GTM Club Newsletter

🚀 GTM Club Newsletter #15: In Search of Treasure

Ever been on a treasure hunt? The thrill of discovery, the excitement of uncovering secrets, and the satisfaction of finding what you're looking for are all elements similar to what makes a great sales discovery process. In this edition, we start our deep dive into discovery in tech sales.

Ilkka Vertanen - GTM Club Founder

25 May 2025 — 7 min read

Welcome to GTM Club Newsletter #15. Today’s edition contains:

GTM enters the stock exchange!
What is discovery in sales?
How do you come up with good discovery questions?
Experts take on discovery questions.
New Talent Pool Candidate (first one from Denmark 🇩🇰)

GTM Enters the Stock Market!

There is now a company with the Nasdaq ticker $GTM.

Unfortunately, it is not us. It is ZoomInfo. They beat us, let's say, by 20 years.

Just kidding. This is great for the whole GTM field.

The GTM world has been buzzing about ZoomInfo’s move since it was announced on May 12. What may seem like a minor cosmetic change is actually a sign of something much bigger. It is a statement about the future of business.

With $GTM as its ticker, ZoomInfo is betting its identity on a fundamental shift in how businesses compete and win.

GTMnow best nailed the significance of this move. With $GTM as its ticker, ZoomInfo is betting its identity on a fundamental shift in how businesses compete and win: The traditional technical moat is shrinking due to AI tools like Cursor reducing the time and resources required for developing software. Now, go-to-market strategies become key differentiators over features. Future winners are those who execute best on go-to-market.

Future winners are those who execute best on go-to-market.

Discovery In Sales

Picture yourself as Indiana Jones on the hunt for the Lost Ark. Like the legendary archaeologist who studied ancient manuscripts, consulted with locals, and decoded cryptic symbols before embarking on his quest, a sales professional uses discovery to unearth valuable insights about their prospect's world.

A sales leader doing research before the first meeting with a prospect.

Different Qualification Criteria and Discovery Themes in Tech Sales

Effective sales in the B2B tech sector rely heavily on two interconnected processes: qualification and discovery. Qualification involves assessing whether a potential customer is a good fit for your solution, while discovery delves deeper into understanding their business context and specific needs.

A seller approaching on final discovery questions.

When Have You Asked Enough Discovery Questions?

When conducting discovery, knowing when you've asked enough questions isn't about hitting a magic number. It's about achieving a deep enough understanding to guide your prospect through the buying journey and decision-making process.

Asking good discovery questions is a better approach than just shouting them louder.

How to Ask Great Questions During the Discovery

Effective discovery requires asking questions that progressively deepen your understanding of the prospect's current situation and desired state. Don't waste time asking surface-level questions. Instead, move to uncover genuine needs and motivations.

Discovery is about asking open-ended questions. In a similar spirit as a toddler would but in professional manner.

Winning Through Discovery Ws

Sales is about winning. This article gives you the Ws (What, Who, Where, When, and Why) to win more and bigger opportunities through questioning techniques, 5W1H and Five Whys.