0:00:00 - Betsy Jordyn
Are you ready to learn how to run the absolute best discovery meeting of your client's life? Well, you're going to find out how to make that happen on today's episode of the Consulting Matters podcast. And welcome to the Consulting Matters podcast. This is the show for consultants and coaches who are ready to own the power of what they do and position themselves for the clients and the impact and income they're ready for. I'm your host, betsy Jordyn, and I am a business mentor and a brand positioning and messaging strategist. You can learn more about what I do to help my clients make more money through making a bigger difference on my website at www.BetsyJordyn.com And don't forget Jordyn's with a Y.
I'm super excited about the Discovery Meeting because I believe in its power. It's literally the most important meeting of your entire consulting or coaching engagement and it plays the defining role in both your impact and income potential. And if you are somebody who wants to work with leaders and organizations, this is the time that you position yourself as the peer that they need, that your clients need, so that you can influence them to take action on the things that you envision for them that is in their best interest. So there's so much to the discovery meeting. So I've been leading up to this, I think actually in the past few months. I really got focused on the principles of partnership with Peter Block in episode 123. I shared with you in the last couple episodes about how do you leverage strategic listening and the ROI mindset from Rick Bommelje and Jack Phillips. I shared with you the story from Katie Anderson and how she was able to level up her impact and income while working less, in episode 126. All of this comes together here in this moment in the discovery meeting. So not only you're going to discover why this meeting is so critical and how do you make the most of it so that you are positioned as that strategic partner to your clients and you're positioning yourself to land the strategic work. You're going to learn also why sharing your credentials is literally the worst way to establish your credibility and what you need to do instead, and I'm going to give you insight and tips on how to transform you know just lame and rigid sales or contracting meetings into meaningful conversations that in themselves, deliver powerful client value.
So, without further ado, let's dive in Number one. Let's make sure that you and I are on the exact same page around what a discovery meeting is. So a discovery meeting in my world is that meeting. That happens anytime someone expresses interest in working with you or learning more about what you do. You know. So marketing's job is done when somebody says to you like hey, can we meet Because I want to learn more about working with you, I want to learn more about your programs, you know. So this meeting could be called like a free consult, a free coaching call, free strategy call, free intro call. It could be a meetup for coffee or post-networking event call a call from a referral request to meet from your website. However, this meeting happens if they're wanting to learn more about working with you.
It's a discovery meeting, and the discovery meeting sets the tone for your entire client engagement. So it dictates the work you do and how you're positioned and how you're paid. So it's the moment of truth, really. You know. So this is what defines your impact and income. You know, ultimately you could have a ton of followers on social media. You know tons of subscribers to your email list, lots of people who are being referred to you. You can make so many connections at a networking event, but what really defines your impact and income is what you do with those leads once you have them, and this is decided and defined at the discovery meeting. So the thing about the discovery meeting there's so many reasons why I'm super passionate about it. You know, it really sets you up to have greater influence. But the thing too is, for those of us who are not necessarily like really big fans of marketing, is the the best thing about it is you don't need to have a ton of leads to make great money and a difference. You just need to know what to do with them. And that's where the discovery meeting mastery comes in. So are we on the same page about the discovery meeting? I hope you're nodding your head, because then I'm ready to move on to the next key point in this conversation.
So the next point is is that I want to get into some of the mistakes that people may make when it comes to the discovery meeting. But these are only mistakes in the context. As if you are choosing and making a conscious decision that you want to land more strategic work and you want to be positioned and paid more as a strategic partner with your clients, if you're somebody who is interested more in service provider work, and if somebody comes to you and says, hey, I need X, y and Z deliverable, and you're cool with like, yes, that's exactly it, and you go straight into contracting or sales. That is fine and there is nothing wrong with your discovery meeting. You don't need to fix anything if that is the goal of what you're trying to go after. The mistakes I'm going to bring up at this point is only relative to an outcome where you want to position yourself to deliver results from influence and you want to position yourself more strategically with clients and you want to land those bigger engagements. These are the mistakes that you might make. So the mistakes might be is where you put the spotlight. So one category of mistakes is having the spotlight on you in the discovery meeting.
