Each week you will receive reaches from qualified prospects for our introductory services. Working with your Sales Administrator, each and every reach is to be followed up with to the end of setting up a phone call as soon as possible. This is called a “discovery call” and it has the purpose of enlightening each prospect, as well as addressing any questions or concerns they have regarding the process.

Specifically you will:

1. Email and call the prospect to setup a time to speak to understand their possible needs and to discuss our process and products. While working to set this up, send any enticing material or examples that will motivate them to have a call.

2. Have the discovery call to get them talking about their motivation, needs and wants. You will then discuss how we work, the four key elements of a successful video (goal, target public, pain points/problems and message) and our process, as well as answer any other questions needed.

Your job is to ask enough questions to understand their needs, then to recommend what we need to do for them.

3. Once you've recommended a specific Richter product, let them know you will be sending a proposal over that will outline what you discussed with details, pricing, etc.

FRAMEWORK FOR A SUCCESSFUL DISCOVERY CALL

Here’s the basic framework for how to do a discovery call. Follow this model for each call.

Establish rapport first

As the call starts, the first thing to do is build rapport. This can range in various ways. For example, you would first thank them for taking the time to speak and then, lets say you lived in Dallas TX for a few years and noticed that they are located in Dallas or nearby. You would comment about it and ask where they are or if they ever get to the Dallas Stars games and then talk about where you lived and how you really loved it there to build a common reality. This is an example but the idea is to find some level of common reality and then talk about it briefly.

Get in communication

Once you have established the common reality to build rapport, you need to ensure they are totally in communication with you. One way to do this is to remove the resistance of a “sales call” and announce that “the purpose of this call is really just exploratory so I can understand what you’re looking for and answer your questions and explain what we do here.” This will help ease them so they know that you aren’t selling them and this is truly just a discovery call. Once done, this will help get them into real communication with you.

Let them brief you and acknowledge

Start off with asking them questions that relate to their company and the product or service you’re selling. For example, if you’re selling a video, ask them what they need it for and how they plan to use it. Ask them if it’s to support their sales efforts and find out what the sales team needs. Then, once your questions are asked, let them talk and discuss the “plan” and just acknowledge them while they do it like so, “Oh… that makes sense”, “that will help a lot”, “good idea” …. etc. This will keep them in communication with you and help build the rapport further.

Enlighten on the product

Once they have discussed what they need, you will then jump in and begin to discuss and enlighten them on what we do. This is where you explain our products, core competency, kinds etc. You also want to cater this part to them based on what they have told you. In other words, from the info they gave you so far, you want to tie in what you are discussing to align with their needs or wants.

Announce next steps

Once you have enlightened them on the product, you will then announce next steps. So it might sound something like this, “Ok so at this point what I would like to do is send you a proposal. Based on what we’ve discussed, I’d recommend we do a 90 second animated video project to align with what you’re trying to accomplish. In terms of next steps, I will send the proposal over via email along with examples and some other material. We can then have a proposal review call this week or next so I can just walk you through it and answer any questions that come up, alright?” By doing this you keep control and set the expectation for a proposal review call to review the proposal. You can then move toward the next steps in the cycle toward closing it.

Call them immediately. If you get through you can let them know that you’re calling to set up a time to have the discovery call. You may be able to go ahead and do it right then and there, or at the very least get it scheduled quickly. If you do not get through, leave a message to the same effect. The point is, do not give up or let time slide by. It's important to have a discovery call as soon as possible.

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Acknowledging and Handling