Playbook
The Agency Discovery Call Playbook
An agency discovery call should understand the prospect's problem well enough to decide whether a next step makes sense, not pitch your services.
This agency discovery call playbook, published by Tim Kilroy, explains why discovery is not a sales call, how to prepare, what to learn on the call, and how many conversations your revenue goal needs. It is built from Tim's discovery call guidance for agencies.
Published by Tim KilroyLast updated:
How do I run a discovery call that doesn't get ghosted?
Stop pitching. The most common reason agencies get ghosted is a call that was really a pitch with a question stapled to the end. The agency explains its process, walks through case studies, asks about timeline, and sends a proposal. Then the prospect disappears.
A test Tim Kilroy uses with agencies: after the call, ask “What did I really learn about this prospect's business?” If the answer is mostly what you told them, that was not discovery.
What a discovery call is, and what it isn't
Definition
The discovery call, in the Agency Playbook Journal
A discovery call is a structured conversation whose only job is to understand the prospect's problem well enough to decide whether a next step makes sense.
You are there to learn what is broken, how big the problem is, what they have already tried, how they make decisions, and whether you can genuinely help. A sales call comes later, when you present a solution and ask for a decision. Tim Kilroy calls the payoff Return on Understanding: the deeper your understanding of a prospect's business, the better you can sell to them, serve them, and keep them.
Discovery call vs sales call
| Call | Goal | Who talks most | Good outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery call | Understand the problem and fit | The prospect | Both sides agree another call is worth the time |
| Sales call | Present a solution and ask for a decision | Shared | A clear yes, no, or defined next step |
What the research says about discovery
- of B2B decision-making happens before a seller is involved (Consensus 2026 B2B Buyer Behavior Report).
- 80%
- Source: Arcade, Discovery Call: The 2026 B2B Sales Playbook
- more opportunities closed by reps who follow a structured discovery framework than reps who freestyle (Sales Hacker 2026 State of Sales Productivity Report).
- 28%
- Source: Arcade, Discovery Call: The 2026 B2B Sales Playbook
- typical length of a structured B2B discovery call that qualifies pain, budget, timeline, and stakeholders.
- 30 to 45 min
- Source: Arcade, Discovery Call: The 2026 B2B Sales Playbook
If most of the decision is made before you join, the prospect arrives with an opinion. Your job on the call is to surface it.
How to run an agency discovery call, step by step
Prepare on their business
Think about their market, constraints, and how success is measured there, not just their website.
Open with their world
Ask what prompted the call and what is not working today.
Size the problem
Learn how big it is, what it costs them, and what they have already tried.
Map the decision
Find out who decides, who influences, and how they buy. Then qualify the prospect.
Agree the next step
If it makes sense, book the next call. If not, say so.
The qualifying step has its own guide: qualifying the prospect for agencies. Discovery also lands better when your positioning is clear.
How many discovery calls do I need each week?
Work backward from revenue. Tim Kilroy's planning formula: revenue goal divided by average deal size gives deals needed; deals divided by close rate gives proposals; proposals divided by proposal rate gives conversations; conversations divided by 13 weeks gives your weekly number.
Assumptions: a 13-week quarter, the close and proposal rates you enter stay steady, and every conversation is with a qualified prospect. Counts are rounded up. This is an estimate for planning, not a forecast or financial advice.
Common questions
What is a discovery call for an agency?
A discovery call is a structured conversation whose only job is to understand the prospect’s problem well enough to decide whether a next step makes sense. It is not a sales call. You learn what is broken, how big the problem is, what they have tried, how they make decisions, and whether you can genuinely help.
What is the difference between a discovery call and a sales call?
A discovery call is for understanding; a sales call comes after, when you present a solution, discuss the approach, and ask for a decision. Blurring the two is a common reason agencies get ghosted: they pivot to their own process before they know enough about the prospect’s needs, so the pitch sounds generic.
How long should a discovery call be?
Many B2B teams plan 30 to 45 minutes. Arcade’s 2026 B2B sales playbook describes a discovery call as a 30 to 45 minute structured conversation to qualify pain, budget, timeline, and stakeholders. For an agency, length matters less than the outcome: by the end, both sides should know enough to judge whether another call is worth the time.
Why do prospects ghost agencies after the discovery call?
Prospects often go quiet because the call was a pitch with a question stapled to the end. When an agency talks about its process and case studies before understanding the business, it offers the generic version, which sounds like every other agency. Then a proposal goes out and the prospect disappears. Deeper understanding on the call is the fix.
How should I prepare for a discovery call?
Prepare by thinking about the prospect’s business, not just skimming their website. Consider their market, likely constraints, and how success is probably measured inside their company, then write questions that test those guesses. Tim Kilroy’s Discovery Lab tool is built for this step: it produces a prospect brief with a company overview, recent news, conversation starters, and questions.
How many discovery calls do I need each week?
Work backward from revenue. Tim Kilroy’s planning formula divides the quarter’s revenue goal by average deal size to get deals needed, divides by close rate to get proposals, divides by proposal rate to get conversations, then divides by 13 weeks. The discovery call calculator on this site runs that math and labels its assumptions.
Want feedback on your discovery calls?
Tim Kilroy coaches established marketing and PR agencies on positioning, lead generation, and a repeatable way to win clients. Reach out through his contact page.
Contact Tim Kilroy