Discovery Calls- How they end in “I want to work with you.”

This week I have been on two Discovery Calls. Both of which ended with “I want to work with you.”

The gateway to a partnership with a client is the initial call- also known as a Discovery Call. Like a consult, a Discovery Call is used to get to know your potential client, their business, and what they want to achieve by adding a virtual assistant to their team. I have been on countless calls, with only a handful that proceed to move forward. I have spent hours on calls over the time frame of starting my business… and this is what I have learned.

How you start the call is critical to how it continues. Your presence should be friendly, welcoming, professional, and assertive. As the Virtual Assistant, you are in charge of the call. They are inquiring about your services. So, show them that you are a boss women-preneur. Lead the conversation, ask questions, and do your research. As soon as you see someone has booked a call with you, you should be reading up on them. Who are they? What do they specialize in, and how do you think you could assist them. You should provide feedback and give examples of things you could personally support them with in their business during the call. Doing this shows you know what you are doing. It is also nice know some small details about them, like how many years they have been in business or what their speciality is. This gives your client the sense that you care enough to do the research, and that will transpire once they choose to close the deal.

Getting on these calls is SCARY, especially at first. This is also why research is so important. Give yourself the peace of mind of knowing what to say during the call.

…odds are you are going to close the deal.

Key tip: once you start off the call, do not go straight into business. Ask them how they are, how their day is going, and brach off of that initial response before proceeding. (THIS IS SO IMPORTANT. HUMANIZE THE EXPERIENCE, AND MAKE SURE THEY FEEL SEEN.) For example, they say “I am well. I just got off a call with my business coach” to which you would ask about the call in a way that brings them comfort, like you are two friends chatting over lunch. Say something like, “OOu a business coach?! That’s so cool, I have been thinking about reaching out to one myself. What was that process like, and how do you like it?” This is an open-ended question, which we LOVE. Do not ask a yes/no response question like, “Oh do you like it” to where they can just respond by saying yes. By doing this step you are providing a safe space, where your client feels more at ease and connected to you. Trust is a big part of building relationships. They are looking to bring someone in on their baby. Their business means the world to them, they are not going to bring in just anyone. So, when you make your clients feel supported and trusting, odds are you are going to close the deal.

Now that you have built a foundation for the conversation, start to segue into your services. Going along the lines of, “That’s great! Like your Business Coach, I am here to help you conquer and optimize your business! I think the best way I can assist you is…” and proceed with your pitch. It will not always be easy to transition into the actual conversation, and in those cases, just state that you do not want to hold up too much of their time, so it would be best if you guys got started.

What do you talk about now?

Start to talk about their pain points in their business, what they struggle with, their business goals, and whether or not they have outsourced prior. Once you have an idea of what they are looking for, you can begin to highlight your packages, amount of hours you can offer that suit their workload, and things you noticed from what they have discussed with you already that you know you can help them achieve. Get them excited! Talk about how you will scale their business by organizing their emails. Review the importance of SEO and how keywords in your captions can attract new clients. These are the things that get contracts signed, invoices paid, and partnerships built.

Remember, even if you do not sign the client on the call, you gained insight into what your niche needs help with, accumulated experience, and built a connection! Who knows, that call may lead to some dream client referrals!

Either way, you have accomplished a small step leading to the staircase of a thriving business.

Are you ready to tackle your next Discovery call?