Prepare yourself: next time you pick up the phone for a discovery call, you’ll know exactly how to engage your prospect and let THEM convert themselves. In this episode, our host Donald Kelly has a great conversation with David Newman, author of the business bestseller “Do It! Marketing”. They go deep on what makes a successful discovery call, and here’s a hint: it’s not a bunch of small talk.
Go Deep Fast
- Don’t spend your discovery call having surface-level conversations. Most sellers don’t go deep enough because they want to be liked and sound smart.
- Many sellers don’t ask questions to expand upon what prospects tell them. Instead, as David says, take off your ‘sales hat’ and put on your ‘investigative journalist’ hat.
- Most sales professionals think being likable is the same as being talkative. This is boring to clients – get them talking early and often!
Become a Consultant
- David’s first question on a discovery call is: how have you arrived at where you are today?
- Another question David asks prospects is: do you mind if I treat you like a fee-paid client? This takes you and them out of buying-and-selling mode and puts you in a position to tell the prospect helpful information.
- When you have the prospect’s permission to tell them what they need to hear instead of what they want to hear, you can be real and honest.
Treat Prospects Like Clients
- Ask: How do you see this ending up if all goes well? (Then ask: “What else?” several times!)
- Ask: What does that mean for you personally/professionally? What happens financially if this is successful or unsuccessful?
- Ask: Can you put a number on it? Don’t be afraid to get specific about numbers.
- Ask: Who else will notice these improvements? (This is key for finding out who else needs to be involved in this process!)