So what this looks like is selling your methodology or selling yourself. Like you think you get on the call and it's like wow, I need to like convince this client like how cool my methodology is or how amazing I am, or look at my track record. Do you feel like I got to do like shameless self-promotion, which actually the selling the methodology a lot of us consultants and coaches want to do with selling ourselves not so much, but you might feel that pressure. But here's the truth. Here's what no client has ever said. They never book a discovery meeting and have that conversation in their head being like, oh my gosh, I can't wait to meet with a consultant or coach who will impress me with their credentials or sell me on their methodology. That's not what they're thinking about. You really need to get out of your head what you want to accomplish on the discovery meeting and get into your client's heads of why they even booked it in the first place. So why does a client book an intro call or ask you for coffee or do any of those things?
That is what is now constituted as a discovery meeting, and it's because they have a problem that they care deeply about and they have a solution that they really want, because these goals are very important to them and they have so many questions on their minds, tons of fears in their hearts, they can't clearly see what it is that they want and how to get there. So they book a discovery meeting. So when you have the spotlight on you, this is all missed. They are missed in that meeting and you are almost like the hammer looking for the nail. So you are missing them, and that creates a big barrier to the strategic partnership. When what they need as their part of this discovery meeting is they want to walk away with clarity and understanding and validation and yes, for sure, a solution, and maybe that leadership. When what they need as their part of this discovery meeting is they want to walk away with clarity and understanding and validation and yes, for sure, a solution, and maybe that solution is with you. But the clarity, the validation, the understanding, those are huge goals for them. So if the spotlight's on you, these hopes are missed. But on the flip side, you don't want to go to the other side, where the spotlight is only on them and is not on you.
You know so what this looks like is you solve the problem in the moment when you don't even really have all the data to solve that problem. You know you try to do free coaching without any permission, without the relationship built, and you're just doing that for free. Or you say yes to whatever they ask for, and this is a huge problem because it's so tempting. You know if they are asking for something that you know you can deliver, it's like, yes, this is great, let me go land this. But the problem is the client has the nose to the window pane syndrome, like they may latch onto a particular request for a solution because they don't even really see the big picture in themselves. So there's a couple of mantras that are mine that I would love for you to try on at this moment. Number one the client is never right. Neither are you.
When you are having this first meeting, you know the client doesn't really know what they want because they don't have the expertise and, as I mentioned, the nose, the window pane syndrome, they are too close to their problems to see it clearly. That's why they need you. And the other thing they have a go-to solution. Nine times out of 10, if they are reaching out to a consultant or coach, they're going to ask for training or coaching. And the thing is, is training and coaching is often necessary, rarely sufficient, and so if you just say yes, the real solution is not on the table either. And so you and your client are unclear on their goals. You're unclear of the best way to achieve the goals, and neither one of them works. So what we don't want to do is we don't want to have the spotlight on either just your clients or just you. We need to have the spotlight on both of you.
Before I talk about what that looks like to have the spotlight on both of you, I want you to think for a second. You know, have you ever made these mistakes? Have you ever gone into a discovery meeting and had the spotlight firmly on you, trying to convince a client to sign up for your methodology or try to sell yourself? Or have you gone to the flip side, where you just say yes to whatever client asks for? You know and if you've made the mistake, you know, don't feel bad about it Just what's been the impact and how has it kept you from the strategic work that you want? The impact, and how has it kept you from the strategic work that you want? Again, if you are somebody who is fine with the service provider positioning, those are not mistakes. That's effective for what you are trying to accomplish. It's only a mistake is if you want the strategic, more transformational client engagements. So got that clear.
