Improve B2B close rates with always-on discovery and MEDDICC discipline

In this episode of the Revenue Revolution Podcast, Simon Watson, founder of R&B Consulting, breaks down why deals get stuck late stage and what high-performing teams do differently. The thread running through everything is simple: better discovery, better deal hygiene, and better leadership pressure testing.

How to spot the real reason your close rate is slipping

When teams ask for help improving conversion, the issue rarely starts at the proposal or negotiation stage. Simon’s first move is to diagnose the full journey that led to the “almost closed” moment.

Common symptoms he sees:

• Proposals that “seem right” but are not anchored in validated business needs

• Late-stage ghosting after a proposal is sent

• Deals progressing on optimism rather than proof

• Forecasts built on assumptions rather than confirmed next steps

Simon’s view is that the close problem is usually the discovery problem showing up later. If the early conversations did not uncover the real drivers, constraints, and decision dynamics, the deal becomes fragile as soon as it hits scrutiny.

"Discovery [is treated] like a one and done, versus an ongoing, iterative process."
Simon Watson

How to run discovery as an always-on process, not a first-call checklist

Both Simon and Hitesh align on a core sales skill: acting like a detective throughout the deal, not just at the start. The big shift is treating discovery as something you continually refresh as the buying process evolves.

What “always-on discovery” looks like in practice:

• You keep validating the problem as new stakeholders enter the conversation

• You confirm the commercial fit, not only operational fit

• You pressure test whether the proposed solution still matches the buyer’s priorities

• You actively look for new risks as timelines, budgets, and approval routes change

A simple way to operationalise this is to build discovery prompts into every stage of your process, not only stage one. For example:

• After a demo: confirm what would block internal approval

• After pricing: confirm who needs to sign off and how

• Before legal: confirm the paperwork process and the timeline for review

The point is not to ask more questions for the sake of it. The point is to reduce surprises and stop deals from “feeling good” while drifting into silence.

How to use MEDDICC style frameworks to pressure test reality

MEDDICC and similar frameworks matter because they force discipline. Simon calls out that the framework only works if people use it honestly and leaders validate what they see.

Where tools can help:

• Capturing what was actually said in calls and emails

• Linking evidence back to specific fields in the framework

• Highlighting gaps so the rep knows what to validate next

Where leadership still matters:

• Challenging assumptions in a deal review

• Asking for proof of each key element

• Ensuring the framework is applied at the right depth for the deal

Hitesh’s view is that the decision to use MEDDICC should be guided less by deal value and more by deal type. If the sale is transactional, single-threaded, and closes in one or two calls, a heavyweight framework can be overkill. If the sale is complex and multi-stakeholder, the discipline is essential.

What to look for when deciding “how much framework” to apply:

• Number of stakeholders involved

• Whether you need multi-threading

• Complexity of approval and procurement steps

• Risk of getting pulled into endless evaluation loops

How to stop forecast surprises by mapping the paperwork process properly

One of Simon’s strongest examples is about the “P” in MEDDICC style thinking: paperwork process. Reps often assume they understand it, then the deal slips because the internal approval reality is different.

He shares a situation where a rep believed the deal would close in September, then October, only to discover the board reviewed contracts once every three months. The next review window was mid-November, meaning the contract could not even be looked at before then.

What this teaches:

• Your forecast is only as accurate as the buyer’s internal calendar

• “It goes to procurement” is not a process, it is a vague guess

• Asking for the timeline in detail is not pushy, it is professional diligence

Simon’s leadership takeaway is consistent: managers should pressure test forecasts, not accept green ticks at face value. The goal is to avoid performative deal reviews and replace them with evidence-led forecasting.

How to coach deal gaps without embarrassing reps and slowing the team down

When a rep has a gap in understanding, Simon leans on coaching in two modes: group and one-to-one. The trick is to use individual deal lessons in a way that helps everyone, without calling someone out and making them feel exposed.

A practical team approach:

• Aggregate common mistakes across multiple deals

• Teach the pattern, not the person

• Use examples anonymously or neutrally so people stay engaged

• Create space for quieter reps to learn without having to admit confusion in public

Why group learning matters:

• In any team, some people will not raise their hand even when they are stuck

• Shared learning helps standardise what “good” looks like

• The team improves faster when mistakes become teachable moments

If someone truly does not understand the basics, Simon brings it back to fundamentals in a one-to-one setting. The purpose is not box ticking. It is helping the rep improve outcomes and hit quota.

How to multi-thread faster by getting to the money conversation early

When sales cycles get more complex, multi-threading becomes a requirement, not a nice-to-have. Simon’s recommendation is to map the economic buyer early and get to the money justification as fast as you can.

His view of why buyers purchase has three core drivers:

• Save time (which translates into money)

• Make more money

• Reduce risk (which also rolls up into financial impact)

He recommends building a clear route to ROI:

• Start with a hypothesis of value

• Validate it with real numbers from the buyer’s business

• Be ready to take that ROI story to the CFO or finance leader

• Prepare to handle objections and concerns at the financial level

This helps prevent the common trap where reps get stuck in operational conversations, demo loops, and product justification with stakeholders who cannot actually swing the decision.

How to win complex deals with team selling and the right specialist at the right time

Hitesh highlights two practical multi-threading tactics: tailor your language to each stakeholder, and use team selling so the buyer meets more than just the account executive. Simon strongly agrees.

Why team selling works:

• Enterprise buyers expect to meet the wider team

• A single rep cannot credibly answer every technical or specialist question

• Bringing in the right expert reduces “fluff risk” and builds trust

Simon shares an example from a large RFP process involving a full-service digital agency and a major watch brand. The lesson is universal: when the scope is broad and the questions are deep, you win by mobilising specialists across the business to answer what they know best.

How to apply this to your own deals:

• Identify where you are not the best person to go deep

• Bring in solution engineers, architects, or internal experts early enough to matter

• Keep the rep focused on commercial outcomes and decision progress

• Treat the process like coordinated project delivery, not solo heroics

What to take away from this episode

If you want better conversion and cleaner forecasts, start earlier than most teams do. Tighten discovery, keep it ongoing, and use a framework honestly enough that it reveals risk instead of hiding it. Then make multi-threading real by anchoring value in ROI and bringing the right people into the deal at the right time.

Podcast closing question Simon left for the next guest: if you had to pick one channel forever to do outbound on, what would it be, and why?