The first discovery call with the development agency is exhilarating and yet may be quite daunting too. "You're on the verge of a conversation that is going to change the future of your digital product," you think. "What if they do not understand your vision?" "What if they cannot deliver what you want?" More importantly, "How do I make the most out of this call?"
Here's the truth: a discovery call is more than just meeting someone new. It's actually where you can find the right partner to complete your project. It's also important to note that the agency is looking to determine whether they are the right match for you too. It's more of a first date where you get to determine whether you are a match.
As we enter the year 2025, with ever-more complex software development projects and record-low budgets, this first conversation is more critical to your success than you might think. Recent industry intel indicates that, on successful discovery calls, projects succeed, project costs are accurate, and working relationships are strong.
So, let's talk about how to prepare for this critical dialogue, so you can step up to the plate confident, informed, and ready to create something great.
What Is a Discovery Call, Exactly?
Before we proceed to the preparation process, let us understand what we're talking about. A discovery call is the first formal conversation between you and the potential development agency. It usually ranges between 30 to 45 minutes and aims at several objectives.
It's an opportunity for you to discuss the vision for your project, your goals, and determine if this agency's skills and culture align with what you are seeking. It's an opportunity for an agency to assess your needs and determine if they have the skills to accomplish what you are asking them to do.
"So whereas in a sales pitch someone is attempting to persuade you to make a purchase, an effective discovery call is actually a process in which both parties are seeking information and making decisions. It is in these instances that agencies with truly curious minds are rare, as they are not eager to show off their work."
Why Preparation Matters More Than You Think
You might think that you can just wing it and have a casual conservation about the idea. You know, you know the business better than anybody else. This is all very true, but one of the largest mistakes that you can make is going into the discovery call without preparation.
Think about it from the agency's side now. When a potential client arrives prepared with information about what they are looking for, what they are willing to pay, and the timeline they are looking to meet, it represents a certain professionalism and commitment to the project they are looking to execute. Most importantly, they are able to offer you far more useful information to guide you.
Conversely, ambiguous answers and lack of clear project expectations during the discovery process tend to create misaligned projects, budget misallocations, and unsuccessful projects as well. Industry professionals have found success rates to be directly related to the quality of the discovery process performed.
Recent assessment indicates that when you are well-prepared for both discovery and selling, you save both sides time and end up in partnerships that are highly qualified. You want the process to progress from general conversation to strategic problem-solving, which is what you are able to do when you are prepared and what the agency is able to do as well.
Researching the Agency Before Making Your Phone Call
Please note that
"Your preparation actually begins before the call is ever scheduled." Research the agency thoroughly. "This is not something you do when you get a scheduling call." Get a sense of who you are speaking with so you can tailor your conversation accordingly.
Start with their website. Go beyond the front page and explore their case studies, blog articles, and technology stack. What sectors are they most skilled at? What is the average size of projects that they have undertaken? Do they have experience with projects like what you have in mind? You get a sense of what is important to them from what they are reading.
"LinkedIn" is your best pal in this situation. Take a look at the background information of people with whom you're about to communicate. When you understand their level of experience and their subject matter expertise, it becomes easier to craft questions to be asked from them. Notice if they have hands-on experience with technologies in your industry; this information should be brought up while making the call.
Don't neglect reviews and testimonials. Patterns in client feedback should be looked at. Do clients compliment their communication skills? Their know-how? Their ability to deliver in time? Faults in reviews should be recorded as well.
If possible, get out there into your personal network. Perhaps someone within your professional circles has done business with them before, giving them guidance that an unvarnished review may not.
Organize Project Information
Now, let's discuss what information you must have ready during the conversation. It is not wise to enter a discovery call without any information prepared about the project. This is much like going to a doctor without knowing what the symptoms are. They will not be of much help to you even if you have not prepared any information about what you want or need.
Define Your Project Vision and Goals
In this phase, you
Begin with clarifying why you're building this product or this feature in the first place. What problem are you solving? For whom? What's the definition of success? Be ready to answer this succinctly.
For instance, instead of saying, "I need a mobile application," you could say, "I'm working on creating a mobile application that assists busy parents in meal planning according to their dietary needs and what is already in their pantry. Success would look like having 10,000 engaged users after six months of launch and using at least three meals per week."
