Discovery Caller
Run structured B2B-style discovery calls with prep, SPIN questions, qualification, and committed next steps before building the wrong product.
Overview
discovery-caller is an agent skill most often used in Validate → scope (also Grow → lifecycle, Validate → pricing) that structures discovery-call prep, questioning, qualification, and committed next steps for founder-led
Install
npx skills add https://github.com/ncklrs/startup-os-skills --skill discovery-callerWhat is this skill?
- 6 section organization areas from preparation through documentation with CRITICAL impact tags
- SPIN-style question frameworks: situation, problem, implication, and need-payoff
- CRITICAL qualification on budget, timeline, authority, and need to surface deal-breakers early
- Active listening, stakeholder mapping, and competition discovery during the call
- CRITICAL next-steps hierarchy—reject weak ‘send info’ closes in favor of real commitment
- 6 organized skill sections from preparation through documentation
- 3 areas tagged CRITICAL impact: preparation, questions, qualification, and next-steps commitment
Adoption & trust: 1 installs on skills.sh; 27 GitHub stars; 3/3 security scanners passed (skills.sh audits); trending (+100% hot-view momentum).
What problem does it solve?
You are talking to prospects but leave calls with vague interest, no qualification, and no real next step—so you cannot tell if the idea is worth building.
Who is it for?
Solo SaaS founders doing founder-led sales or validation interviews that need enterprise-style discovery discipline.
Skip if: Purely passive analytics, automated outbound sequences, or teams that already run a full sales playbook with dedicated AEs and no founder on calls.
When should I use this skill?
Preparing for or running founder-led discovery calls that must qualify opportunity and end with commitment.
What do I get? / Deliverables
You run a documented discovery call with qualified need, mapped stakeholders, CRM notes, and a specific committed next step instead of a dead-end ‘I will send info.’
- Pre-call agenda and hypothesis brief
- Qualification snapshot (budget, timeline, authority, need)
- CRM-ready call summary with explicit next step and commitment
Recommended Skills
Journey fit
Spans multiple journey phases - primary shelf plus alternate fits below.
Customer discovery to narrow problem, budget, and timeline belongs on Validate before full build commitment. Scope subphase covers who you are selling to, what pains matter, and whether the opportunity is real—exactly what discovery calls surface.
Where it fits
Before coding a vertical CRM feature, run prep and SPIN questions to confirm the pain is urgent and shared.
Use implication and need-payoff questions to test whether budget exists at your intended price point.
Advance a trial account to a scheduled technical deep-dive with documented authority map and competition notes.
Turn early outreach conversations into structured discovery to learn which segment actually feels the problem.
How it compares
Use as a call playbook and qualification framework instead of improvised note-taking in ChatGPT.
Common Questions / FAQ
Who is discovery-caller for?
Indie builders and technical founders who sell or validate B2B-style products through live discovery conversations.
When should I use discovery-caller?
In Validate when scoping a problem with early customers, in Validate pricing conversations, or in Grow when advancing pipeline deals that need SPIN questions and firm next steps.
Is discovery-caller safe to install?
The skill is process documentation; any CRM or dialer integrations depend on your agent setup—check the Security Audits panel on this page before granting network or secrets access.
SKILL.md
READMESKILL.md - Discovery Caller
## 1. Discovery Preparation (preparation) **Impact:** CRITICAL **Description:** Pre-call research, hypothesis building, agenda setting, and account intelligence. The work before the call determines the call's success. ## 2. Question Frameworks (questions) **Impact:** CRITICAL **Description:** SPIN methodology, situation/problem/implication/need-payoff questions, and techniques for going deeper. ## 3. Active Listening (listening) **Impact:** HIGH **Description:** Listening techniques, clarification methods, note-taking, and reading between the lines. ## 4. Qualification (qualification) **Impact:** CRITICAL **Description:** Budget, timeline, authority, and need qualification. Identifying deal-breakers early. ## 5. Discovery & Mapping (discovery) **Impact:** HIGH **Description:** Pain point identification, stakeholder mapping, competition discovery, and buying process understanding. ## 6. Documentation (documentation) **Impact:** MEDIUM-HIGH **Description:** CRM notes, call summaries, handoff documentation, and next steps tracking. --- title: Next Steps and Commitment impact: CRITICAL tags: closing, commitment, next-steps, momentum --- ## Next Steps and Commitment **Impact: CRITICAL** Every discovery call must end with a clear next step and commitment. "I'll send you some info" is not a next step - it's a dead deal walking. ### The Next Step Hierarchy ``` STRONGEST COMMITMENT: ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ Calendar invite sent and accepted for specific next meeting │ └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ↓ ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ Verbal agreement to specific date/time for next meeting │ └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ↓ ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ Agreement to specific next action with timeline │ └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ↓ ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ Vague agreement to "follow up next week" │ └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ↓ WEAKEST COMMITMENT: ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ "Send me some info" / No specific next step │ └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ``` ### Strong vs. Weak Next Steps | Weak Next Step | Strong Next Step | |----------------|------------------| | "I'll send you some info" | "Let's schedule a demo for Tuesday at 2pm" | | "We'll be in touch" | "Can we get 30 min on your calendar for Thursday?" | | "Let me think about it" | "What would you need to see to make a decision?" | | "I'll share with my team" | "Can we schedule a call that includes your team?" | | "Circle back next quarter" | "Let's schedule a check-in for March 1st" | ### The Commitment Close **Reserve 5 minutes at the end of every call for closing.** **Framework: Summarize → Confirm → Propose → Lock** ``` SUMMARIZE: "Let me make sure I captured everything. You're dealing with [pain 1] and [pain 2], which is costing roughly [quantified impact]. Your priority is [goal] and you're looking to have something in place by [timeline]. Does that capture it?" CONFIRM: "Does it make sense to keep this conversation going?" [If yes, continue. If hesitation, address it.] PROPOSE: "Based on what you shared, I think a good next step would be [specific next step] with [specific people]. How does that sound?" LOCK: "Great. I have availability on [Day 1] at [Time] or [Day 2] at [Time]. Which works better for you?" [Send invite while still on call if possible] ``` ### Next Step Options by Stage | Discovery Stage | Appropriate Next Step | |-----------------|----------------------| | **First call, qualified**