# Discovering business strategy, goals and initiatives

*Agentforce Sales Foundations Study Guide · Deal Management · Last updated October 16, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/agentforce-sales-foundations/deal-management/discovering-business-strategy-goals-and-initiatives*

Customer-centric discovery step by step: research the customer's industry, business and people, experience what their customers experience, share insights and organize challenges with the 3Ls, then frame and scope the solution with yes-if trade-offs.

- Certification: Salesforce Agentforce Sales Foundations
- Exam section: Deal Management
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/agentforce-sales-foundations

**Official exam objective:**

> Determine customer's business strategies, goals, initiatives, and challenges to define the scope of the solution.

## What the exam expects

- Pick research sources for a customer's goals: public filings for public companies, creative sources for private ones.
- Classify what you learn as a goal, value, initiative, strategy or obstacle.
- Experience the business as its customers do, then run an insights meeting that confirms the challenges.
- Organize challenges into the three levels of issues (3Ls) and analyze each with who, what, where, when, why and how questions.
- Frame and scope the solution around the customer's real concern, and handle scope, time and cost trade-offs with compromises, not sacrifices.

Key terms:
- **Initiative:** what the business does now to achieve its goals.
- **Strategy:** what the business plans to do to achieve its goals.
- **3Ls:** tactical issues, business consequences and personal impact.
- **Challenge framing:** defining the focus of the problem and a shared definition of success.
- **Triple Constraint:** the trade-off between scope, time and cost.

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Public-company research | Annual reports, earnings, press releases, shareholder letters, investor presentations | [Know Your Customers](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/customer-centric-discovery-strategies/know-your-customers) |
| Private-company research | About Us page, store, social media, reviews, Glassdoor, LinkedIn | [Know Your Customers](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/customer-centric-discovery-strategies/know-your-customers) |
| Initiative vs strategy | Initiative is done now; strategy is planned | [Know Your Customers](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/customer-centric-discovery-strategies/know-your-customers) |
| Be the customer | Visit stores, call service lines, interview the customer's buyers | [CCD Approach](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/design-thinking-for-sales/take-a-customercentric-approach-to-discovery) |
| Meeting request | Include a summary or preview of your insights | [Connect with Customers](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/customer-centric-discovery-strategies/connect-with-your-customers-centric) |
| 3Ls | Tactical or technical, business consequence, personal impact | [Connect with Customers](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/customer-centric-discovery-strategies/connect-with-your-customers-centric) |
| Whiteboarding | Customer adds and moves ideas; record takeaways and screenshots | [Connect with Customers](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/customer-centric-discovery-strategies/connect-with-your-customers-centric) |
| Triple Constraint | Scope, time and cost | [Frame and Scope](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/challenge-framing-and-scoping/frame-and-scope-the-challenge) |
| Summary statement | Starts "Based on what you've told me..." and makes a specific recommendation | [Dig Deeper](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/relationship-selling/dig-deeper-into-relationship-selling) |

## Check yourself

- Where should you look for a public company's goals and strategic priorities?
- Why invite the customer to add and move ideas on the whiteboard?
- When stakeholders want more scope than time and budget allow, what mindset should you keep?
- Why quote something the customer said earlier when raising an area for improvement?

## Sources

- [Know Your Customers](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/customer-centric-discovery-strategies/know-your-customers)
- [Connect with Your Customers](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/customer-centric-discovery-strategies/connect-with-your-customers-centric)
- [Take a Customer-Centric Approach to Discovery](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/design-thinking-for-sales/take-a-customercentric-approach-to-discovery)
- [Frame and Scope the Challenge](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/challenge-framing-and-scoping/frame-and-scope-the-challenge)
- [Dig Deeper into Relationship Selling](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/relationship-selling/dig-deeper-into-relationship-selling)
- [Cert Prep: Study Up on Deal Management](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/cert-prep-salesforce-certified-sales-representative/study-up-on-deal-management)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 11 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the Agentforce Sales Foundations pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams