Most salespeople think they’re doing discovery when they’re really just checking boxes.
They ask about goals. Timelines. Maybe a budget. But the truth is, surface-level discovery leads to surface-level deals—or no deal at all.
If you want to close more business, you need to go deeper. The right questions uncover emotional pain, decision dynamics, and urgency—before you ever pitch.
Here are 7 Sandler-style discovery questions that will transform your conversations from transactional to transformational.
1. “What made you take this meeting today?”
This question gets to intent. You’ll learn what’s changed recently, who pushed for the meeting, and whether there’s urgency behind the inquiry.
💡 Pro tip: If the answer is vague, they may just be tire-kicking.
2. “Can you walk me through what’s happening now that you’d like to change?”
This opens the door to pain. Instead of asking, “What’s the problem?” (which sounds clinical), this version invites storytelling—and reveals frustration, inefficiencies, or missed opportunities.
3. “How is this impacting your team/business/clients?”
This is where emotion starts to show up. Selling to logic is fine—but selling to emotion wins. When someone describes how a problem is affecting others, it becomes more urgent to solve.
4. “What have you tried in the past to fix this?”
This question does three things:
Shows you what hasn’t worked
Gives you insight into their expectations
Positions you as a strategic partner (not just another vendor)
Bonus: You’ll learn how they evaluate solutions.
5. “What happens if nothing changes in the next 6–12 months?”
This is a Sandler classic—and a powerful motivator. If the answer is “not much,” you may not have a qualified prospect. But if the answer includes words like “fall behind,” “lose clients,” or “burn out”—you’re in the right conversation.
6. “Who else needs to weigh in on this decision?”
Stop guessing who’s involved. Ask early and directly. This helps you avoid presenting to someone who doesn’t have the authority—or worse, who can kill the deal behind the scenes.
7. “What’s your ideal outcome from this conversation?”
This question aligns expectations and makes the buyer feel heard. If they say “I want to see if you’re the right fit,” you now have permission to ask deeper questions. If they say, “Just gathering info,” you know to tread carefully with your time.
The Sandler Rule: No Pain, No Sale
At Sandler, we teach that unless a buyer has personal or business pain tied to a problem, they’re unlikely to move forward. Your job is to uncover that pain through careful, strategic questioning.
These 7 questions are just the start. What separates top-performing salespeople isn’t how well they talk—it’s how well they listen.