You can't prescribe without diagnosis. The deeper the diagnosis, the more they trust the prescription.
Situation Audit
Core Principle
Sam Ovens' Situation Audit maps the prospect's entire current state before proposing anything. Like a doctor who examines before prescribing, you systematically uncover where they are, what they've tried, and why it failed. By the time you present your solution, the prospect has already told you exactly what they need -- and your recommendation feels like the inevitable conclusion, not a sales pitch. The deeper you diagnose, the more authority you earn.
Step-by-Step Execution
Example in Action
You: Before I show you anything, I'd love to understand your situation. What does your current pipeline look like? Prospect: We get about 200 leads a month, close maybe 15. You: Got it. And what's your current process for working those leads? Prospect: Our SDRs call through the list, book demos, and our AEs close. You: What have you tried to improve that conversion rate? Prospect: We hired two more SDRs last year and tested a new CRM. Didn't really move the needle. You: Why do you think that didn't work? Prospect: Honestly, I think the problem is that our leads aren't qualified enough by the time they hit a demo. The AEs are spending half their time on people who were never going to buy. You: So let me make sure I have this right. You're at 200 leads a month, closing 15, and the bottleneck isn't volume -- it's qualification. Adding SDRs didn't help because the issue is upstream. Is that accurate? Prospect: That's exactly it. You: Then here's what I'd recommend...
Practice this technique with an AI-powered roleplay scenario.