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Discovery Calls 101

  • Writer: Staff
    Staff
  • Jul 19, 2025
  • 3 min read


Table Of Content


What Is A Discovery Call

A discovery call is an initial conversation or meeting between parties (typically a buyer and seller) to understand the needs, intentions, and overall details as they pertain to a project or business opportunity. The purpose of the discovery call is to understand the vision for the project and determine if the parties involved are mutually a good fit to bring the vision to life.


Using Discovery Call

It's an opportunity for both parties to get to know each other, ask questions, and determine if they are a good match to work together. Think of discovery calls as a first date, an introduction if you will. A discovery call is a step that allows both parties to assess if it is worth exploring further. It is often a prerequisite to a project proposal .


Things To Consider

Recommendations and elements to consider as they pertain to discovery calls are as follows:


  • General Information: Primary information as it relates to the client and opportunity (such as who is the client, the sponsoring department, the market the work is taking place, and tentative dates).

  • Primary Details: What are the problems, needs, and challenges. This is also a good opportunity to get the backstory.

  • Overview: The nitty and gritty details. This is the who, what, when, where, and why. You'll also want to get a sense of the status/where the project current is at.

  • Outcome: What kind of support is needed? What are expectations? What does success look like?

  • Budget: What are the project budget/budget parameters?


Lessons Learned

See below for some lessons learned as it relates to Discovery Calls. Please note the following are based on unique experiences. Do what works best for you and your situation:


  • Create a Discovery Call template that frames the common questions and topics you need to discuss as they relate to discovery calls.

  • Be sure that you, or someone on your team, takes great notes during the call.

  • It may be good to send questions in advance of the call itself to maximize time.

  • Following the call, send over any additional questions or concerns that were not sorted during the call.

  • It in the best practice to use a discovery call as a measuring stick to if you should explore (put effort into) the opportunity/work with that entity any further. Time is money.

  • Oftentimes, the buyer is looking to the seller as the subject matter expert and the buyer may not be familiar with what it takes for the seller to do their job. Discovery calls are an opportunity to help the buyer get a better idea and manage expectations.


Closing

This step in itself is you doing your due-diligence of getting a real idea of the project and if it's something you'd even want to take on. As mentioned above, it is good practice to build your own Discover Call template containing essential discussion points relevant to you scoping a project and determining if it is a good fit for you to take on.



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Level Up Development is the professional development division of Level Up Solutions, equipping young professionals with the information, relationships, and experience they need to navigate their professional journey. LUD is on a mission to bring innovation and accessibility to professional development.


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