The YorN Discovery Meeting Opener
YorN “Discovery Meeting” Opener
Selling in the Age of Information and AI requires adapting your approach to meetings. The role of present-day salespeople and buyers has evolved. Here’s your money question at a Discovery Meeting today:
“Why did this prospect really agree to a meeting with me?”
Understanding the answer to this question is critical. Your ability to Discover this early will determine the success and effectiveness of your Discovery meeting and overall sales path
What Your Prospect Already Knows
Your prospect Googled your company, solution, and you before the first handshake. They checked out your LinkedIn and social media. They’re loaded with unfiltered data and believe they’ve solved their issue. What they don’t know are the nuances of your solution--how this shirt really fits. It’s your job to adeptly point that gap out and create value for yourself as a partner in your Discovery meeting.
You need a solid sales process to guide you both on your journey to YorN and not get sidetracked, but you need information about your prospect before you Pass Go and collect $200!
Auto-piloting and delivering a canned introduction of your company wastes everyone’s time. That’s last year’s process. They already know you. Your end goal isn’t just to provide pricing or information or give a sharp demo—it’s to uncover the change they are considering. That’s why they need your help. You must keep the sales journey relevant to their needs and respect their time.
You can’t do that if you don’t know them, their values…what makes them tick. Make this easy for them.
Use The YorN Meeting Opener at Your Next Meeting
At your next Discovery meeting, start with this. Write this down. Commit to memory—just use it!
“Tell me what I need to know about you and your organization in order to have an intelligent conversation with you.”
This question has superpowers. It’s open for interpretation, has no rules, and encourages your prospect to share what they perceive as what you need to know. It invites genuine conversation and throws your prospect slightly off the usual meeting starter path.
Why This Works
Every time I use this opener, I get unique, insightful responses. Some prospects share personal details—like their background, hobbies, or business history—while others go straight into their biggest challenges. Either way, their answer gives you control of the direction of the conversation.
For example:
Personal response: If they mention a passion for Bama football, playing heavy-metal banjo, or running a family business—follow up. These details often reveal values, motivations, and priorities. Why did they provide this as important to know about them?
Business response: If they say, “We started with one location and now have 12, but we’re struggling to compete,” they kicked that door open for follow-up.
The Five Most Important Words in Sales
Once they respond, continue the conversation using The Five Most Important Words In Sales, which I share in my book: YorN: The Sales Steps to Yes or No.
Try It Yourself
I challenge you to use this opener at your next Discovery meeting. You’ll be surprised how much more productive and insightful your conversation becomes. I’d love to hear your results—email me at [email protected]. I read and respond personally to every e-mail I receive.
