How to Convert Prospects BEFORE They Get On the Phone

Please note this transcript is machine generated so it is not perfect and should be used for reference only, you will get the best from the podcast by listening to it in it's designed format.

(00:00):
Wouldn't it be great if we could talk to prospects who are already a yes. Well, in this episode I'm going to be showing you how to do exactly that.

(00:18):
Welcome to this episode of the Expert Unrivalled Podcast where I am showing you five ways that you can use to help position yourself as the one to say yes to before you even speak to your prospects. So how are you going to convert your clients before they get on the phone? So we have just finished up an epic week of the market domination challenge. So all the episodes are available guys. So if you didn't manage to catch it, it wasn't the right time for you, it's no problem because all of those challenge tasks and episodes are all available in the group on this podcast. So do you make sure you go and check out those last five episodes. And if after listening to this episode, you'd like to talk about how I can help you to really implement these steps and start to convert your prospects before you get on the phone.

(01:15):
So you only ever have to speak to ripe prospects who want to be clients. Then do you make sure you book a call with me using the link in the show notes, but that is bit.ly/claritycallpodcast. If you just had to that link, you can book a call straight in. We can have a no pressure chat to discuss how we might be able to work together to get this moving forward. So why are we doing this? Why are we trying to convert clients before they get on the phone? Well for me, I enjoy taking sales calls with the right prospects. For me it's about pre-qualifying and ensuring that I'm only speaking to serious people, serious buyers who don't necessarily force them into saying yes on the phone. They still might not be 100% converted. They might need to have some reassurance.

(02:11):
They might not always be the best fit either for you. So this isn't about saying they're going to be 100% converted. But what you do want to do is speak to people who are serious about buying from you. Because something that I got really sick of in the early stages. My business was having loads and loads of calls with people who were brain picking with people who wanted to be convinced on the call or who were kind of serial coach shoppers having millions of calls with various different people. I'm not really making ever making a decision or really just getting lukewarm people who went away going, Julie, what? I'm going to have to think about it. And they ghosted me. I got really sick and tired of having those experiences, which I'm sure if you've experienced them, you are too.

(02:58):
So finding ways of being able to prime my prospects before they get on the phone was key to me. Ensuring that I was only speaking to people who were serious about working with me and who were already it as much as they possibly could be already. Yes, they'd already fallen in love with the way I do things. They'd already had these epiphany moments with me where they're like, Oh gosh, yes, that makes total sense. I really need what she's delivering. And I'm really interested in finding out about it. That's the kind of person that I wanted to speak to, but something that's really important that I want to kind of share a message from my incredible sales coach, Jessica Lorimer, is that you can't take sales completely out of the process and convert people without having kind of the straightforward interaction with them.

(03:56):
The best way to really get people to buy into something is by having that conversation with them, by getting on the phone is one of the best ways you can do that. So I don't want to say that you need to be avoiding calls at all costs because I genuinely believe you're going to get better traction in your business if you take them. But it's about taking them with the right people who you don't have to convince because that's the worst position you could be in is on the call. And you're trying to convince them that your way is the best way and that you're the best choice. You really want to be positioning yourself as the best choice before they get on the phone. So really the call is more about making a decision dotting the I's, crossing the T's and getting their last minute questions answered and really overcoming any of those last minute objections that they might have.

(04:47):
And in this next part of the podcast, I'm going to be taking you through a few ways in which you can start to do that, to find ways to position yourself before they get on the call so that they are already the majority of the way there to choosing you as the one to work with. So then number one is making sure that all your social media accounts, your website or your profiles are all up to date and primed with your killer marketing message that will get them exactly what they're after. And this is the thing, consistency on this is really important. So if one place it's weakened in the next or if one place they're seeing a completely different view, a different version, doing a different thing is going to be quite confusing. So my big suggestion is is to ensure that your profiles are consistent across the board as much as you possibly can.

