Call Lab - Diagnostic Snapshot
Sarah Chen — TechCorp • Discovery Call • Dec 12, 2024
✅ WHAT WORKED
1. Strong Opening Hook
"I noticed TechCorp just raised Series B — congrats. That usually means the scaling problems we talked about are about to get a lot more real."
Why it worked: You immediately demonstrated you did homework and connected it to their world. Sarah leaned in from the start.
2. Self-Diagnosis Pull
"So when you say things are 'starting to break' — what specifically is breaking first?"
Why it worked: Instead of assuming her problem, you made her articulate it. This creates ownership and makes your solution more compelling.
3. Mirror Language
Throughout the call, you used Sarah's exact phrases back to her: "scaling wall," "good enough for now," "Q2 deadline."
Why it worked: This builds unconscious rapport and makes her feel understood.
⚠️ WHAT TO WATCH
1. Soft Close Fade
"Great conversation. Let me send you some info and you can let me know what you think."
The problem: "Let me know" is the weakest close possible. You did all the hard work of building trust and then left without a commitment.
The fix: Always propose a specific next step with date/time: "Let's schedule 30 minutes Tuesday at 2pm to walk through how this could work for TechCorp."
2. Premature Product Mention
At 35:00, when Sarah asked "so what do you do?" you went straight into product features.
The problem: She wasn't asking for a pitch — she was testing if you'd stay in consultation mode or flip to sales mode.
The fix: Redirect with "Before I answer that — I want to make sure what I share is actually relevant to what you're dealing with. Can I ask one more question?"
🎯 YOUR ONE MOVE
Fix the close. You're doing 90% of the work right and losing deals at the finish line. Before ANY call ends, lock in a specific next step with a calendar invite.
Practice this phrase until it feels natural:
"Based on what you shared about [their stated priority], I'd suggest we reconnect [specific day] to [specific agenda]. I have [time A] or [time B] — which works better?"
📋 IMMEDIATE ACTIONS
- 1.Send follow-up email TODAY with a specific meeting request
- 2.Include the case study you mentioned — deliver on your promise
- 3.Reference "the scaling wall" — show you were listening
- 4.Add a calendar link — make saying yes frictionless
📈 SCORES BREAKDOWN
| Category | Score | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery | 81 | Strong diagnostic questions |
| Rapport | 76 | Good mirror language |
| Control | 68 | Lost some momentum mid-call |
| Qualification | 74 | Covered key criteria |
| Close | 52 | Soft fade — needs work |
| Overall | 72 | Solid with clear upside |
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