Whether you call them discovery calls or strategy session, it doesn’t really matter! But are you converting your prospects into clients on these free calls?
Welcome to the 5th and final part of Get More Clients Now (GMCN). In this series, I’ve been sharing some of my favorite strategies to help you get more clients and generate more cashflow, without a lot of complicated marketing tactics or fancy technology.
In this last article, I’ll walk you through the basics of a free call that converts into paying clients. (BTW – if you haven’t read the first 4 articles in this series, I’d recommend that you do so that you have a solid foundation for your free calls – articles listed below).
Ready now?
First … let me state that HIGH TOUCH always wins over high tech! And this is so true in your early stages of your business or when you don’t’ have a large audience (i.e. email list).
So let me explain…. HIGH TOUCH versus high tech. Even a relatively new business owner will see one in four phone calls converting into a client – that’s a conversion rate of 25%! When you compare this to the standard conversion rate of 1-2% of email marketing or a traditional online launch – it’s easy to see why picking up the phone is the best place for you to spend your time and energy.
The challenge is to know HOW to have those calls convert into clients without feeling sleazy or pushy…. Right?
Here are 5 reasons WHY your calls aren’t converting into clients:
1. NO SOLID SALES SYSTEM … the call ends up going down a rabbit hole.
I remember very well when I first started having Discovery Sessions … OMG, they were so bad because I didn’t have a specific outline for what I wanted to happen during the call. Often the prospect would end up taking control of the conversation, in other words, they were interviewing me! OR the conversation would end up talking about something that wasn’t pertinent to the call.
Here’s the thing … while you want to provide VALUE during this call, it should not be a ‘coaching’ call where they get to extract every possible piece of advice from you in 30 minutes. It’s not a free-for-all brain picking session.
The best way to avoid this is to have a clear structure for your call. It’s about coming to understand how you can best serve them, them helping them to take the next step forward.
2. YOU GIVE SO MUCH, they feel their problem is now solved.
Most of us love to give; we love to help people. However, very often if you give answers to their immediate questions – it’s a bandaid. WHY? Because their questions are only symptoms of deeper underlying problems which can not be answered in one 30 minute call.
However if we give them ‘bandaid’ solutions, they believe we have solved their problem and they leave thinking the problem has been solved however you know that they are still where they started.
Your job is to educate them and help them see the bigger picture … the real scope of what it takes to get from point A to point B.
3. THE INVITATION to work with you is a BIG surprise
Too often a prospect jumps on a call with no clear understanding of the outcome of a call. (That’s one reason why I teach my clients that’s their Strategy/Discovery Session must have a brand promise …. For instance, my promise is …. I’ll help you discover 5 roadblocks that are stopping you from getting the profits you desire and the #1 action you can take to move your business forward.)
Another way to avoid this BIG surprise is to have potential clients fill out an application! Yup! An application form with a couple of simple questions actually helps you & your client focus on the problem at hand AND it also filters out those people who only want ‘free coaching’!
4. STICKER SHOCK when they don’t know how you work
Something you have to consider when offering a free consult or call with people is they may or may not understand your industry …. Which means they may or may not have any idea of how much they would actually be paying to work with someone like you.
If you’re anything like my clients, you hate hearing “That’s too expensive”. Chances are they feel it’s too expensive because they didn’t know what to expect and they don’t seem to understand the value that your work provides.
Positioning the VALUE of your offer (solution) is essential. It’s your responsibility to help them understand the value of your work.
5. FOCUS ON HARD SELL Instead of matchmaking!
Although we aren’t talking about true love ‘matchmaking’, working with your dream clients is a little like finding your dream partner! Now I know that you won’t ask your dream partner to marry you on your first date … you’d take time to get to know them (date them a while). It’s that know-like-trust factor.
Your free call is part of that know-like-trust or building the relationship. You’ve got to see if you’re a good fit to work together BEFORE you offer your program/produce/service. You’ve got to allow them to be interested and educated enough to make a decision.
Your call is now simply about finding out whether you’d be a good fit so that it’s a win-win situation for everyone!
So share with me…. Have you ever struggled to get clients when offering free calls?
Till next week …. be UNSTOPPABLE
Diana
It’s been a blast having you along on this journey in the Getting More Clients Now series. I trust that you’ve found it valuable and actionable. If you’ve missed any of the series, I’ve listed them below.
PS — Here’s the complete GMCN series:
1: Why working 1x is the Fastest path to cash (here)
2: 3 Reasons you’re not getting clients in your business (here)
3. Quickly Fill Your Agenda with new clients (here)
4. 20+ Go-To Strategies to Find more private clients (here)
5. Are your free calls converting into clients?