(05:42):
If you're serving two different markets, then you want to try and isolate those two different markets to the various different platforms. But the ideal situation is that you are targeted in on one particular market and that your social media profiles are all consistent across the board delivering the same message because the more you can do that, the more you're going to become known and the, the more you're going to really imprint yourself in the minds of your market that you are the person to work with. And obviously we've talked quite a lot on this podcast so far about messaging. So do you make sure you go check out the other episodes because it's really important to have that micro-niche message, that powerful message. And one thing that I'm not a a big fan of is the I help so and so do X, Y and sad.

(06:33):
And the reason I'm not a big fan of that, and by this you, you almost already knowing what I'm talking about here and that's kind of like your LinkedIn profile is because it's fine to do that exercise for yourself. We're going to get all of my clients to do that. It's really important that you get that cracked. Because if you, if you can't say those things, then you really don't have clarity on who it is you serve and what you do. But it seems great to create those for yourselves. But in terms of then putting that on your LinkedIn header or anything else, it's really weak. And the reason why I say it's really weak is this beginning part of the I help, it's just very cookie cutter and that's what I don't like producing. That's what I don't like to see is the same, same as everybody else.

(07:19):
I like to see something that is strong, that is individual and unique, still very important to keep it simple and understandable. And to the point of removing all of the fluff. But this, I helped so and so it really lacks strength. You want to have that power behind it, the fact that you deliver those results. So for me it's, I position scrap out the help. I don't help people position themselves, I position entrepreneurs. I, it's not something I help with. I actually do it. And so that's how I want you to come across in your positioning statements. I want them to be really, really confident. And the other thing is you can obviously ramp up your positioning statements to be an, obviously it has to be true. So we can't just be making these up, but you, if you can, for instance our adventure travel company that we run ever track, we are known as the UK is number one, every space cab specialist because we are like, that's that, that's the truth of the matter.

(08:27):
So we're very confident about that and we put that positioning statement all over everywhere we possibly can on our blogs, on our website and other places. So uniquely have the UK leading authority. Even if you can't say the UKs or the world's leading whatever, even just being a specialist is also great for positioning as well as being a specialist or an expert, they'd be really would be really confident in your copy. Get rid of the wishy washy. I help. You might possibly, all of those kinds of words really weaken your strength behind the message that you're trying to put out there. People need to know that you're the go to person and that you have unshakable confidence in what you deliver. And to do that we have to be strong in our messaging and have that consistency of the message across all of the different platforms.

(09:19):
Okay. So the second thing is educating your market or your prospects on your new solution and why they need it. So you might have heard, we talk about a new solution before. A new solution is something that they've not heard of before. So it doesn't matter if it is a new solution or not technically speaking, it has to be new to your market. So for instance, let me give you an example of why it doesn't technically have to be new in its entirety. So I worked with an incredible guy who's now become a very good friend of mine, David Williams, and he is an international education consultant. He basically goes into independent schools and he helps people to sorry, helps this, the school owners to ensure that they get enough business through the door, enough bums on seats and so and so forth.

(10:13):
And a lot of the things that he's showing them are very entrepreneurial and so to entrepreneurs and people like me, it's not new. The idea isn't new at all. These are things, these are classic ways of, of helping people get, get those results because they're in the education and in the school arena, it's totally new to them. They've never heard of these things before, so it's a new solution to them. So don't get yourself caught up and trying to create a totally new idea because they don't exist. Start thinking about what has your market, what is, what does the individuals in your market, what are they missing? And that was one of the challenge episode tasks that we did last week. But what are they missing? What are they not getting that if they knew that would actually get them part of the way or make a big leap in progress or whatever.

(10:59):
What's the key to their success that they're not seeing? And then you can create that key to success with your spin on it and give it a completely unique name and make it completely yours and create this amazing intellectual property. Now I spoke about this before. Intellectual property really helps to position you as somebody to listen to. So make sure that you are creating that new solution, that you are making it yours and you are creating and building it as an asset. Making it tangible. Because that's the thing with a service based business. Our challenges to make things tangible all the time. And that's what we need to do. We need to put it, make, create it into a product so that we can give to somebody is a little gift. And that the only way they're going to get ahold of that is in obviously your programs.

