So many of my clients complain about being on a discovery session with a potential client for too long – for hours – and they end up NOT getting hired (most of the time), and start to feel bitter at how much time they’re giving away.
A client recently confided in me…
“Sage, sometimes my discovery sessions are lasting an hour and a half, sometimes two hours, and by the end I feel like I’ve delivered my entire program for free.”
I felt so much empathy – because I think almost every coach, consultant, healer, and service provider has been there.
You hop on a discovery session intending to learn about someone’s goals and challenges, and before you know it, you’ve helped them solve three pressing problems, work through a mindset block, and map out their next six months.
The challenge is that many people end up coaching instead of discovering whether the person is actually ready for support.
Inside Women Rocking Business, we recommend scheduling 30 minutes for your discovery sessions, but format them intentionally.
One of the scripts we teach sounds like this:
“Welcome to your (Title) Breakthrough Session! I’m excited to dive in – We have just 30 minutes together, so I may interrupt you just so we can stay on track. I do have an extra 15 minutes available if we go over time. Do you have extra time flexibility?”
I love this opening because it immediately establishes leadership.
It lets your potential client know you’re fully present while also giving you permission to guide the conversation.
From there, I recommend diving right in and asking:
“What is the biggest problem you’re hoping to solve?”
Then listen carefully – for the gap between where they are today and where they want to be.
One of the primary goals of the first 30 minutes is to determine whether this person is committed at an 8, 9, or 10 on a scale of 1-10 to getting support.
This is a completely different question than whether they like you.
Are they serious about solving the problem? Are they willing to take action?
Are they truly leaning in?
The more discovery sessions you do, the better you’ll become at recognizing commitment.
One of the biggest mistakes I see is people talking about their program too soon.
Before someone invests, they need to understand the gap between what they want and where they currently are.
When people clearly see the gap, they begin to see the value of support.
Ask your potential client what their biggest challenges are.
Ask them about their dreams & visions.
Then connect your offer directly to their problems and desires using their words.
Example: I hear that you are struggling with finding the time to date. If we were to have the opportunity to work together in my 6-month Love Immersion, we’d be able to set up a schedule together for you to start meeting men online, and learn what specific questions to ask so that you are determining whether this man is a candidate for a long term relationship or not… how does that sound?”
Your potential client will show you their level of interest, when you bring conviction and confidence to the table about what you offer.
Your job is to practice sharing your offer with poise, and then tune in & pay attention to how committed your prospect really is.
The first few minutes of the call matter.
Establish your expertise by sharing a few client success stories or examples of results you’ve helped create.
And don’t forget your human-ness, and your energy.
People respond not only to your words, but to the essence you bring.
Share a short story that lets them know you understand how hard it is to be where they are because you’ve been through something similar yourself.
People want to know you’re capable. They also want to know you understand. Trust is built through both.
If your potential client is leaning in, the goal is that by the 30-minute mark you’ve started talking about your program.
If you’re discussing working together, the entire conversation may take up to an hour.
But if you’re regularly going beyond an hour, you’re likely overgiving.
And trust me, I understand the temptation. When you care deeply about people, it’s easy to keep giving, coaching, guiding….
But often what your potential client needs most isn’t another 45 minutes of free advice.
What they need is a clear invitation into the support that can help them create lasting results.
Sister, be sure you take the time to prequalify your discovery session clients.
Ask commitment questions before the call. We teach our clients to use speaking to qualify the right clients… when you are talking to someone who’s heard you speak & position your offerings already, your potential client will come in EVEN more committed.
Then, schedule 30 minutes. Lead the conversation, listen for commitment. Help your potential client see the gap between where they are and where they want to be.
And if they’re leaning in, start talking about your program.
You can simply say… Wow I’d be honored to invite you to consider joining my (INSERT THE NAME OF YOUR PROGRAM).
Be sure you practice ahead of time with skilled mentors or colleagues. AI can help you create a script but it won’t give you feedback on the energy & vibe you’re showing up with.
It’s SO much better to practice with other humans so you don’t end up practicing with actual potential clients.
Every discovery session will teach you something.
You’ll get better at listening, leading and enrolling.
And you’ll learn that the purpose of a discovery session isn’t to coach everyone. It’s to discover who is truly ready for support.
If you’re interested in getting even better at the energy of enrolling clients, I just made a video on how I enrolled 34 high ticket clients by aligning my energy for that high level, high value commitment, you can watch the training HERE.
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