How to Have Successful Discovery Calls

Episode Transcript:

Welcome back to another episode of the Book Your Dream Clients podcast. I'm super excited you're with me today because I want to talk to you about how to have successful discovery calls. I'm going to share with you how I structure my calls, or maybe lack thereof and why I have such a high conversion rate. So sit back, relax and enjoy.

I remember when I first started my coaching business and I put myself out there and I had my calendar on my website. I didn't even think about the fact that people would actually want to talk to me to get a coaching session or a package. I didn't even think about what I was going to say when I actually got on these calls. And I'm glad I didn't because I have grown to adapt the mindset to just go with the flow. So when I finally started getting discovery calls, I realized that what I was doing was working and it was hard for me to explain how I was getting these clients, because I didn't have this strict structure with what I said. 

I've read the sales books, I've read the marketing books and how to make the sale and how to do all this. I've been in the programs and they all have felt really icky for me. And I know that those tactics and strategies work for a lot of people, they just don't work for me. I don't know about you, but I'm the type of person who will, when they start a book and they don't like it, I finish it because I have to. I can't start a book without finishing it. Even if I cannot stand it. There is this book that I read. I'm not going to say the author. It is a book and it's about sales. It was written like it was written for people who love the strategy of having sales scripts and even talking about the word sales. I just felt icky. I couldn't stand reading the thing, but I finished it because I wanted to give it a chance.

And it's just maybe the obsessive part of me where I can't start something without finishing it. And after I read that book, I realized that, yes, my strategy does work. And this strategy, very masculine strategy is not fitting for my business. And so that was my biggest wake up call -was I attracted more to the feminine or the masculine side of selling because you know what the feminine side of selling is just as effective. And the reason why you think that it's not is because the masculine side of selling is a lot louder than the feminine. So I want you to relax. If you feel like your sales calls slash discovery calls need to be a certain way. And if you feel like, if that doesn't fit well, it doesn't align with where you want them to be or how you want your business. Be relaxed, because it doesn't have to be that way.

Mine are not like that at all. So that being said, I want to share with you exactly what I do when I get on discovery calls. There is a loose structure to it. So I like to always host all my calls on zoom. And it's funny because I used to always just go with audio on zoom. And so did the potential clients, but then once the pandemic hit in 2020, it seemed like everyone really warmed up to going on video calls. And it seems that most of the potential clients will go straight to video. There was a huge shift in that I do like to go on video because it allows that connection seeing facial expressions. It allows me to gauge how I think they're reading what I'm saying. I really prefer video. And if they don't, that's fine. Sometimes I'll go on video and they won't.

And I'll just talk, like, just look at myself while I'm talking, but I'll stay on video. Cause I want them to see my facial expressions. So that is number one. I don't ask for phone numbers. I don't do anything like that. We just go on the zoom call. Everyone's comfortable with zoom nowadays. So it's not a big deal. I get on the call. We do a little bit of small talk, but then we shift gears right away. And after a minute or two, I will ask them to let me know a little bit about themselves. Even though they have probably explained a lot of it in the application. I like to hear it from their mouth and what's going on in their mind at the moment. I want to hear a little bit about themselves. And I also want to hear what they're struggling with.

And I phrase that like this first, “tell me a little bit about yourself. I know that I have read a lot about you and your application. I just want to hear it from you and then tell me what you're struggling with so I can see if I can help you.” Now that is key. I want you to tell me what you're struggling with so I can see if I can help you. When you say that you are putting it in their minds, this thought I need to convince her that she can help me. Now, that is so important and puts a big shift in the conversation. So you're no longer pitching to them. You never were. They're pitching to you. They gotta be going into the depths of their pain points like this. This sucks in my life. This sucks in my business. I hate this part of this, and I'm struggling with this. And I can't stop thinking about this. And they're telling you all these negative things that they're going through, what they want help with. And they're going to keep telling you, because they want you to say, “Oh yeah, I can help you.”

So after they are done pitching themselves to you, what you're going to do is you're going to make sure that they know that you were listening and acknowledge everything that they said. And let them know that you see potential in them. I've never had somebody that I've gotten on a call with that. I was like, Oh boy, I don't know what I can do for this person. That's why I screened my call. That's why I screened my applicants. So if you're not doing that, you haven't been listening for very long, because I always talk about that. You need to make people apply to work with you.