(11:43):
So make sure that you're doing these things, that you are creating that intellectual property and that you're educating your market on those things because it really does position you as an expert and it's this kind of value that will stick in their minds. A lot of people try and give value in the form of helping them go from a to Zed and at the end of the day what you don't want to be doing is delivering your program in small sections constantly. All of the time. There is absolutely a place for it and I don't think we should not be doing it at all, but we shouldn't be doing that all of the time. The biggest value that's going to convert the best as well is going to be around educating them on where they've been going wrong and how they can start to take more positive action.

(12:27):
And if they want help taking that action, you provide this particular new solution that solves that problem. And here it is. Inside of my programs, this is how I serve my clients. By the way, that's a really great way if you're networking and you don't want to sound sleazy and be salesy and pushy but that could be network, it could be a Facebook group. Wherever we is that that line, this is how I help my clients. It immediately positions you is Oh, they have clients. I know it sounds, it's a very, it's a very low level positioning, but it still positions you as somebody who has clients who's helping others just like them. And it does position you as, as an expert and it puts you in their minds as somebody to consider. So that's the kind of the first wrong, just a little sidestep there.

(13:15):
This is one of the main points of this podcast. But just bear that in mind. It's always a useful line. This is how I help my clients then then move on. Or what I always say to my clients is that dah, dah, dah, dah. It is a great one to use. So any who make sure that you are educating people, make sure that you are out there and showing people how they can do it better, how they can make a change because that is a value that's going to stick in their minds. It's going to be that apifany moment where they suddenly go, Oh my gosh, yes, you are so light. And it's those moments that have the biggest breakthroughs for people and that really makes you stand out somebody to listen to and that somebody has helped them make that mind shift.

(14:02):
That's what you're hoping for, to create people. It's not necessarily practical steps that they can tick off a list, but actually making a critical mind shift that kind of glow in more obvious terms, blows their mind. Do that. Oh my God. Yes. That's the thing. If we can get that reaction, that's really going to hold you in good stead for them to be, converted before they get on the phone with you. Cause they're going to be that, Oh, she holds the answer that he holds the answer, they hold the answer to what I need. So the next thing that, or that's on my list of things to help you start converting clients before they getting on the phone is actually finding a place to nurture and build relationships. As we know, sales always happen by building relationships.

(14:48):
So we need to find a place to do that. So here are a few examples of some different places in which you can start to build relationships. That's something that I used to do. The very early stages of my business was actually creating a community, creating a Facebook group where I could interact with my ideal client. Now since then, my ideal client is kind of changed slightly. So it means that why do client don't really hang out in many groups anymore. The landscape has changed. The market has changed. And my ideal client is different and so therefore I don't do this as much anymore. I still do it. Because when I'm running a challenge or something like that, I use Facebook groups and things to kind of host them in and all of that kind of stuff. My ideal client tends to prefer this platform, a podcast platform because they're busy people.

(15:38):
They're already running businesses, they've got busy lives, they might have kids and so on and so forth. And actually listening on the go is better for them. And this is a better way for them to build a relationship with me. Whether that's sending me an email, by the way, please do love hearing from you guys. Janet, Jen hyphen hold.com. I said that right Jen at I haven't called.com. Yes. she sent me an email. I love hearing from you guys, but that's how they like to interact with me is how you like to interact with me. You like listening on the go. You like to email me if you want to speak to me as some of you will say, pop over into the group and talk to me there. So that they, there was a slight crossover but there was definitely a preference to being able to have more convenient content.

(16:19):
And this does build relationships because at the end of the day, I've kind of feel like I'm chatting to you right now. I feel like I'm in your car with you when you're driving along or when your dog walk and so and so forth. It's an informal chat that's valuable to you. So that's one way of helping to nurture and build a relationship is on a podcast, even though it's more of a one way solution. Groups are Oh great. If you have the right kind of audio client who does interact inside of groups, say for instance, in my, in our other business, in the adventure travel business we have a very, very, very successful Facebook group. If people are joining it constantly I think we might even be coming up to a couple of thousand now. And it's active.