Notice the difference? The second example provides the agency with much more information to go on. They can begin working on the technicalities even from the first sentence.
Understand Your Target Audience
It is essential that the agencies have an idea of who will be utilizing what is being developed. It is important to have the basic demographics ready, though more so is understanding the pain, motivations, and behaviors of the users. It is essential to have customer research or user personas ready.
Even rough notes about your audience can be helpful here. You could consider answers to the following: What devices do your audience use mostly? Are your audience people who are tech-savvy or do you need to create an extremely user-friendly interface? What is the biggest frustration of your audience with the solutions currently available in the market?
Outline Your Project Scope
This is where some people will get a little nervous because, well, they may not know all their answers yet, and that is perfectly fine. For a discovery call, a detailed specification document isn't necessary. Nevertheless, a general concept of key features and functionalities expected should be in place.
Create a simple list with must-have functionalities and nice-to-have functionalities. It is very helpful for agencies in terms of analysis in relation to project complexity. It also allows one to think critically in relation to functionalities essential in creating the MVP.
Be honest with what you don't know. "I don't know what's the best solution for X, and I would like to hear from you" is much better than trying to give the impression you know when you don't know.
Get Clear on Budget and Timeline
This is where most new clients go wrong, but it is essential to tackle both budget and timeline during preparation for the discovery call.
Budget Reality Check
Development agencies say budget is one of the toughest aspects of discovery calls, as clients are often reluctant to discuss their budgets. The reasoning is if a client discloses their budget, a development agency will immediately price their services accordingly.
Although that is not an unreasonable concern, not sharing budget information ultimately does more harm than good. Lacking budget information, the agency cannot rationally advise you on the feasibility of your goals. You could be taking an entire hour discussing the features that are not even within budget, and that is time wasted.
Rather, do your homework prior to this. Look up the costs for projects like yours. Recognize that developing software takes a toll on your wallet due to the cost of the talent that you'll be utilizing. Most development projects cost from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands.
Have a realistic budget in mind for the call. If you really are unsure, at least be ready to think about what your goals might be, and ask for rough estimates from them based on different combinations of features.
Timeline Expectations
Likewise, have a sense of when you need this project done and why. Is there a market window that you are trying to hit? Perhaps a milestone of when the funding must occur if you don't have a functioning product?
Keep in mind that the better agencies are usually already contracted weeks or months in advance. If you want your project to start right away, this could restrict your choices or necessitate budget flexibility to move your project ahead of others.
Another factor to take into consideration would be the internal timeline requirements. Who on your staff will you need to work with for this project? How much time will they have to devote to giving feedback and answering questions? This process will not take place in a vacuum; collaboration will need to continue.
Prepare Your Questions
Don't leave your burning questions until luck happens by accident.Writing out questions ahead of time means you won't forget important things when it happens.
Questions Concerning Their Process
How do they approach new assignments? What is their typical development cycle? How do they deal with changing requirements? Which tools do they employ for management? How frequently will you be updated?
Knowing their process allows you to determine if their method of working is going to complement or conflict with what you and your team need.
Questions About Their Expertise
Have they experience in your type of industry or with projects like yours ? How do they have experience with current or future technology ? How do they keep up with the constantly changing technology environment ?
There is nothing wrong with asking to see examples of their work or even speaking with some past clients. Good agencies are eager to provide references.
Questions About Team Structure
Will you be partnering with those people on the call or will your project get passed on to another group of people? How big are their project teams? What is the availability of their project team? How do they deal with team member turnover on extended projects?
These questions tell you a lot about what they do and what you can expect when you are a customer.
Questions About Post-Launch Support
The post
What about after the end of the project? Do they offer maintenance packages? Bug fixes that are only found after the project goes live? What about new feature additions?
"Software is not a build once and forget kind of thing," Alex explained. "Their attitude on how to provide support is very
Organize Your Resources
Collect any documents, designs, or references you have before making your call. This might be sketching out ideas for what you have in mind, examples of competitor sites or apps that inspire you, brand style guides if you have developed them, or technical specs of existing systems that need to mesh with something new.