Now let's talk about what does it look like to have the spotlight on both of you, and what this means is changing the focus of the discovery meeting to directional agreement. So there's four key outcomes that you want to walk away with in the discovery meeting. It's not going to be selling them on anything at this particular point in time. It's not going to be solving anything. We're not moving into the solution. It's really getting clarity on the direction. What are their goals? You know, what is it that they really want to achieve? Not what their solution is. But if that solution was in place, what would they be able to create or achieve that they are not creating or achieving right now? And then why does achieving those goals even matter? What's the difference? What's the bottom line? What are the tangible benefits? What are the intangible benefits? Why does this matter? But that's not enough. You need to also get clarity on what are the partnership needs Like. Why is it that they're even talking to you? What's the incremental value that working with you is to create? These are the four outcomes of a strategic positioning directional agreement, discovery meeting, conversation. Those are your listen fors. That's the goal, and your focus is to position yourself as the partner that they might not even known, that they've always been looking for, and position your consulting or coaching against their biggest goals. Those are the two things. So, if you focus on the discovery meeting is, the spotlight is on both of you, which is how are we going to work together towards achieving what is mattering the most to your clients. That's what you need to get clarity on.
And the thing is too, taking charge of this positioning can be seen as like wow, you know, you're just so super courageous. I posted something a couple of weeks ago on LinkedIn and somebody gave me a comment. It's like wow, betsy, you're like so courageous. I'm like really Like I don't really feel courageous when I learned how to take charge of my strategic position because I look at it as an act of greater service. You know, because I know my clients are not going to get an ROI if I just deliver whatever they ask for. I want to get beyond their wants and I want to get beyond what I want. I want to get to the right solution, you know, because that is where I know I'm going to be able to guarantee results and deliver an ROI and I want to be seen as that ROI. So it just it doesn't really feel courageous to me. It's just you have to shift your perspective.
And that's where the challenge is and the beauty about discovery meetings in this light, when you're positioning yourself as a strategic partner, it's it empowers both of you you and your clients to achieve their priority goals and career opportunities, and it works for both. It's the win-win. So this is that moment of truth for you Again decide consciously, with intention do you want to be a service provider or do you want to be a strategic partner? And if you do want to be a strategic partner, then there's some things that you need to do to shift your discovery meeting to hit these outcomes. And, by the way, too I think I keep saying this over and over again I didn't realize, like, how much I keep talking about like making more money by making a bigger difference. But really this is what it is Like when you position yourself in a strategic way. It's not a mantra, it's just, it's not even a tagline, it really is the reality. If you position yourself more strategically, you will be able to have more influence, and if you have more influence, you could have a bigger impact. And if you could have a bigger impact, that's worth more. And that's where this feels like the most ethical approach to growing a consulting or coaching business without slimy sales. So now you know you need to get the spotlight on both you and your clients and have your discovery meeting be directional agreement. How do you make this happen. Let's get into that now and let me tell you, step by step, what we need to do.
And the main thing about making the shift from a discovery meeting in this light is you need to come ready to master what I call the pivot from wants to needs. This is that key skill, and if you can do this, it will transform everything for you. So to help you out with this, I got a couple things for you. If you go to my website at betsyjordyn.com forward slash discovery hyphen meeting hyphen script, I have a freebie for you that tells you exactly how to master this pivot that I'm about to talk about. So if you want to take a pause and download this and use that to follow along, that's great. But if you really want to 10x your impact and your fees, even in this economy, I'm super excited for you to consider my group coaching program that I am announcing now. It starts in October. It's called the Impact and Income Accelerator and you'll learn exactly what you need to do to master this pivot. So you could also head on to my website at BetsyJordyn.com forward slash accelerator.
But, to make it easy, you go ahead and grab that discovery meeting script and it'll really help you out as we go through this. So let me describe to you what the pivot is. So let's say a client comes to you and they have an initial request. They say something like, hey, we have a conflict resolution training that we want you to design and deliver. Instead of just saying, oh yes, you know how many people do you have and where do you want it to be and what are the learning outcomes, you get them to reframe that request as a business issue. So, instead of talking about the conflict resolution training, you get them to articulate you know we are struggling with production defects and failed lots. That's causing us to lose money and, potentially, our big customers. And then you quantify that gap. That's where you figure out, like, why does achieving this goal, which is to turn around the struggling production defects and failed lots, is that you put the money against it? You know, reducing failed lots by 5% translates to a cost savings of 1 million in just this quarter.
