Field notes
Discovery Questions That Fit Service Work
Generic discovery scripts from product sales miss the constraints that matter in appointments, commissions, and project-based services.
Service discovery should uncover timing, decision makers, and the physical or scheduling constraints of the work. Asking about “pain points” alone rarely surfaces whether the client’s venue is booked, whether a partner must approve, or whether materials need ordering lead time.
Useful questions sound ordinary: Who else needs to be comfortable with this scope? What date must the work be finished by? What have you tried already that you do not want to repeat?
Write three questions for your own trade and keep them on a single card during intake calls. The goal is not a long interrogation; it is enough clarity to write a proposal that matches how the work will actually happen.
When discovery is thin, proposals become guesswork. When discovery is precise, price conversations stay grounded in scope rather than discounting.