“We’ve found the best way to quickly figure out if there’s a real fit or not takes just two steps: first, a more in-depth 'discovery' call with yourself and any other people you want to bring in. And then if that call goes well, a follow-up group whiteboarding session or call with the key people on your team who’d be involved, so that we can flesh it out all at once if, how and when we should work together.” Step 2: (One Hour) Qualification / Discovery Call: “Is There A Fit?” This is a call with one or two of the prospect’s point people, the ones that usually check out new vendors. They want see if they like you and what you’re doing enough to spend more time on your company and introduce you to more people involved in their evaluation. You are qualifying or disqualifying them as well—remember, if it’s not a good fit, you should move on! Your goal, if there is a fit, is to create a plan with the prospect to organize a working or whiteboarding session that brings in their key people and decision makers, to meet with and create a vision with your key people. It’s not always realistic to do this with every prospect, but it isn’t as hard as you might think. The more confidently you can layout your process, and why it works for them, too (which it does!), the more likely they’ll follow along. Do they really want you bugging them for months about whether there’s a fit? Why not just figure it out now? Step 3: (Two Hours) Group Working Session: “Should We Work Together?” In this session, you want to create a joint vision together. Walk them through a design process on how they can and will become successful with your product. Coach the vision out of them rather than telling it to them. It’s fine to use slides for introductions and to set the context, but move to whiteboards quickly. Whiteboards allow both sides as a team to easily create something together in real-time! If you’re on the phone, of course it’s more challenging—but conceptually again set the stage and boundaries of the call, and help the client create a compelling and achievable vision with you that pulls them forward.