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Should I demo Iris on the first call?

Usually not immediately. Understand the business problem first, then show only the parts of Iris that explain how you would diagnose that problem.

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How long should a discovery call be?

Long enough to understand the problem, consequence, urgency and decision process without turning the first conversation into a free diagnostic. Thirty to sixty minutes is common, but the quality of the conversation matters more than a fixed duration.

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Should I ask about budget directly?

Yes, but after establishing the problem and context. You are trying to understand the commercial route, not force a number prematurely.

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What if the prospect only wants a demo?

Give enough context to make the demo relevant. Ask what they are trying to evaluate and which process or problem matters so you can avoid feature tourism.

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How do I know whether pain is serious enough?

Look for measurable consequence: cost, delay, rework, risk, capacity, poor service, missed revenue or inability to scale.

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What if there is no urgent deadline?

The project may still matter, but without a trigger it is more likely to drift. Clarify why it would receive attention now rather than in six months.

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Should I send a proposal after every good meeting?

No. Send one when the problem, scope, buyer, next step and commercial route are sufficiently clear.

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What if the client asks for lots of recommendations before signing?

Keep free activity to sales discovery. If you are analysing their process and producing a useful diagnosis, scope that as paid work.

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What does “too expensive” usually mean?

It may mean insufficient value, insufficient trust, cash timing, a cheaper comparison, weak urgency or genuine budget constraint. Ask before responding.

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Should I discount to win the first client?

Only deliberately. If you discount, reduce scope or receive something meaningful in return rather than establishing an unsustainable baseline.

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What if a competitor is cheaper?

Clarify whether the scopes and methods are comparable. Do not assume you need to match a lower fee if the work is materially different.

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How should I respond to “we can do this internally”?

Agree that they may be able to, then diagnose whether they lack capability, capacity, methodology, independence or simply time.

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What if they already have Copilot or ChatGPT?

Existing tools do not answer whether the underlying workflow is well designed or whether a specific intervention is valuable. Keep the discussion on the business problem.

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What if procurement wants another quote?

Support the process, but keep the sponsor engaged. Clarify what procurement is comparing and what parts of scope or risk differ.

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When should I walk away?

When the project lacks meaningful problem ownership, the commercial terms are uneconomic, the client expects unsupported guarantees, or the required capability is outside your competence.