CTC Ep. 62 | Close More Discovery Calls (Without Being Salesy)

[00:00:00] Welcome to from Click to Client, where we transform a confusing message into a clear, compelling story that sells. I'm your host, Chris Jones, StoryBrand marketing expert. I'm here to help you attract more dream clients with the power of story.

Speaker: Today we're gonna solve a very important problem. So imagine this, you're on a discovery call and the conversation feels good, the potential client seems interested, and then you share them what it would cost to work with you, and they say. Let me think about it then you never hear from them again.

Most coaches and consultants lose clients on discovery calls because nobody taught them a structure to make it easy for people to say yes, and that's what we're gonna do today.Typical discovery calls look like this. You talk about yourself, you explain your service.

You talk about how you're different. Maybe you [00:01:00] drop your price and then you hope that they buy. You end up pushing, convincing, you feel like you're selling and you're exhausting yourself. Nobody wants to feel like they're selling. I know you don't want to do that. And your potential clients don't wanna be sold to.

I'm here to tell you there is a better way. A story-driven approach where your prospect sells themselves on working with you. In this video, I'm gonna share the exact nine step framework that I use to close 80% of my discovery calls. You're gonna learn what to say, when to say it, and how to help the right people say yes with confidence.

So let's get into it. So first, why do discovery calls matter so much? You spend hours on marketing to get somebody to book with you in your calendar. You prepare for the call, you show up, and maybe they ghost you. I've seen service providers book 10 calls and close [00:02:00] zero calls because the structure set them up to fail.

Great calls help people decide confidently by understanding their problem. Showing them success and then positioning your service as the bridge to those two things. This framework changes everything. The right people say yes, the wrong people filter themselves out and you stop chasing.

Think about it like when you visit a doctor, they don't open with, here's my treatment, it costs $500. They ask questions, they listen, they diagnose, then they recommend, and you follow their advice because they took the time to understand you first. Your discovery calls work the same way you diagnose.

Before you prescribe. So you wanna stop convincing and start guiding. Be that expert who understands their situation, helps them see their future, and shows them a clear path forward.

Now I'm gonna walk you through exactly how I structure my discovery [00:03:00] calls step by step.That first minute will set the tone for everything.

You are gonna say something like, okay, I'd like to set some expectations for our call 'cause we have a lot to cover in a relatively short period of time. So first I'm gonna ask you some questions and really understand where you are, where you wanna go. If I can help. I'm gonna walk you through what working together would look like

if I don't think I'm the right fit for you, I'm gonna tell you and point you in the right direction. Sound good? So right there, you have taken control. You have stepped into this call as the guide in the story. You've shown them what to expect, and you've given yourself permission to lead the conversation.

Step two, you're gonna ask. So what's happening right now? Why is now the time to explore getting help? Why now? This uncovers the urgency and tells you what's driving them. Maybe they've lost a client, maybe they're burning out, maybe they saw a [00:04:00] competitor pass them by. Who knows? Maybe they're struggling with parenting.

Maybe they are wanting to lose weight. Maybe they're wanting to get that next promotion. Who knows What we're doing here is really finding out if this is an urgent thing that they want to solve.

In step three, you're gonna ask, why me? This might look like out of all the people you could have reached out to, what was it about me that resonated with you? This question does two things. It tells you what's working in your marketing, and it lets them sell themselves on you. When they say, I loved your approach, I.

Really loved how clear you were. I loved how confident you were. I liked the sound of your program. I listened to your podcast. They're reinforcing their own decision to work with you. You don't have to convince them you're good because they're literally telling you why they already believe it. Okay? So step four, how do you get them to open up about their [00:05:00] problems?

You are gonna ask, what's the most frustrating part of this situation right now? Then let them talk. Don't interrupt, don't rush. Just listen. When they finish, ask. And how's that affecting you? What does that feel like day to day? You're really what I call pulling back the slingshot.

Here were really getting into their struggle, getting into their problem, and you're getting to listen, you know, and really hear what's going on for them. But also they're reminding themselves about this problem, which is actually a good thing. 'cause they're gonna be more likely to wanna solve it once they're reminded of the problem.

So the more tension you create around the problem, the more momentum you have when you talk about your solution. Okay. Step five, what does success look like for them? You're gonna ask them if we fast forward six months from now and everything's working. Your problem has been solved, we've waved a magic wand and solved your problem. What does [00:06:00] your day-to-day look like? What's happening in your life? Let them paint a picture for you.

What's different? How do they feel? What are they doing now that they couldn't do before? I call this shooting the slingshot forward. They're imagining the life your service is gonna create for them. This is the vision you'll connect your offer to later.

Alright, so moving right along. Step six is called Echo Back. All you're gonna do is summarize what they just told you. Say, let me make sure I heard you right. You're frustrated by this. It's making you feel this way.

It. This is really what's at stake. This is what it's costing you. You're struggling here, you're frustrated by that, but what you're really wanting to create. Is this is when you repeat the things that they told you that they want their vision of success. What you really want is to sleep well at night.

You want to wake up energized. You want to love your job again. Whatever it is they told you [00:07:00] that they want, you're just gonna echo it right back to them. And then you're gonna ask, did I get that right? And they're gonna say, yeah, exactly. And then you're gonna say, is there anything that I missed? What this does is really help them feel heard.

It also allows you to make sure that you are listening well and that you're really gathering everything that you need to gather from the call. Then you're gonna step in just like the doctor would at the doctor's office, and you'd say, okay. if this is something that you're ready to solve, here's how I recommend you solve it.

