How to Conquer Your Fear of Discovery Calls
So, you’ve finally received your first discovery call! Congratulations! After the initial excitement wears off, the nerves set in. Do you want to make a great impression but have no idea how? Maybe your social anxiety is kicking in, and you’re nervous about how to start the call? Maybe your fear is even telling you that you should cancel! Well, don’t cancel. We are all nervous during our first call, but I am here to help you conquer your fear of discovery calls. I will help you prepare, book, and (eventually) love discovery calls!
How to Prepare for a Discovery Call
Research their business: Whether you research their business on the internet or by asking them questions during the call, make sure you understand them and their needs.
Write down questions beforehand: If there is a lull in conversation or you’re too nervous to remember your questions, you can reference the list you make.
While it’s important to understand their industry and product or service offerings, it is just as important to ask them questions about the following.
1. What problem are you trying to solve by hiring a VA? This will help you determine if your skills and passion align with theirs. If they are trying to build brand awareness, but your passion isn’t brand strategy, you may not be a good fit.
2. What is your business’s most significant pain point? Similar to the question above, this question will help you define your success. If their most significant pain point is a lack of processes to help them organize business expenses, then you know exactly what pain point you will want to solve first.
3. Have you ever outsourced before? This will help you understand if they have any collaboration tools and procedures in place to help you work together or if you should take the lead on that. It also enables you to determine their comfortability with outsourcing and if extra communication and support may be needed before moving forward.
4. What do you know about me and my services? Are there any questions I can answer? This helps you see if there are any misconceptions about your skills that you can correct. It also enables you to understand what they look for in a VA and what they like most about you.
Know your pitch: Make sure you know exactly what you offer and the price points for each service. For example, make sure you know:
How you would like to charge your clients, either by the hour or by the project,
How you would like to communicate throughout the project, through email, a project management software like Trello or Slack, or through video calls,
How many hours you can dedicate to the client and what they can request in that time, and
How your specific skill set can make things easier for them.
Practice: Practice your opener, including introducing yourself, your business, and outlining the direction you would like the call to take. Being confident at the beginning of the call sets the tone. Also, make sure to be flexible. There is no perfect discovery call, so release any expectations of perfection.
Also, practice your call to action. Whether you ask them to sign with you today or ask for another call, make sure you have some options under your belt that you can use depending on how the conversation goes. Here are some examples of calls to action to use at the end of a call.
After our talk, I really believe I can help you achieve [Prospective Client Goal]. Are you ready to get started?
I know this is a big decision. I will send you the contract later today, and then I will give you a quick phone call tomorrow at 2 p.m. to answer any questions. Does that time work for you?
READ: How To Pay Yourself As A Virtual Assistant and Track Your Finances
How to Love Discovery Calls
You’re passionate about what you do, right?
This is your time to share that passion with a potential client. Tell them why you love to do what you do and how you could help their business. Don’t shy away from sharing your desire to help them. That’s why they’re here, too; they need help.
Accept there are answers you won’t know.
There are always questions people will ask that you won’t know the answer to immediately. Give yourself a break and understand that no one expects you to have all the answers! Take this time to be honest, and let them know that you will follow up with that information. Just make sure to include the information they asked for in your follow-up thank you email to them, as soon as you can.
Have fun!
While the discovery call is a sales call, it shouldn’t always feel like one. This quote by Maya Angelou always helps me reframe discovery calls, “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” So, instead of bombarding your prospective client with all of your ideas, testimonials, and offerings, take some time to have fun and get to know them. They will remember how you made them feel, and it takes some pressure off you when there is no expectation of perfection.
How to Book More Discovery Calls
Once you start to love discovery calls, you will try to avoid them less and less! Put the call to action to schedule a discovery call everywhere you can. If you have a website, put it there. If you have an Instagram, put it in your bio. You can even put the link in your email signature.
If you have a social media platform, talk about your discovery calls there. Talk about what you cover during them and how much you enjoy getting to know prospective clients. This will help people understand why they’re important and they will feel less scared about booking with you!
The best way to book more discovery calls is to ask for referrals from your current clients or even prospective clients. Even if you have a discovery call with someone whose needs don’t align with your skills, ask them to share your information with anyone who may need it in the future. You can even offer a discount to a future client that they refer. Then, even if they don’t sign with you, your time is not lost!
