Starting a sales call effectively hinges on a solid discovery process. The author highlights that many salespeople struggle with discovery, often failing to ask the right questions and wasting potential. They argue that traditional sales playbooks fall short, especially for startups and companies without strong brand recognition or significant inbound leads. Instead of genuine engagement, sales calls often feel like a checklist exercise or an interrogation, frustrating prospects and leading to ineffective pitches. The author introduces the PULL framework as a solution for structuring discovery. PULL stands for Project, Urgency, List of options, and Limitations. This framework helps salespeople identify what the prospect is trying to achieve, why it’s important now, what solutions they’ve considered, and the shortcomings of those options. Filling out this framework during a call allows sales reps to tailor their pitch effectively. For example, a prospect might indicate they need to transition their product from a basic platform to a more robust infrastructure due to scaling issues. By applying the PULL framework, the salesperson can uncover specifics about what “serious” infrastructure means to the prospect and why other solutions have fallen short. This approach not only clarifies the prospect's needs but also aligns the sales pitch with their actual priorities, enhancing the chances of a successful outcome.