When you’re in business for yourself, discovery calls are crucial to your success. When you can close sales effectively, it can mean the difference between barely hanging in there and having more business than you can handle. The discovery call is where it all happens. So, it helps to learn some discovery call techniques.
It’s where you build trust, get to know your potential client and find out whether what you offer is what they need and if you’re a good fit to work together. Having the skills to hold successful discovery calls is key to winning more business and close more sales.
I was just talking with a student and friend, who was going to have a discovery call with a potential client and she was a little unsure about how to do it. What questions needed to be asked, and how to structure the call.
Then, I realized that I had to be taught these discovery call techniques years ago. The process I’ve used has felt so natural that I forgot it was a learned skill. I was taught most of what I do from Lee Blue, who is a fantastic teacher and helped me finally charge what I was worth on my websites. And, the way I’ve done it has worked really well for me over the years. But, it can be learned. And it doesn’t have to be pushy or salesy. In fact, it shouldn’t be.
It comes down to a few simple steps. No script to memorize. Nothing to push or get right. Just a natural conversation with a few directions.
So, here’s the formula for discovery call techniques:
Breaking the Ice
1. Break the ice with some small talk about you and them and get to know each other. Be friendly. This should feel like reconnecting with an old friend.
Understanding Their Journey
2. Ask questions and listen to understand what their history is. Where they’ve been. What they’ve tried. What has worked. What hasn’t worked. And where they’re having trouble today. What is it that brought them to seek help.
Uncovering True Motivations
3. Ask questions and listen to understand what their goals are. What do they want to accomplish? What have been the biggest hurdles in accomplishing this goal? What do they think will help? How will they know when they’ve reached the goal?
4. Why me? Why are they looking to you for help? There are other people they could go to for help. What made them look to you? What is it about you they feel will be beneficial for them? Let them convince you. Listen.
5. Why this? What is the reason they want to do this thing. What are they hoping to accomplish by doing it? How will this specifically solve their problems? Again, let them talk. You listen and ask questions.
6. Why now? What would happen if they waited? Why do they need to do this now? How urgent is it for their business? Let them answer.
Crafting the Right Solution
Once they have finished explaining these things, you will have a better understanding of how you can help them (if you are the right fit for what they need). If they’re not a good fit let them go. Don’t jump to offers. Just thank them for their time and let them know that they would be best to look elsewhere for a solution.
It’s not worth it to try and fit into a job that doesn’t fit with who you are, what you do, or what you know. There are plenty of people who do fit, and if you take a job that doesn’t fit, you’re taking a spot from someone who’s a better fit.
If I need some time to put together a proposal and think about an offer, I let them know how much time I’ll need to research and come up with an offer and a price. Then, I schedule a call to go over the offer. If I’m ready to make an offer there on the spot, I go ahead and make the offer.
Then, I like to offer three options for them. One is the bare minimum for what they truly need to make a difference. You give them an explanation of what it will help them with and what it will cost. Also, what it will not cover just to be clear but not to be pushy.
Then, I like to offer a better solution. This would be a comfy solution that would cover more needs and would cost more as well. I like to offer solutions as definitions of scope. I will solve this problem for this much money. This is why you really need to understand the problem before you bid on the job. You need to know you’re not going to get burned once you’re in the project by things you didn’t understand at first. If it is a big project, you may need to break it into phases. Phase one is to solve this problem. Phase two is to solve the next problem, etc.
Then, I offer a best solution. If I could solve all the problems with one stroke, it would cost this much. Make it a high number because they might take it and you need to be able to deliver what you’re promising. Define what all the problems you’ll be solving are. Make it the pie in the sky solution. Sometimes people want the best of the best and they’ll have funds you didn’t know about to cover it.
Then, let them choose which option would fit them best. Don’t pressure them with guilt or anything like that.
I haven’t had many people that have said they couldn’t work with me at this point. Mostly because there was a thorough understanding of what they needed and how much they could afford from the discovery phase. They felt cared for and understood.
When people feel like you understand them, they feel like you can help them, too. You’ve shown them they will like you and trust you.
I hope this helps you in your business and in your life. These discovery call techniques have worked for me for many years. When I learned the steps to successful discovery calls, it increased my closing rate significantly and gave me confidence on the call. I no longer felt pushy or uncomfortable in proposing my offers. I was simply understanding the situation and offering a solution. Remember to let the client do the convincing and the explaining. Your job is to ask questions and listen as much as possible. When you’re offering solutions, you can do some teaching, but it’s usually not much.
If you like what you have learned, consider signing up for my newsletter, where I share insights, random lessons I have learned, and friendly tips for business owners.
Lots of love,
Amy
P.S. I hope you’ll come to the next tea party. I’ll be answering questions live on the call. If you know someone who could benefit from this information, please share.