How I Lead a Discovery Call as a Photographer
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Do you struggle when you’re on a discovery call and want to know how to lead them and know if they were successful?
In this snapshots episode, we are covering a question that was submitted by quite a few of you and that was how to lead a discovery call. Discovery calls have the ability to make or break your sales process, so I understand why so many of you asked this question.
By the time a client gets to the point of inquiring with you and booking a discovery call with you, they are in that second phase of the marketing funnel. So, this call really is the final step before a couple gets to the third phase, which is hiring you.
We are diving into why discovery calls matter in the first place, how I view discovery calls, how I remain the leader of the conversation during those calls, and how I measure the success of a discovery call.
Why do discovery calls matter?
Like I said before, a discovery call can make or break your sales process, but the call isn’t about selling. By the time a potential client gets to the point of booking a call with you, they should be pretty sold on you already. This call is more about discovering whether or not you’re a good fit for this potential client and whether or not they are a good fit for you.
The way you will convert more of your discovery calls, especially when it is a super-aligned client, is if you’re giving an incredible before-booking client experience. Before booking, you’re still providing a client experience, whether you know it or not. That potential client can use that before-booking experience to decide if they feel confident getting on a 30-45-minute call with you.
If this before-booking client experience is new to you, you’re going to love episode 14 of All Angles. I speak to you about how client experience could be impacting your inquiries and bookings.
How to remain the leader of the conversation
There are 3 big pillars I use to remain the leader of the conversation.
Connection
I’m really just focusing on being a genuine human being and connecting with the couple. We talk about their day, what they do for work, and anything they shared with me that I would like to learn more about. It’s really about getting to know them and their story, and it’s how I start every single discovery call. This is literally the bulk of the conversation because connection is huge. People don’t buy what you do. They buy why you do it and because they know, like, and trust you.
Clear Communication
You need to have an idea of exactly what you want to say throughout the call. It’s important to give that clear communication about your process and your approach without the call being all about you. This comes down to being an active listener and simply just being present during the call.
Confidence
This is where the confidence pillar comes into play. You have to be able to relay the next steps in a way where a couple feels disarmed when you’re essentially making the ask and they feel confident you know what you’re doing. When you have that confidence, it creates more ease in getting a yes.
At the end of a discovery call, I never ask if they want to book with me. I always tell them I’ve enjoyed talking with them. I thank them for taking the time out of their day to get to know me. Then, I give them the next steps, letting them know I can send over an email with all of the information and I’ll follow up in X amount of days. In my opinion, this portrays more confidence than asking if they want to book with you.
If you’re struggling to book inquiries
I find most times photographers aren’t confident, especially when they’re struggling with inquiries and bookings. They feel like they’re not doing anything right if they aren’t getting discovery calls and a couple ends up going another direction. If that’s you, I want to say it doesn’t mean you’ve done anything wrong. Sometimes, it really just comes down to the connection piece. Chances are, they connected with someone else better, and that’s okay.
If this is a place you’re struggling with, I’d love to invite you to check out the information about Book It and apply. I would love to get to know you and hear where you’re at in your business because this really can make or break the discovery call.
I literally have an entire lesson inside of Book It called The Inquiry to Booking Process. We talk more about the actual booking rate you should be hoping for. If you apply, I do believe I’ll be able to help you reach your goals.
My favorite question to ask in my discovery call script
My favorite question to ask is, “What is most important to you when it comes to your wedding photographer?” This question is the one that led me to turn down a client in the middle of a discovery call. It really shined a light on what the couple was hoping for. I knew it wasn’t something I would be able to deliver on or even feel comfortable delivering on.
This specific couple shared with me they didn’t want their photographer to be following them all day like a lost puppy. To me, it felt very negative instead of really appreciating the photographer’s job and duty to photograph the special moments and everything in between. I knew that my approach and my team photographer’s approach would not be what they were hoping for.
For me, I wanted to feel more like a friend to them. I wanted to feel comfortable doing my job and what I felt was necessary in order to photograph the day without the fear of thinking they would feel like I was following them around like a lost puppy.
So, I reiterated what they had shared with me and made sure I heard everything correctly. Once they confirmed that, I explained to them I didn’t think we would be the best fit for each other. Let me tell you, I was SO nervous! This was the first time I was ever faced with the fact of not being a good fit for a couple. However, I knew the reality was I wouldn’t be able to give them what they wanted, and that’s going to happen.
If you want some support with your discovery calls, my Discovery Call Script is available in my shop. You can get 10% off with the code PODSQUAD.
Measuring the success of a discovery call
It really does come down to connection and making sure you are the best fit for each other, not just one way. The fact that this was a no and I turned down this couple was considered a win to me. We didn’t have to work with them while walking on eggshells and I’m happy they were able to go and find a photographer who met more of their vision.
That’s what I encourage you to think about when it comes to measuring the success of your discovery calls. This is why I’m sharing my Discovery Call Script with you. As much as we love a conversion, it doesn’t mean that’s the only way to be successful with a discovery call.
I hope this was helpful to you and you take the time to check out the Discovery Call Script Template that I put in the shop for you. And same thing with Book It. If you need to feel more confident about your pricing, process, and before-book client experience, then I encourage you to check out and apply for Book It. If you want to submit your own question for a future snapshots episode, you can find that here.
In this episode, we cover:
- Why discovery calls matter in the first place
- How to remain the leader of the conversation
- The 3 pillars to remain the leader – Connection, Communication, Confidence
- My favorite question to ask during a discovery call
- How to measure success during your discovery calls
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
- Book It Mentorship Program
- Discovery Call Template – Get 10% off with the code PODSQUAD
- Episode 14 – How Client Experience Could Be Impacting Your Inquiries and Bookings
- Submit your questions for the next Snapshots episode
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