Why Sales Teams Struggle with Discovery

The Power of Consistency in Sales

Sales leaders want consistency.

• They expect leads to come from their ideal customer profile (ICP).

• They want discovery calls to uncover the same key pain points across prospects.

• They need a qualification methodology that applies evenly across all deals. And they demand forecasting that accurately reflects reality.

But too often, teams lack a structured approach to documenting customer pain, leading to inconsistency and unpredictability in the sales process.

And that’s a big mistake.

The Key Issue: Lack of a Standard Pain Statement Framework

When sales teams don’t have a consistent way to record pain points, deals become unpredictable. Different reps capture pain in different ways, making it harder to compare deals and improve processes. This inconsistency leads to weak forecasting, slower deal progression, and missed revenue opportunities.

Many sales teams use MEDDPICC, but here’s the catch—MEDDPICC is great for qualification, but it’s not a pain statement framework. It helps track deal progression, but it doesn’t offer a structured way to articulate and analyze customer pain points.

The Pain Statement Template You Should Be Using

To make sales execution smoother, your team should use a standardized pain statement format. Try this:

Despite A, I can't do X, which means I don’t get Y, as measured by Z.

How It Works:

• Despite A (the challenge or constraint the customer faces)

• I can't do X (the problem they are struggling with)

• Which means I don’t get Y (the business impact of the problem)

• As measured by Z (how the impact is quantified)

Example:

“Despite having a large number of inbound leads, I can't qualify them efficiently based on ICP fit, which means I don’t generate enough high-value opportunities, as measured by a low conversion rate from SQL to closed-won.”

Using this framework allows reps to structure pain points consistently, making it easier to compare deals, improve qualification, and optimize sales execution.

Why a Structured Approach Drives Better Sales Performance

Implementing a clear pain statement format leads to:

• Faster deal cycles – Well-articulated pain makes it easier to align solutions and move deals forward.

• Higher conversion rates – When reps understand pain better, they can position their offering more effectively.

• More accurate forecasts – A structured approach to pain allows leadership to identify trends and better predict revenue.

If your sales team wants better results, start by improving how you document pain. A structured approach leads to better decisions, better deals, and better revenue outcomes.