As a business owner, I’m often asked “How do you actually get things moving with a client to get work?” In this post, I want to open-source part of this process: conducting a discovery call for an analytics training course. A discovery call is an initial meeting or conversation designed to understand the client’s specific needs, expectations, and constraints before proposing a detailed training solution. This call typically falls early in the sales pipeline, usually after initial interest has been established but before formal proposals or contracts are created.
I want to kick this off by acknowledging that writing down these thoughts is as much for me as it is for you. Like you, I’m always learning, growing, and refining how I approach my business processes. So, if you have questions, ideas, thoughts, or disagreements… please share them in the comments. I’m sure it will help me, other readers, and possibly you to write them down.
Understanding the audience
It might seem obvious, but the very first thing to do during a discovery call is to understand who your audience is and where they stand in their analytics journey. At this stage, I typically assume that the potential client already knows, likes, and trusts me enough to have this conversation, meaning the goal here isn’t a hard sell. Instead, it’s about fine-tuning details and building a shared understanding of expectations.
Tailoring your conversation based on who’s in the room is critical. When speaking with HR or learning and development teams, you’ll focus heavily on learning objectives, instructional frameworks, and measurable outcomes. Conversely, conversations with more technical team members should delve directly into their real-world datasets, workflows, and existing bottlenecks. This specificity demonstrates your ability to create tangible value and understand their everyday challenges.
Additionally, you want to gauge the company culture and openness to change. Understanding how receptive the team will be to new methodologies or tools can significantly shape your training approach and ensure greater buy-in and participation.
Start with the budget (even if it’s awkward)
Do yourself a favor and get this out of the way quickly: understanding the client’s budget is critical. Budget drives everything else, from the depth and duration of the training to whether custom or off-the-shelf content makes sense.
Of course, asking directly about money can feel awkward. But I find that being transparent is effective. I usually frame it something like, “I have various tiers of services, and knowing your budget helps us identify which level will deliver the best value for your investment.”
Your pricing approach
When considering pricing, think flexibly. Offer low, medium, and high tiers of your service, clearly outlining what each level includes. The discovery call helps identify where your client fits best.
Consider tiered or per-seat pricing. For instance, you might have a flat rate per seat up to a certain number of attendees, with a discounted rate per seat after reaching that threshold. This helps clients clearly see the financial implications and allows for scalability.
Clarifying goals and objectives
Understanding your client’s ultimate goal for training is, again, the make-or-break factor of a discovery call. I always ask: “What would success look like?” Encourage your client to visualize the best-case scenario. How do they see the team’s performance changing? What improvements are expected in analytics capabilities or productivity?
Documenting clear goals upfront not only helps you structure the training more effectively but also provides measurable benchmarks against which the training’s success can be evaluated later.
Also, inquire about their past training experiences. Have they conducted analytics training before? If yes, what worked and what didn’t? This provides additional context and insights into their expectations.
Assessing participant numbers
Ask clearly how many people they intend to include in the training. The number of participants heavily influences logistical planning, pricing, and training methodology. For instance, smaller groups might enable more interactive, hands-on workshops, whereas larger groups might require a different approach, such as breakout sessions or webinars.
Custom data versus off-the-shelf content
A frequent question that arises is whether the training should utilize the client’s real-world data or generic datasets. Initially, most companies express enthusiasm for custom data, believing it will be immediately relevant and impactful. However, it’s crucial to discuss transparently the additional resources, time, and complexity involved in using their own datasets. Often, after understanding this, companies are perfectly content with standard datasets that replicate common business scenarios without the extra hassle.
Evaluate skill levels realistically
Another essential task in a discovery call is assessing the participants’ actual experience levels. Managers consistently overestimate the skill levels of their teams. Everyone is labeled an “expert” or “advanced,” and subsequently, there’s a belief that they need advanced training.
To circumvent this, I like to probe with practical questions, asking about their daily tasks, common issues faced, or even previous analytics training they’ve attended. This helps pinpoint the real proficiency of participants and ensures the training is neither overly basic nor unnecessarily complex.
Considering tenure
Understanding participants’ tenure and job roles further informs your training plan. Longer-tenured employees might have entrenched workflows that require more targeted change management strategies, while newer employees might benefit from foundational skills training.
The goal here is balance: creating a training session that speaks meaningfully to the needs of both new and seasoned employees, thereby maximizing overall impact.
Discussing training formats and platforms
During the discovery call, it’s beneficial to discuss the training delivery method: virtual, in-person, or hybrid. Each format comes with its unique logistics, costs, and effectiveness. Confirm their preference and share your experience on the advantages and challenges associated with each method.
Additionally, clarify the platform for virtual training. Will the training be delivered through Zoom, Teams, or another software? Ensure that the chosen platform supports the planned activities, such as breakout rooms, interactive polls, and screen sharing.
Establishing timelines and milestones
Successful analytics training requires clarity on timelines. Clearly define expectations about when training should occur, how long the sessions will last, and any follow-up engagements. Outline critical milestones, such as pre-training assessments, content reviews, and post-training evaluations.
Technical and administrative considerations
Lastly, identify any technical or administrative issues upfront. This includes discussing access to required software, licensing, technical support during the training, data privacy considerations, and backup plans for technical failures.
Following up after the discovery call
Once the call is complete, send a concise follow-up email summarizing the main points discussed, agreed-upon action items, and timelines. Clearly outline the next steps and who is responsible for each action. It can also be beneficial to set a tentative date for a follow-up meeting or call to maintain momentum. Timely follow-up not only keeps the conversation active but demonstrates professionalism and commitment to delivering value.
Conclusion
End your discovery call with clarity about the next steps. Confirm action items clearly—who is responsible for what, and by when. Offer to summarize the key points discussed and email them within a day. This provides clarity, keeps momentum, and helps ensure everyone stays aligned.
As you navigate your own analytics training discovery calls, remember every conversation is a learning opportunity… not just for the client but for you as well. Stay open to feedback, reflect frequently, and continuously refine your approach. If you’ve had different experiences, unique insights, or fresh ideas, please leave them in the comments.
I hope you find this type of content valuable. Personally, it’s a refreshing break from my usual screenshot-heavy technical writing to pause and explore thoughts and ideas from the business side of things. If there are other business or process-oriented topics you’d be interested in seeing covered, please drop them in the comments as well.
Leave a Reply