and LinkedIn
Elevaite's 10 ICP pain points framework
Discovery brief template
Proposal PDF template ready to customize
CRM row in Google Sheets
Slide deck with client name on Slide 1
Notetaking doc open in Google Doc or Notion
Video call link confirmed and working

Steps

Research company website for what they sell, clients, and team size (20 min)
Check LinkedIn for founder background, company size, recent posts about AI/ops
Review public case studies, testimonials, about pages to understand their process
Note industry, revenue stage, and how client-heavy operations appear
Use Claude to draft pain point hypothesis identifying 2-3 most likely from Elevaite's 10 ICP pain points
Guess their tool stack (CRM, project management, comms, content)
Identify obvious manual workflows from their site
Format discovery brief using Claude with company details, pain points, and proof points
Send discovery brief to Thad via Slack or Notion at least 2 hours before call
Create CRM row in Google Sheets with name, company, date, lead source
Update slide deck with client name on Slide 1 and relevant proof on Slide 2
Thad reviews brief and adds context within 30 minutes of call start
Start call with 5-minute rapport phase - Thad sets agenda and introductions
Z leads 20-minute discovery using 4-6 key questions, taking verbatim notes
Z transitions to 10-minute diagnosis using 4 Stages of AI Transformation framework
Thad presents 10-minute scope preview of 3 engagement options
Thad closes with 5-minute next steps and objection handling
Thad sends follow-up email within 1 hour using Claude with prospect's exact words
Z sends customized proposal PDF within 2 hours using Claude to fill template
Z updates Google Sheets CRM with date, lead source, stage, next step
Z logs call notes in Notion using Claude to format raw notes
Z executes follow-up cadence: Day 3 check-in, Day 7 light touch, Day 14 final follow-up
Both debrief async via Slack within 24 hours on what went well and adjustments

Quality Check

Discovery brief sent at least 2 hours before call with all 5 sections complete
Verbatim notes captured prospect's exact words for pain points and success criteria
Qualification criteria met: clear bottleneck, has tried AI, budget signal, decision-maker present
Follow-up email sent within 1 hour using prospect's language
Proposal customized to correct engagement type and sent within 2 hours
CRM updated with all call details and next follow-up date set

Common Issues

Prospect can't articulate pain points: Use discovery questions 1, 2, and 7 to help them self-diagnose
Budget concerns: Lead with AI Audit + Roadmap as low-commitment entry point
Not the decision-maker: Ask "Who else would be involved in a decision like this?" and get path to real buyer
Generic AI outputs concern: Use discovery question 5 about sounding like their brand, show relevant client proof point
Previous automation failures: Ask discovery question 4, validate their experience, position audit as diagnostic

Discovery Call Prep Run and Follow-up