My Real Thoughts on Discovery Calls
Discovery calls are a hot topic in the online space right and I have a very different opinion than what I so often see in our industry.
Today I want to share with you my opinion, WHY it’s SO important to have your back-end line up with your front end and why I KNOW that my approach has allowed me to create conversion rates that are basically non-existent in this online space (and why over 60% of my clients re-sign with me too).
SO much of the commentary around this topic goes like this:
“I don't DO discovery calls because I don't want people to waste my time.”
"Why would I hop on the call with 9 time wasters"
“If you don’t already KNOW that I’m the coach for you and that you’re ready to sign up then we’re not a good fit”
I'm gonna be real with you - I have a BIG problem with this mentality for two reasons:
Like YOU, I'm in this for SERVICE, I don't see potential clients as "time wasters" regardless if we decide that we want to work with one another. I see them as HUMANS that I get to support and that get to work with me if it's a good fit. I've NEVER had the experience of time wasters - what IS a time waster is on-boarding someone who isn't the right fit.
It creates an air of superiority "I'm the expert with all of the solutions to your problem and you're the one who's meant to show up and do what I say"... on the front end that is often NOT cohesive with how people are also wanting to show up on the back end. If you WANT clients who are showing up empowered, are willing to think for themselves and DO the work with you on the back end - you need to treat them the same way on the front end. It's really inconsistent to demand that on one side and expect your client to suddenly show up differently on the back end.
Whether you decide to do discovery calls or NOT is not a right or wrong thing here, it depends on your strengths, your offers and your business.
BUT here’s my perspective on it: there's no way I'm gonna agree to work with a client INTIMATELY for 6 months without at least having a short conversation to hear about where she's at, what she desires going forward and if our values align before I offer her the opportunity to hop in..
Honestly?
I don’t HAVE to do these calls. I get A LOT of requests to work together and I still insist that we chat first because I like to make sure that my clients get fab results, and I KNOW who I'm real good at supporting.
I am also very much a PARTNER with my clients.
I don't put myself on a pedestal and I don't just tell you what to do.
My Discovery Calls are really an opportunity for us to UNPACK what you really need, what lights you up , what your BASG (big ass scary goal is) and how I can support YOU to step up and become the person who knocks that out of the park.
SO yes. I love discovery calls and I think that the way I run them is a HUGE reason as to why I have an 85% conversion rate with them and why well over HALF Of my clients re-sign to work with me again.
I want my people to step up as the CEO and make really good decisions in their business. My decision to DO discovery calls is really because it’s cohesive with the level of support I provide on the back end.
I want you to walk away and think about this:
The more intentionally you’re showing up on the front end and the more your front end reflects how you run your business on the backend, the more congruency you’ll create and this means your clients will feel safer in speaking and investing in you (and the more likely they are to KEEP purchasing from you!)
The way you’re able to grow your business without having to do more and create more work, is not just churning and burning through your audience, but by creating sustainability within your community.
Loves the GOAL is to have your people buy from you more than once.
I highly encourage you to look at the overall structure of your business. Are you cultivating die hard fans and clients who show up, work with you multiple times, move through different programs you have, etc. so that you’re not constantly trying to draw in more people?
It’s important to be clever with how you’re cultivating a brand and community. LOVES - this is SMART business.
FIY- this doesn’t have to be hard.
Serve your people well, uphold coherence between how you show up on the front end and the backend, and for the love of all Labradoodles, let’s STOP shaming people for being ready to work with you before even TALKING to you! (end rant).
I am not about high sales, pressure, or pushing people into working with me.
I ONLY work with people who are a HELL YES in working with me. I will NEVER treat anyone as a “time waster” whether we work together or not. The whole goal of a discovery call is not necessarily to have someone buy from you.
The ONLY goal of that call is to help that person get clarity on what the right next step is for them. Notice I didn’t say that my only goal is to get people to say yes and hand over their credit card info. I don’t think that’s a great way to empower people.
When people are showing up in a certain way, BELIEVE THEM. If they’re not willing to show up for you on the front end, they might not be willing to on the back end either.
The goal of any discovery call should be to help your potential client to make the best decision about what’s the right next step for THEM moving forward.
If you’ve had a bad discovery call experience, or feel torn what to do (whether you were the potential client OR the service provider) LOVES, the SMARTEST thing you can do for your business and bottom line is to book in a discovery call with me, like now.
I’m opening up calls for discovery calls next week. I am open and available and excited to support you in figuring out your next step.
If you’ve been contemplating about getting support to make THIS year your best yet in business and want to know exactly what that could look like. I REALLY encourage you to book in!
I guarantee that hoping on a call with me will massively improve your business and I know that if we DO end up working together, your life will never be the same.
Yours in purpose & profit,
xx
Elise