Well, now we're having a very different conversation, you know. So we're having the conversation around what their real goals are and it's a much more strategic conversation, a much meatier conversation and a much more meaningful conversation. And before you say like, yeah, but my clients don't really know they do. You just have to ask enough questions. Just because a client doesn't readily express what they need doesn't mean that this isn't exactly what they ultimately really want. So the key skills here is is that you have to master the pivot, and it's not about the questions that you ask, it's really how you're listening and what you're listening for. So this is why it was so important that I had Rick Bomelje on the show to talk about strategic listening and I had Jack Phillips to talk about ROI, because these two skills combined gives you the framing and empathy skills that you need to turn the conversation from whatever it is that they're asking for and getting into the right conversation about the business opportunities.
So in the accelerator, I'm going to teach you all about my framing and empathy framework. This is my number one power skill that I think has created results in every aspect of my consulting career, my consulting business and even in the brand messaging that I do. Now I'll just explain it to you really quickly in a nutshell what it looks like, but it's basically about sorting and organizing information into categories and putting the strategic frame around it, and the best way to do give you an illustration around. What I mean by framing and empathy is sort of like when I was teaching my kids how to clean the rooms. You know, like everything seems like a big mess. You all have kids. You're nodding your head, you're like I know exactly what you're talking about. You know, but you need to, like get into the room and you need to say, okay, books go over here, stuffed animals go over here. You know, clothes go over here. And then you have the sub things in there and the discovery meeting.
What you're doing is you're helping the client. You know, kind of like, pull out all the information that's in the heads and put logical categories around it. So they might just be like oh, we have all these problems with our customers and this and that, and you're like okay, you know, like, so I think what I'm hearing you say is this, this and this and this, and here's the frame that creates so much value to your clients. You have no idea. I can tell you now, 30 years later, that this is why clients have worked with me all of these years.
But the thing is about being able to frame for your client. What's in their heads is it gives that immediate like, oh, they get me and I get what I'm thinking too, and it establishes your credibility like nothing else. This is where credibility comes from. This is how I win over executive teams. You know, when I do stakeholder alignment, I do this with each one and then I find the through line between everybody. You know, but in your discovery meeting, this is what buys you the permission to redirect the conversation from the wants to the needs.
So when they come to you and like, hey, you know, we really need your help designing and delivering this training program and you know, and we really wanted it to be something that is like super engaging and fun and all that you know, you could say, yeah, okay, so what I heard you say is you want a workshop and you want it to be engaging and fun. Did I get that right? You know, is there more? And then you say, you know, before we get into this, let into this, let's back up on what's talking about. You know, let's talk about what's going on in the business. But the framing and empathy gives that client the receipt They've been heard, now they're willing to go with you. So what you're listening for in this moment is the needs behind the wants. And this is where the ROI mindset and methodology comes into play.
So, again, the clients are going to come to you. I have a training and coaching program that I want you to design and deliver. That's at the solution level. You need to be able to elevate your perspective around what this actually means. So they might you might say, wow, that's great, you know, but before we get into the training, what behaviors and of who are you seeking to change, and what does that behavior change look like? So now you've validated them. But now you're starting to move the conversation from solution to behavior change.
And then they might say, hey, we're looking to grow executive leadership skills of our high potentials, specifically around strategic thinking and leading an entire business, versus just the business line. And then you say, great, you know, and if you were able to transform your high potentials into highly effective executives, what difference would it make? So now you're moving from behavior change to the business impact. And then the client says, well, we're no longer growing our business organically. We need to focus on mergers and acquisitions, which requires us to have trained and available executive talent to run the new businesses. It's like, well, now, now we're at the strategic frame. Then you say, wow, that's huge.