(17:08):
We don't hardly have to say anything in there. People are chatting amongst themselves. It's a great community. And they take true value from it and it's a great way for us to really be speak to them on a person to person level. So, in invite industry and invite business, a Facebook group is still going strong. For me it wasn't any more cause like I said, I pivoted what I was doing and working with business owners who are slightly further along the newbies, you have more time on their hands. Another really great way to find a place to nurture and to build a relationship is actually at events. Now that's in a few different ways. That could be the fact that you're hosting your own event. So people can come and meet you in person at your event.

(17:56):
It could be that you're speaking on someone else's stage, massively positions you as a, as an expert in your field. And as someone to listen to. And again, the networking experiences that surround that. I've got so many high paying clients from [inaudible], from speaking on other people's stages. It's a great way to do it because they feel like they get to know you. They can then speak to me afterwards and it really builds trust because this podcast is great, the Facebook group is great, but actually meeting somebody really helps to build that trust element that you need in order to help some people buy from you. So if you can get in front of people in person, please do. It's a great way or even going to events and networking at the events as well. Slightly less effective than the first two hosting and actually speaking, but it's still a very good way to start building those relationships.

(18:46):
Then of course you've got DMS personal messages. Linkedin is a great place to do this. Taking people off of the comments cause obviously you could interact with people on social media to a point in the comments and build relationships there. But again, having that one on one conversation is great. The best place to do that is places like Instagram or linked in Facebook less so cause people get stranger danger on there. But I know plenty of people who still make sales on Facebook messenger. I personally find it a little bit icky, but there we go. So anyway, those are some different ways in which you can actually do that. Obviously as well. You've got email a little bit like podcasts and I would probably say it can still feel very distant. So if you're using email as one of the places that you're nurturing to build relationships, make sure you're making them as personalized and as informal and chatted as you possibly can.

(19:39):
You still want to position yourself as an expert, but you don't want to make them sound too stuffy that they know that you're kind of, that it feels like they're talking to the world. They want to feel like you're talking to them. So whenever you're doing this, make sure that again, you were writing your emails, speaking to one individual in mind and that will really help to create that more friendly environment. Bring down that fourth wall. The next thing, the fourth thing is overcoming objections. So I'm going to be doing more podcast episodes probably around this side of things, but this is something that I focus on a lot with clients and that is creating content around overcoming those objections. So helping people around their own objections around their own ability. So is this possible for me? I'm not sure I can do it.

(20:27):
I don't have X, Y, and Zed. So it was building people's confidence that actually they can do it and it is possible for them. And using things like case studies and things like that to show them that people just like them or getting those results and it's not something that is impossible and so on and so forth. Then you've obviously got the kind of objections, perhaps it's around investing in help versus doing it themselves. You can create content like that. You've got content around timing. So this is the right time for me. And in our last campaign on ever track, we put out a campaign just before Christmas and a lot of the objections around that when it's Christmas time. So a way of overcoming that was explaining that they could actually ask for their trip deposit, which wasn't a particularly big amounts as a Christmas present.

(21:19):
So we were looking at different ways to help them overcome the objection that they were having about it. So it's about thinking about those objections and why people, you're not even just who say no to you. Like you have to consider that. So you have to think about all the calls that you have taken and the kind of objections and reasons that they've come up with on those calls as to why they said no to you. If you can create content around each of those objections before they get on the call, then they're going to be more likely to say yes. So if we can overcome as many of those as possible by putting this kind of content in front of them, whether that be in on your email, whether that be in your community, whether it be on your podcast and so on and so forth, wherever it is that you're interacting with your market, if we can put that in front of them, first of all, before they get on the call, it's going to make your life a lot easier.

(22:08):
When it comes to getting a yes on the actual phone. So overcoming objections with content is one of the best ways that you can help to get a yes on the phone. Now the last thing is around building urgency. So I'm going to talk you through five ways that you can actually do this. So first off it is agitating. So something I like to do with my clients, which I've talked about in other podcasts at SAIS, is agitating the problem or agitating the aspiration or ambition to do whatever it is that they want to do. And that means rubbing salt in the wound, poking the Badger or poking the bear, whatever you want to call it. And it means making sure that they are fully aware of the impact of their problem or the ambition that they have. So that could, that also feeds in to my second way, which is actually using consequences.