You're gonna connect their problem to your solution. So you're gonna say, based on everything you've shared, here's what I recommend. Then you're gonna walk them through your service. Keep it simple. Three parts works really well. First. You're gonna, we're gonna have a kickoff call. We're gonna do this, we're gonna do that.

Then we're gonna move into phase two of our pro program or project. And then step three, you're [00:08:00] gonna end up here. So you're gonna just high level, walk them through what your process look looks like. You're gonna map your offer to their goals. If they said they wanted more clients. Explain how your service will get them more clients.

If they said they wanted freedom, explain how your service will give them that freedom. And then step eight. I call it this step, the temperature check. How do you know if they're ready before talking about price? So this is where you're gonna ask, on a scale of one to 10, how does this feel for you? One being, this isn't for me, and 10 being, yeah, this is exactly what I need.

If they say eight, you're gonna go, oh, that's perfect. That's great. Okay. Tell me. What's keeping this from being a 10? Why an eight? And they're gonna go, well, you know, my husband just lost his job, or, my kids are about to get outta school for this summer. Who knows what they're gonna come up with. But, they might say it [00:09:00] might be an issue with your offer.

Oh, the offer, I, it, it doesn't. You know, I'm looking for something that, uh, will only take three months, not four months, whatever it is they're gonna share with you their objection. What a gift that you have just asked the right question to open up the conversation to hear their objections. That allows you to handle their objections in real time on the call so you can let them know, oh, don't worry we can start in the fall once summer is over, or you just handle those objections anyway you can. Okay. Step nine. How do you close the call? This is really about next steps.Once they're at a nine or a 10 in the temperature scale,

you're gonna share the investment with them. Once you've shared the cost of your program, what I like to do is I like to give them two options. I say, here's the cost of working with me. And actually don't call it a cost, I call it an investment 'cause it really is an investment in themselves.

So I say, [00:10:00] here is the investment. Here's what it is. You've got a two payment option and a one payment option. With a one payment option. You save $400 or we can, break it up into multiple payments. Which of those options would work best for your budget? And they'll say, well, actually, I'd like to pay in full and save a little money.

So that way they feel like they have agency and choice within the conversation. Then what you're gonna do is take their initial deposit on the call. I know you're shocked to hear this or you cringe about this part of the call, but let me tell you, they want to work with you. They want people like to spend money, especially if that money is solving an important problem.

So you're gonna take the initial deposit on the call. I always say, okay, we're gonna take the initial payment now, so no rush, I'll just [00:11:00] wait here while you go get your credit card. And they go get it. And then they come back. Sometimes they'll say. Um, well, I need to think about it or I need to talk to my husband.

And if they do that, of course they can take the time that they need. I'll email them a link and and they can pay me on their own time. But I always give them the first initial opportunity to pay right there on the call. Okay, so let's dig in a little bit further to the, I need to think about it.

Objection. You can say, I totally understand. Let's get a follow up call on the calendar so I can answer any questions that come up between now and then. Then offer a couple of times. I have Thursday at two, I have Friday at 10. Which one works best for you? And then schedule that next check-in call. So it's

the calendar and you know you're not gonna get, get ghosted. Okay. We've just been through kind of a lot together here, so I'm just gonna quickly recap so it's fresh in your mind. Step one, set [00:12:00] expectations. Take control of the call. Step two. Why now uncover the urgency? Step three. Why me? Let them sell themselves on you?

What was it that resonated with you about me? Step four. What's frustrating to you right now? What's the most frustrating thing about this problem to you right now? This is where you pull back the slingshot and really listen to their struggle. Then in step five, what does success look like for them?

Waving that magic wand. In a perfect world, what is happening for them in their life, that's when we are gonna shoot this slingshot forward and really paint a picture of a brighter future for them. Step six, just echo back their frustration, echo back their success, and their hopes and their dreams, and really just help them know that you are listening and that you've heard them.

And then step seven, here's what I'd recommend. You're gonna [00:13:00] connect your offer to their goals, you're gonna position your offer as a solution to their problem. Step eight, you're gonna do a temperature check. On a scale of one to 10, how does this recommendation sound to you? One, being not a fit at all, 10 being, yes, this is exactly what I need.

And then step nine is next steps. You take payment, you give them the payment option, and if they tell you they need to think about it, you schedule a call before hanging up. What should somebody do to improve their discovery calls? What I don't want you to do is memorize. This. Just print it out, write it down, write down the steps, print it out, or print it out and keep it in front of you during your next few calls. I will tell you, I have been doing this method for literally years.

I always pull up my cheat sheet so I don't have to think about it, and I follow the flow. It will feel awkward at first. I [00:14:00] promise that is so normal. But by the fifth time you do it it'll become much, much more natural.

The best discovery calls feel like conversations where you help somebody see their problem clearly. You help them imagine the future that they want vividly, and you help them take the next step confidently. You're guiding. You wanna be the Yoda, let them be the Luke bringing it back to story here.

Let them be the Luke. And let you be the guide, the Yoda.

Now go get some calls booked and close those clients. You've got this. Is your website turning away Potential clients? I can help you turn that around. Book a moneymaking messaging call with me today and we'll transform your story into your most powerful sales tool. That's all for this episode of From Click to Client. Don't forget to subscribe and follow. I'm Chris Jones and I'll see you next.