What I'm hearing you say is you're looking to transition your company growth strategy from organic to M&A and you're seeing that one of the things that you need to make this happen is to have trained executive talent on tap. Did I get that right? And they're like, oh my gosh, yes, that's exactly what it is. And now for you, you have moved a $10,000 request, which is that training and coaching program that they want you to design and deliver, to a $100,000 plus plus need where they say I need a solution and a partner to help me accelerate the implementation of my strategy shift from organic to mergers and acquisitions. That is worth millions and if we're not successful, our business will stagnate and fail.
Do you see the difference between the two? Do you see how this creates a very different type of partnership and engagement and a much more lucrative situation for you, but also something that will actually literally deliver the ROI the client's looking for? So do you see the difference? And see the power, the thing about the pivot? If you can make the pivot, you are changing the conversation and the relationship you are going to have with your client. So you are setting yourself up to offer more of a comprehensive and a custom solution that your client actually needs, ones that you have confidence, like yeah, this was actually going to deliver the results and give the client an ROI. And you're also establishing yourself as a peer where you are creating the conditions for influence and, significantly, it also opens the options for your pricing to be more connected to value rather than time. And if you can't make that pivot, you're setting yourself up to be in more of a transactional relationship and pricing model.
So without the pivots, your fees are connected to your deliverables and the time and the perceived value of your consulting or coaching hours. But with the pivot, your fees are connected not to your coaching hours or your consulting hours. They are connected to the behavior changes your clients want for themselves and the outcomes that those behavior changes will create, that they're putting trust in you will help them achieve. But they are investing in themselves. Via you, they're investing in their own behavior changes and their own business outcomes, which is a completely different mindset, and you are just the conduit.
So let me give you another example so you might be thinking like well, I don't want to work with organizations, I work with individuals, one-on-one. Great, let's talk about it from that standpoint. So let's say, someone comes to you like that might with my team. They might say like, hey, I want you to design and deliver a website for me. And then I could say, well, yeah, sure, how many pages? What does it look like? Or I can go from the wants to the needs what is it that you really want? It's like well, I want to have a business platform that consistently attracts and converts my ideal clients. Great, and what difference would it make? Well, you know, right now I'm making $75,000, you know, and I want to replace that salary with $150,000 in business revenue. So I need this website as a part of that goal. And then you know. Then you ask it great, well, why does that matter? Well, it's like well, I want to get control over my career, my time, my earning power, and I want a business and a life that I love. So, instead of partnering for a website, I am a strategic partner to help you build a thriving consulting or coaching business that gives you control over your career, time and earning power, and it is something that you love. And the website is one of many other things that I might offer as part of that solution.
So, even if you're talking about working with one-on-one, the pivot matters because it sets you up to create the real solutions that your clients really need. And the thing about doing this pivot is you don't win your clients over by what you know or your credentials. You win them over by showing that you get them, you care and you know exactly how to help them. This is one of the things that I'll teach you in the accelerator, and this is something I work with my clients one-on-one as a business mentor is I work on the power language, or the convincing language that instills confidence, not necessarily just in you, but in your clients themselves. Like, oh, I believe I could do something where I would use words like this Like I know exactly how to help you, I wanna create a solution that absolutely will deliver a return. Like you have that confidence language and when you have confidence in yourself that you could help them, that instills confidence in them. And the other thing, too, is when you're able to do this in the discovery meeting, they are convinced that they wanna work with you long before they see a proposal Like you doing this as a competitive differentiator, because nobody else is or very few people are doing that and they get so much value out of just the discovery meeting that before you get even put your proposal in front of them, you know they're going to be like, oh wow, this person creates value.