You can put together a basic folder with these documents and perhaps consider sharing them with the agency ahead of your call, perhaps a day or two before, allowing them to prepare and come to the discussion ready to offer value.
However, don't dump all sorts of documents in front of them. Share what will really add value to them.
Set Your Agenda
Although the agency is sure to have agenda items in mind for this call, there is nothing wrong with your pointing out topics that you want to be sure to address. An email prior to this phone call saying something like "I am counting on this call tomorrow. One thing in particular I would like to address is your involvement in similar projects and your views on the feasibility of X" goes far.
A typical process for discovery calls will follow something like this order: introductions, an overview of your project, Q & A and discussion, an agency capabilities summary, and finally next steps. This will help you understand what will happen on the call.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
In preparing for a discovery call, be mindful of these common pitfalls that can get in the way of a successful discovery call effort.
Being Too Vague
"I'd like something new and interesting" or "It's got to be user-friendly" is not going to give much to work with. Remember, the more specific and particular you are about what you are trying to communicate, the more useful and effective a conversation like this is going to be.
Withholding Critical Information
Whether it is budget, timeline, and technological factors, withholding information only serves you no good. You can't have the government offer you precise guidance lacking the entire information.
Not Asking Questions
Discovery calls are not interrogations where the agency is asking all the questions. This is your chance to learn more about them too. An invested and curious client with thoughtful questions shows their serious interest in the conversation.
Expecting Detailed Proposals Immediately
Each identified
Discovery calls are exploratory calls. You're not going to get off the call with a complete project plan and pricing details. That usually happens after a follow-up call or calls after the initial call.
Focusing Only on Price
Budget is important, but when it comes to choosing a development partner solely on who offers the lowest price, you are bound for disappointment. Quality, experience, communication, and cultural alignment all play vastly important roles. The lowest price will prove to offer the steepest price tag when you consider delays, technical debt, and potential failure.
During the Call: What to Expect
When you start the call, you have to expect to spend a few minutes introducing yourself and building a rapport. This is not time to be wasted. It is actually where you start to build your professional relationship. Be yourself and listen to determine if you could build a professional relationship with these individuals.
The agency will likely want to know more about your project, asking questions about things you may not have thought about. They may question some of the ideas or approaches you have, or offer recommendations for doing things differently. This is a good thing. It shows they are thinking, rather than simply agreeing with whatever you say.
Take notes during the call. Record terms and concepts you don't understand to look up at a later time. Jot down points of concern or questions that emerge during the conversation.
After the Call: Next Steps
The effort doesn't end when you finish making a call. You need to send a follow-through email within 24 hours, thanking them for their time and key points you took away from the call. You can add questions that came up after careful consideration if any.
Most agencies will correspond with you with their own follow-up mail, perhaps with supplementary information, responses to questions that arose, or suggestions outlined for next steps.
If there is a recommendation to call or meet afterwards, it is best to lock it down while you have the momentum. Time is a killer of deals, and time is a killer of projects too. The quicker that you can get through the review, the better.
Making Your Final Decision
As you complete the discovery calls with several agencies, realize you have to make a choice or decisions. Your consideration should and will go beyond the technical competence of the agency and the amount they will charge for services. Trust is a critical component of software partnerships. You are going to be investing a tremendous amount of money and putting your faith in these people to get your vision across.
Select the partner who not only understands your vision and goals but also has the capability to deliver this vision and seems to be genuinely interested in your goals.
Final Thoughts
Preparing for your first discovery call with a development agency doesn't have to be daunting. It becomes more of an enjoyable chat about potential rather than something scary when done right. Just remember that really good agencies aren't trying to catch you with your pants down or upsell you on services you don't need. They want to have successful projects with happy clients because that's what builds referrals and repeat business.
Now don't get me wrong; every agency has its own way of doing things, but most reputable ones follow this general procedure when it comes to contacting them or getting estimates.
They make initial contact with some kind of web submission or phone call, perhaps with some questions to Your level of preparation conveys a message about professionalism and dedication, which lays the foundation for a productive partnership and goes a long way in ensuring the success of your project right from its inception. The time you take to prepare meticulously well prior to the discovery call will yield rich results throughout the process of your project. Now, go talk that talk and build that thing.