TOC #188: No, I will not HOP onto your quick Zoom
(July 30, 2024) How to improve your discovery calls
Has anyone ever asked you to 🐰 hop 🐰 on a call, First name / bestie?
What about 🏃🏻♀️ jump 🏃🏻♀️ onto a quick Zoom?
Stupid question, I know they have.
…but… why?
What's with all the MOVEMENT? Where are we GOING? Why do we say that? I hate this.
There's no hopping. I will not be jumping onto a call. I will be sitting, patiently, silently, in my desk chair, until I see your face, and then I will smile, still stationary, and we will begin our conversation.
I'm irrationally angry about these terms, if you haven't noticed.
They're almost as bad as that awkward 7-second stare you do when you're hanging up on a video chat and you're not sure if the other person is fully gone, and you don't want to be the rude one with the fake-smile-fade, so you just freakishly stare at your screen until you're 150% positive they've hung up.
And that sitch is almost as bad as a not-so-great Internet connection breaking up your convo, so you have to do the weird “ope! can you hear me?” and then the “wait, I can see you, can you see me? am I frozen?” and then hit them with the “maybe we should turn our cameras off, actually? I think that's supposed to help?” followed by the “oh, yep, yeah, I think you're frozen…”
…but none of those scenarios are as uncomfortable as being unprepared for one of the most important meetings you'll ever take as a business owner.
So, let's prepare.
4 Ways To Improve Your Discovery Calls
Discovery call tip #1 — have a plate of at least 2 pieces of bacon next to you. Use the landline. Make sure your mom takes a photo.
Just kidding.
In all seriousness: while I don't believe you need bacon, I do feel it is necessary to be appropriately prepared for a discovery call, especially if you're a) not a call girlie, b) easily nerved out, c) out of practice, or d) not that experienced (yet!) in hosting them, if you wanna BRING INNNN the bacon.
So, let's get you ready for your next disco call!
#1 — Prep your notes
I like to copy + paste the inquiry into my internal client notes under a tab called “discovery call” and write any notes to myself / things I want to remember to mention on the call.
(As a beginner, I would write down everything from the exact questions I wanted to ask / script I wanted to say / prices etc, but now I typically just write down my available start dates.)
#2 — Review those notes before the call
It's normal for a few days or even weeks to go by between the time your lead scheduled the call with you and the actual day of the call, so make sure you go back and read the notes you prepped prior to meeting them.
#3 — Dive right in
I tell my mentees to ask their leads one simple, “pleasantry” question that will be easy for the lead to answer, to quickly get over any awkwardness.
This can be anything from a question like “how's the weather where you are?” to breaking the ice by creating a welcoming space & making them feel comfortable, saying something like “I hope you don't mind I'm braless, it's 85 degrees in this house. how hot is it where you are? hopefully you're not sweating, too!”
You decide the vibes, but sometimes when I can tell someone else is a little nervous, I'll share something more personal like that so they can feel free to open up, too, if they want.
#4 — Ask them what they're looking for
Once you've broken the ice, you can get straight to it. No need to waste their time (or yours); you've likely allocated 30 minutes for this call, and so have they. You don't know what else is going on in their day (or how many other discovery calls they're having), so it's nice to cut to the chase and say:
“So, tell me a little bit more about what you're looking for!” OR “SO! Thanks so much for inquiring - I'd love to hear a little bit more about what you're looking for!” OR “I loved what you said about ___ on your inquiry; I totally ____, too! Why don't you give me a little bit more of those specifics?”
& the convo will should flow nicely from there!
If you'd like more disco call tips, though, click the button below — I have 4 more of 'em ready for you in that blog post.
(And if you reallyyyy need extra help with handling — and landing! — discovery calls, consider joining my group mentorship program for copywriters. We go through several ridiculously in-depth lessons about client experience, from lead generation all the way through requesting feedback. It's one of my fav parts about the program!)
If we haven’t had the chance to *virtually* meet yet, hi! I’m Sara Noel—website copywriter and marketing mentor for creatives, copywriters, and all-around cool people. If you like my content and you want even more BTL in your life, here are a few ways you can connect with me:
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