(23:06):
So we can use this in combination. So not only can we rub salt in the wound, we can also look at consequences. So should you choose to take action, you will get this positive consequence. So this will be the outcome and the impact of that consequence should you choose to do nothing. And this is where you can really start to agitate the problem. We can start to see how it really feeds into not doing anything. May see them in the same place this time next year. Or it can look, the problem could get worse and you really need to really outline the detail on that. How is that impacting them right now? How does that impact their relationships? How does it impact their finances? That mental health on the real true full impact of of what's going on for them. So agitating and using those consequences is a great way to build urgency and put people into that action mindset of needing to do something and actually making a choice because that's what we need people to do.

(24:07):
We need to build urgency to help them make a decision before they get on a call with you. Now, some other great ways to do this is I'm using a deadline. This is really important. Deadlines is huge. You want to put a deadline on as many things as you possibly can when it comes to helping people make a decision. Because until you say, here's the ultimatum, here's this state until this runs out, then people tend to stay in a, or I'll think about it tomorrow. Mindset. You want people to think about it right now and to make a quick decision. So putting a deadline on something, putting a time limit on it can really help to do that. The amount of times I've run campaigns and people have jumped in and literally within the last couple of minutes of the deadline is unbelievable. I'm one of these people, I need a deadline.

(24:57):
I don't know about you. But I'm somebody, I'm one of these people that jump in at the last second. So use deadlines wherever you possibly can. And it's not necessarily about building false scarcity because this is yet another way. You can build scarcity around a deadline about saying this offer ends and you have to be strict with that. You have to sort of, you're putting like for instance, early bird deadlines in to say if you want to take action and if you want to work with me to achieveX , Y, and Zed results and for instance, it's another way of doing it could be by offering a bonus, you have to be strict with your deadlines and does the scarce you that you do because you don't want to disrespect the people that have actually gone ahead and taken the action before the deadline has ended.

(25:42):
If you start moving the goalpost, it's really disrespectful and people start to get their backs up. So make sure that you don't, you're not providing full scarcity, but you're actually letting them know about the realistic situation. So another way to build scarcity is to look at, say, okay, there's X amount number of spots or availability that you have and whether that be in your calendar. And some people go, well everyone has all the time in the world, so it is false guessed. He will know it's not. Because if you look at my calendar, my calendar isn't necessarily open for calls every day, all week. I have other things I have to do. Not only do I have a personal life are you also have to make sure that I dedicate time specifically to certain activities to make sure that my business runs. And that means that there's time blocks are scheduled out.

(26:26):
So there is only a certain amount of availability and I will be starting these spots at a certain date. So build, be organized and actually be by being organized in your diary can actually really help you to create those realistic and very genuine deadlines. And you know, number of spots. Yeah, be realistic about it. I want all the clients we know that's not possible. It's not physically possible for you to take on that number of clients. So how many can you take for that specific product? And what's feasible for you, how many calls, how many sales calls are feasible for you to take this week and so and so forth. So be realistic, be genuine about it. But do you use scarcity? Do you use deadlines? Cause they really absolutely do help. And the last little tidbit I'll give you is offering bonuses, you know, incentivize people to get on the course and you don't want to be too frivolous with your bonuses because you don't want people on calls with you who aren't buyers but are just on the call because they want to get hold of the juicy bonus.

(27:23):
Make sure that it's something that's going to incentivize and to get on. But they're very aware that you only want people who are been pre qualified and who are genuinely wanting to work with you. So there's a nice balance to be had with the bonuses. So do take care when offering that. But at the same time it could also work really, really well. So they have the go. There are my best tips to give you on building urgency on converting people on the whole before they get on the call with you to make sure that they're primed and ready to buy from you. And like I said, if you want to have a call with me to discuss how we could work together to help build actual strategies and implement some of these things into how you work, then do make sure you book a call with me at bit.ly/claritycallpodcast. And as always, if you've enjoyed the show, we have any feedback or any questions, please do pop me an email at Jenn@Jenn-hall.com and I'm really looking forward to seeing you guys in the next episode.