--- title: 10 Discovery Questions to Ask When Exploring a Qualified Lead description: The key to inbound sales is to build trust; these exploratory questions will help build the relationship and reveal the pain points you may address. image: https://www.trendingupstrategy.com/hubfs/Blog_Photos/shutterstock_165388571.jpg --- [![Trending Up - Logo - Horizontal - Color - Inverted copy](https://www.trendingupstrategy.com/hs-fs/hubfs/logos/Trending%20Up%20-%20Logo%20-%20Horizontal%20-%20Color%20-%20Inverted%20copy.png?width=210&height=70&name=Trending%20Up%20-%20Logo%20-%20Horizontal%20-%20Color%20-%20Inverted%20copy.png "Trending Up - Logo - Horizontal - Color - Inverted copy")](https://www.trendingupstrategy.com/) - [SALES-READY WEBSITES](https://www.trendingupstrategy.com/automated-sales-machine) - [SALES & MARKETING STRATEGY](https://www.trendingupstrategy.com/marketing-strategy-for-specialty-manufacturers) - RESOURCES - [BLOG](https://www.trendingupstrategy.com/manufacturing-blog) - [FREE RESOURCES](https://www.trendingupstrategy.com/manufacturing-marketing-resource-center) - [MARKETING ROI CALCULATOR](https://www.trendingupstrategy.com/roi-calculator) - [CASE STUDY](https://www.trendingupstrategy.com/conveyor-system-manufacturer-case-study) - CONTACT - [CONTACT US](https://www.trendingupstrategy.com/contact) - [CAREER CENTER](https://www.trendingupstrategy.com/career-center) - [FREE MARKETING ANALYSIS](https://www.trendingupstrategy.com/personalized-marketing-analysis-video) ## Smarketing Blog ## 10 Discovery Questions to Ask When Exploring a Qualified Lead by [Alicia Westphal](https://www.trendingupstrategy.com/blog/author/alicia-westphal)![](https://www.trendingupstrategy.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Profile_Pictures/Hubspot_Persona-Avatars/alicia_westphal_headshot_02.2017.jpg?width=35&name=alicia_westphal_headshot_02.2017.jpg) January 11, 2017 - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) Identify, connect, explore, advise. We use a variation on Hubspot’s [inbound sales method](http://hubspot.com/sales/sales-training), but the main points are the same: by educational and consultative in your sales process. The idea (and, in practice, the reality) is that prospects have already done a majority of their research about you and your products before they are ready to talk to a salesperson. As a result, salespeople must adapt to today's buyers.  In the first phase, [which we call the Discovery Stage](https://www.trendingupstrategy.com/sales-enablement), a salesperson is learning more about the prospective client, already qualified, to learn more about whether or not the person or business is an excellent fit - and vice versa. In today’s digital society, a prospect can just as easily learn everything they need to know about a company, solution, or problem through online research. So what sets a salesperson apart? Why should a prospect discuss their issues or pain points with a rep from your company? [Set your sales team up for success.](https://www.trendingupstrategy.com/sales-enablement) Enable them with the ability to actively listen. [HubSpot’s guide on active listening](http://blog.hubspot.com/sales/active-listening-guide) is a great place to start. ![shutterstock_165388571.jpg](https://www.trendingupstrategy.com/hs-fs/hubfs/shutterstock_165388571-1.jpg?width=750&height=500&name=shutterstock_165388571-1.jpg "shutterstock_165388571.jpg") The [key to inbound sales](https://www.trendingupstrategy.com/sales-enablement) is to build trust; these exploratory questions will help build the relationship and reveal the pain points which you might help with: 1. #### Tell me about your business. 2. #### Who are your favorite customers, and why? 3. #### What are some of your recent successes? 4. #### What makes them successful? 5. #### What is the journey these new clients made when they made the decision to go with your business? 6. #### Some of our clients have faced \[these difficulties\]. Are you experiencing \[these common industry issues\] at all? 7. #### I hear you telling me that you’ve faced \[this problem\] and you’re feeling \[this way\] about it. Have you tried solving the issue with any solutions yet? 8. #### What are you considering doing next year? 9. #### What’s holding you back from trying \[a solution like the one we offer\]? 10. #### What do you lose if you don’t solve the issue? **Follow up with the prospect. Be sure to repeat back the pain points you’ve identified and communicate your understanding of the problems they’re facing. Utilizing the principles you’ve learned from the [inbound sales methodology](http://hubspot.com/sales/sales-training) and the active listening guide, your sales team can start more conversations, uncover challenges and goals, handle objections, and close more effectively.**   Topics: [Improving Close Ratio](https://www.trendingupstrategy.com/blog/topic/improving-close-ratio) [Sales Enablement](https://www.trendingupstrategy.com/blog/topic/sales-enablement) ### About the Author: ### [Alicia Westphal](https://www.trendingupstrategy.com/blog/author/alicia-westphal) ![](https://www.trendingupstrategy.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Profile_Pictures/Hubspot_Persona-Avatars/alicia_westphal_headshot_02.2017.jpg?width=100&name=alicia_westphal_headshot_02.2017.jpg) Alicia is a sales and marketing strategist with experience in digital, content and inbound marketing. Her area of expertise is identifying and targeting audience personas. She enjoys the nerdy things in life, has a passion for reading all the things, and is a dogaholic and Disney addict. [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliciawestphal) [Twitter](https://twitter.com/otherwestphal) [![Insiders Guide to B2B Inbound Marketing - mock 2021](https://www.trendingupstrategy.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Premium%20Content/Insiders%20Guide%20to%20B2B%20Inbound%20Marketing%20-%20mock%202021.png?width=1275&height=1376&name=Insiders%20Guide%20to%20B2B%20Inbound%20Marketing%20-%20mock%202021.png)](https://www.trendingupstrategy.com/educational-resources/b2b-inbound-marketing-secrets-revealed)   ### About The Trending Up Blog On our blog, we'll share our passion and energy for strategy, inbound marketing, selling, and growing businesses. We hope you'll do the same! Here's what to expect from our blog: - The best ways to accomplish your growth goals - News & updates on the digital industry and what it means for you - How to keep *trending up*. 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