The Secret to a Great Discovery Call Isn’t Selling, It’s Asking Smarter

Sarah Sink
4 days ago
4 min read

Every business development professional knows that first discovery call feeling. You finally get time with a potential biotech client, you are prepared, and yet somewhere between introductions and project overviews, the energy shifts.

The call turns into a Q&A session that feels transactional instead of strategic.

The problem is not your pitch. It is your questions.

Discovery calls are not about proving expertise or listing capabilities. They are about uncovering what matters most to the other side: their triggers, challenges, priorities, and pressures. When you ask smarter questions, you do more than gather information. You earn trust.

The BD professionals who consistently win business understand this. They guide the conversation with purpose, curiosity, and confidence. They make prospects feel heard, not managed.

Here are five questions that separate great calls from forgettable ones and why they work.

1. “Can you tell me what prompted your team to start exploring CDMO options right now?”

Timing reveals priorities. This question uncovers the trigger behind the conversation, whether it is a clinical milestone, a new round of funding, or a manufacturing issue that forced them to look elsewhere.

You are not just asking why they reached out; you are listening for urgency and motivation.

Maybe they have six months until their IND submission or maybe they are two months behind schedule. Either way, you gain insight into how to align your support and when to engage internal stakeholders.

Why it works: People make buying decisions based on timing, not features. Understanding what prompted the conversation helps you match your pace and tone to theirs.

2. “What does success look like for you and your team?”

Every biotech defines success differently. For one team, it might be meeting a Phase 1 milestone on time. For another, it might be reducing batch variability or stabilizing a formulation ahead of toxicology studies.

This question allows you to move the conversation from what they need to why they need it. It gives you context to frame your follow-up discussions around their internal goals rather than your company’s offerings.

Why it works: It helps you speak their language. When you use their definition of success, you stop sounding like a vendor and start sounding like a partner.

3. “What challenges have you faced so far that you would like to avoid repeating?”

This is one of the most underused questions in BD. Every biotech has a history of what has gone wrong, even if they do not say it outright. Maybe their previous CDMO struggled with method transfer, communication gaps, or scope creep.

When you invite them to share pain points, you are also giving them permission to be honest about frustrations and risks.

The key is not to pounce on the answer but to listen and respond thoughtfully:“Thank you for sharing that. It sounds like clarity and consistent communication will be critical as we move forward.”

Why it works: You build trust by acknowledging the past without criticizing it. Prospects notice when you listen for meaning, not mistakes.

4. “How does your internal team prefer to collaborate during development?”

Partnerships fail less often from technical errors and more often from communication breakdowns. Some teams want weekly updates and dashboards. Others prefer milestone calls and short summaries.

By asking how they like to work, you are showing respect for their process and signaling flexibility.

Why it works: This question shows that you are focused on the experience of the partnership, not just the output. It also helps you plan internal alignment early so you can match your project management rhythm to theirs.

5. “When we look back on this six months from now, what will make you feel like this was a great partnership?”

This final question does two things. It ends the call on a forward-looking note, and it subtly invites them to visualize success with you in it.

Their answer will often reveal deeper motivators: credibility with leadership, confidence in delivery, fewer late nights, or even peace of mind that the project is on track.

Why it works: It frames you as a long-term partner, not just a vendor trying to win a bid. When you help them picture a successful outcome, you move from transactional conversation to trusted collaboration.

The Bigger Picture

Discovery calls are not about collecting data points or checking boxes. They are about creating space for understanding.

When you ask questions that uncover context, you signal that you are paying attention to the human side of the project. You demonstrate empathy, curiosity, and strategic thinking. These are the traits biotech clients remember long after the call ends.

The best BD professionals do not dominate discovery calls. They guide them. They know that asking smarter is what opens the door to every opportunity that follows.

If you want to elevate how you connect with prospects and lead conversations that build real trust, my course Ask Smarter, Close Sooner was built for business development professionals in CDMOs. It gives you the frameworks, conversation flow, and confidence to turn discovery calls into lasting partnerships.

For more insights and personalized support in navigating the biotech-CDMO landscape, visit my website: www.yourpharmagirl.com and follow Your Pharma Girl on LinkedIn. Whether you need strategic guidance, tailored BD solutions, or expert advice on building lasting partnerships, I am here to help you and your team succeed at every stage of development.