So there's tons of value in this pivot in terms of even just shaping shaping, thinking about the value that you're going to create, but also like eliminating competition or making competition seem irrelevant, so where you might get stuck. So if you're convinced so far, like, oh wow, I really do want to, I do want to adopt this mindset, I really do want to execute this pivot. I want to talk to my clients about their real goals. What will hold you back? And it's basically this money, anxiety and imposter syndrome where you want to push for the sale, improve yourself, versus being present in the moment. So the typical fear is like, if I don't give a client what I asked, what they asked for, I'm not going to land the work. And the reality is that that is not going to happen. If you go slow to go fast and you remember what's at stake for your clients and for you and you make that pivot from that standpoint, you know you're going to make so much more Like, let's say, you just say yes to whatever client asked for and it's a $10,000 thing, but it's really a $90,000 just sitting on the table and you just missed out on helping your client really solve their problem.
You know, using that example of the executive development, that was a specific example from a client that I had. If I just gave them the two-day workshop and it was a one-and-done they would not have achieved their goals. They would not have executive talent on tap because I provided a more comprehensive solution for them that actually delivered on their needs, like mine, included, you know, customized set of competencies that helped them define what executive leadership looked like. It included 360s, it included individual coaching and included group coaching. It included, like all types of reinforcements later on, like we did, a comprehensive solution and it definitely delivered the results.
So what's at stake is, yeah, you might land that small client, but you're leaving so much money opportunity influence on the table. It's not even funny. And what's worse for you, as somebody who left corporate or left your nine to five because you wanted more control over your time, you're not getting that control because you are going to have to work harder. Even if you're in a labor intensive project that overall makes great money, you're still working as many hours as you did when you were an employee, so there's a lot at stake with this. So what you're going to have to quell is that money anxiety, that imposter syndrome, that fear is, if I don't give them what they asked for, I'm not going to land the client. And you also really have to step into this whole idea that this is a new type of approach and I just have to be patient with myself. So, as a recap, so that's it.
For what is the discovery meeting? Why it matters? You could tell. I could probably go on and on and keep talking about this, but you know we're on a podcast, so we got to like end it at some point. So let me recap for you what I talked about in this so that we could bottom line it.
The discovery meeting is way more than just an intro call. It's a moment of truth that defines your influence, your impact and your income, and way more than that. And number two is if you want to land more strategic, higher paying, higher impact client engagements, you have to align your discovery meeting approach towards that end. And how you do this is you do this first by intentionally putting the spotlight away from not on you and not on your client, but on both of you and on the partnership, and then you use your strategic listening and your ROI mindset to pivot the conversation to go way beyond the wants to the client's needs, the strategic goals that your clients want your help to get to. That's what we're looking for in the discovery meeting, so as some next steps to help you implement it.
Just as I mentioned a second ago, just take on the beginner's mind. This isn't just a skill shift, but it's a paradigm shift. But once you master it, you will complete your transition from employee to business owner and leader, to consultant and coach. You're like you're going to make that whole transition complete. So be kind to yourself, though, because this is a whole new thing. So just try some things out with a sense of experimentation, a sense of like. I just want to see how this works. Definitely, download my discovery meeting script, my website at betsyjordyn.com. Forward slash discovery hyphen meeting hyphen script. It'll definitely give you some easy, quick wins to get started, and if you really really want to master this, please join the impact and income accelerator. So it starts on on October 14th.
Early bird pricing is until October 1st and the best thing about it is it's free for private clients. Have you been on the fence with wanting to work with me on your brand positioning, strategically framing your offers, your website, or any of those things? For any of my private clients, this comes free. So it's an eight-week group coaching program and I will walk you step-by-step through exactly what you need to do to master this pivot create a compelling proposal that your clients will be like yes, yes, a thousand times, yes. I will show you how to ask for your worth, close the deal with confidence, and so much more.
So please check, take a look at it. I priced it so that it's something that you can take advantage of now. That will help you in this crazy economy where clients are skittish and they need like credible proof that working with you is going to create an ROI, and you're going to get all of that and more. So head on over to my website and learn more about that. And so that's it for today's show. If you got any value out of it, please subscribe to it. Wherever you're listening Would greatly appreciate it if you can rate and review the show on Apple and if you have any colleagues who are trying to level up their impact and income. Please pass this episode along to them and until next time, thanks so much for listening.