So you should have already in your mind an idea of how you can help them just because you've reviewed their application. Now, what your job here is is to show them the potential you see with them and their business or whatever kind of coach you are, show them what their life could look like. The reason why they chose you to possibly be their coach is because you are leading a life that they want. So what you need to do is you need to take what they want and show them the possibilities. And then let them know that there are multiple ways that you can help them get there, get them excited about the possibilities and show them how simple it can be to actually make it happen. And there's going to be a light bulb moment on that call and they're going to get really excited.

And they're actually going to feel really hopeful about their journey because you finally showed them what is there for them. So many times, you know, people have so much fog and everything is so cloudy. They don't even know if there is light at the end of the tunnel. They just know that they're tired of feeling a certain way and your job is to show them what is possible. And to let them know that you can help make that happen. Now that happens. And you can see that light bulb moment, that shift in the conversation, then you dive right in and you say, I don't know if you've had a chance to look at my sales page, but I'm going to share my screen so I can show you the packages that I have. And a lot of the times they already know everything about your sales page.

Sometimes they don't. I always show it because the visual walkthrough is always very effective. So I will go ahead and share my screen. I always have my website up beforehand, before on the call. So I'm prepared and I always go to my one-on-one page. So all I have to do is hit share screen, and I'm ready to go. We go through the packages. I let them know what each one entails and I, you know, move my mouse back and forth so they can see how each package works. And then it also explains to them about my payment plan system, because that is always the number one reason why people work with me because I have a payment plan. And that is always a huge benefit to working with me because I believe that coaches deserve a chance. And so I make sure that I give them one.

And I know a lot of times when people are just starting out their business, they don't have thousands of dollars to just hand off to a coach. They have an amount that is less than that and what they can afford is what my packages are. And I'm more than accommodating to all coaches. So I definitely make sure that they know that is available to them because that is something that is unique. Sometimes they don't even think that that's even a possibility. So then once you go through the packages with the coach, what you do is you give them the next step. So here's what the next step is. What package sounds the most exciting to you, and then they're going to choose. I want you to get them to choose that package on the call in a casual way.

Not say I'm not hanging out with you until you pick your package to say, which package sounds fun for you. Which one do you love the most? Which one do you think you need? And they'll probably pick the middle or the highest one. That's usually what happens once they say which one they want, then you're going to say, okay that payment plan, how would you like to pay? And I always give examples of my current and previous clients. I say our clients who pay every week biweekly, monthly, they have a six month plan. I mean, it is completely customized to what you need and they will absolutely love that too. They will say, okay, I want the 18 month payment plan. And then you'll say, okay, here's, what's going to happen next. I'm going to send you an email with a link to make your first payment, which will then set up the entire payment plan for you.

And then after that happens, then you will follow that step, which will be to book your call, sign the contract, all the things that could all be taken care of on a 15 minute call. I promise you. So my conversion rate is probably between 95% to 90% because I do it this way almost every single time, but I allow that wiggle room for, you know, more conversation. Some people really want to know what's inside the package. So we'll dive into the, you know, the embellishments that come along with certain packages. So we will go as deep as they want, but I do make sure that those things are taken care of on every single call. All right? So if you want more of a detailed path to make this happen and you are struggling with even just getting the application out there, you don't even know how to get calls.

I invite you to join me in the Stand Out Coaching Academy. There are many, many SOCA sisters in there waiting for you. We have such a beautiful community of coaches from all over the world. We have lots of coaching in there, all the tools and systems, processes, templates, checklists, workbooks galore is in right inside Stand Out Coaching Academy. The one-stop shop for coaches who want to start and scale their business. So if you want more, that's where it is. All you have to do is go to Lindsaymaloney.com and then click on Stand Out Coaching Academy or go to standoutcoachingacademy.com. And you'll be right inside the best coaching program out there. All right. Thank you so much for listening. I'm pretty sure that you are already racking your brain on how you can make the best discovery calls happen right now. And if you have any questions, please let me know. I'm so grateful you listened today and I hope you join me on the next one. 

Thank you so much for listening to this episode of the Book Your Dream Clients podcast. I am so grateful for you, and I want to be sure you are a part of my free community. Go to dreamclientcommunity.com and join our free Facebook group. We have all kinds of cool things happening every single day. So don't miss out! Also, if you love downloading freebies checkout my freebie vault on my website, by going to Lindsaymaloney.com and selecting freebie vaults. And there you can download all the things I will help you start and scale your coaching business.