Serve First, Sell Later Marketing
Serve First, Sell Later Marketing
#41 How To Ensure That Your Consultations Convert Into New Clients
In this episode of Serve First, Sell Later, Sylvia Garibaldi discusses how to elevate your sales consultation process to build trust, win clients, and avoid leaving money on the table. You'll learn how to structure a consultation, build rapport, showcase your expertise without giving away free advice, and why a strong follow-up process is essential to your success. Whether you’re deciding between free or paid consultations, Sylvia offers actionable insights that help you make consultations your most powerful tool for growth!
Resources mentioned:
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Key Takeaways:
- How to build rapport and trust during consultations.
- Strategies to showcase expertise without giving away free advice.
- The importance of a strong follow-up process to convert prospects.
- Pros and cons of free vs. paid consultations.
- Simple, adaptable structures for successful consultations.
Chapter Summaries:
- 01:43 Why Consultations Can Feel Challenging
- 03:15 Building Trust and Rapport with Clients
- 04:42 Showcasing Expertise Without Over-sharing
- 07:30 Structuring Your Consultation: Step-by-Step
- 12:33 Importance of a Follow-Up Process
- 17:22 Free vs. Paid Consultations: Which is Better?
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00:00 - Sylvia (Host)
Hello everyone, and welcome back to episode 41 of the Serve First, sell Later marketing podcast.
01:43
So there are many schools of thought on how to master your consultation skills, and it can feel pretty confusing and just uncomfortable for many professionals. And what we know is in the legal and financial fields, consultation skills cannot be ignored, because it's not just about being knowledgeable in your field, it's about winning trust and building relationships in a very limited time frame. So for many professionals, what we've seen is that consultations can feel a bit like a tightrope walk. One little misstep and you risk losing a potential client before you even begin. So in this episode, I'm going to talk about the psychology, the strategy and the structure of winning consultations, and I also want to preface this by saying that there are so many ways to have sales consultation calls, but at the end of the day, you really have to just implement what feels right for you and just be open to changing parts that don't work for you and, more importantly, adapt it and make it your own. So you're going to learn some really great ways to make lasting impressions, to showcase your expertise without giving away too much, and navigate the delicate process of building trust with clients who may be feeling skeptical delicate process of building trust with clients who may be feeling skeptical. Plus, I'm going to tackle head-on the ongoing debate about whether your consultations should be free or paid.
03:15
So let's get started Now. Before I get into the structure of the call, I want to start with building trust and rapport. So your clients aren't just walking spreadsheets or case numbers. They're real people with real worries that keep them up at night, and maybe they're going through a nasty divorce or they're stressed about their financial future. Your job is really just to show them that you get it, and a great way to start your consultation is with a simple question like what brought you here today? And then just listen, really listen. Don't just wait for your turn to speak and when they're done, reflect back what you've heard, something like it sounds like you're feeling overwhelmed by this situation and just by saying those simple words, you've made an emotional connection right. You're listening, you're hearing what's going on from an emotional perspective and what brings them to see you, so, I think understanding their challenges is key and really putting yourself in their shoes. If you were facing a legal battle, wouldn't you want someone who truly gets what you're going through, and so that's the kind of advisor people trust and recommend to others. So super important to make sure that you understand that and that you have this built into your process.
04:42
So let's talk about showcasing your expertise, and I think this is where things can get a little bit tricky. You want to show that you know what you're talking about, but you don't want to give away free advice. So how do you strike the balance? And I think, instead of giving specific advice, talk about your approach. So, for example, you might say in situations like these or in situations like yours, I typically start by looking at X, y, z, and this helps us understand the full picture before we, you know, make any moves. So you really want to flex your expert muscles, and you can do that not only through demonstrating that you've helped people in their situations, but also providing a success story, so you can say something like I had a client in a similar situation last year and by taking this approach, we were able to achieve this outcome, and then that shows that you've been there, that you've done that without giving away too much information, but it also demonstrates that you had a success story to share about the same situation that this prospective client is in as well.
05:52
So it's important to position yourself as someone who can help them through this situation, and you want to show them the map and the compass to guide them through this challenge, but you're not giving them step-by-step instructions on exactly what they have to do. That kind of information comes in when they are a paying client, so I hope that distinction is clear there. So I think the key to demonstrating authority is also confidence. So speaking clearly, maintaining eye contact and using decisive language, instead of saying, well, we could try this and see how that goes, you can say something like based on my experience, this approach has proven effective. But here's the thing True authority isn't about having all the answers, so you shouldn't feel like you have to have all the answers, because the reality is you most likely don't, so it's about knowing the right questions to ask. So you want to ensure that you're asking thoughtful questions and this shows that you're actively engaging with their unique situation and you're not just following a script. So I think, by mastering this mindset that I've just described to you, you're able to build genuine rapport and showcase your expertise and you're really setting the stage for a consultation that ultimately could convert. So remember, you're not just another professional, you're a trusted advisor, you're their problem solver, and you need to see yourself as that and really portray that confidence in your ability to help them get to where they want to go.
07:30
All right, so let's move into the structure of these calls, and before we jump in, I want to be clear this approach is one of many approaches to structure a call, and there are, as I said, many different approaches out there, and you should absolutely customize this to fit your style and your client's needs. So I think a really good starting point is a framework, and once you have this framework, you can weave it into your own unique approach, and so the very first step is to set the tone, and so the first few minutes of your call are going to be really important, because it's like the opening scene of a movie you want to hook your client right away, but you want to start by making them feel comfortable, comfortable and open to want to have a discussion with you. So a simple question like how are you doing today? Or, before we dive in, tell me a bit about what brought you here today and then just listen, right. It's more about asking questions and listening without judgment, and I think this shows that you're interested in them as a person and not just as potential revenue coming in the door. So really setting the stage for making them feel comfortable and asking questions that can actually make them feel like they're ready to open up and share what's going on and what brought them to see you.
08:54
So step number two is really just identifying the client needs. Your goal here is to really just understand what keeps them up at night and don't just focus on the surface problem level. A trick I like to use for this one is always continually asking why. So why is this? Because every time you ask why is this or how did this come about, you are opening up a problem and you're going deeper into the problem. So, for example, you can also ask questions like what's your biggest concern about this situation or how has this issue affected your daily life? Right, so now they're starting to give you more information about how big of a problem this is and what they're really facing day in, day out with this situation. So these kinds of questions help you uncover the real challenges that your client is facing. And there are a whole slew of questions that you should be asking, but I'm not going to be going over those questions in this episode, but I think it's important to really start thinking about how you can go deeper into conversation and so you know if they tell you, well, this is the situation I'm facing, and you know your next question could be well, how did this come about? Or do you know why this situation has surfaced the way it has right? So asking and peeling the layers back are going to be super important.
10:16
And step number three is just all about demonstrating your expertise. So this is where you show your client that you know what you're talking about, but you need to be careful not to overwhelm them with jargon or oversharing. So instead of giving a lecture, you can try sharing a brief case study, something like. I had a client with a similar situation last year and this is how we approached it and this was the outcome. Right. So this shows you've handled similar situations successfully without giving away too much free advice.
10:45
Now, moving into step number four, this is where you're going to outline the process, and this is where clarity is key. Not only is clarity key, but so is simple language keeping it really simple and using plain language so that they get it. So you need to remember that your client is probably feeling anxious about what's ahead, so you need to break it down for them in plain language. So you're going to want to explain your process step-by-step, but keep it really simple. Use analogies if you can. So, for example, if you're a divorce financial planner, you might say something like think of this like planning a road trip First we look at where you are now, then we'll map out where you want to go and finally, we'll plan the route to get you there. Oh, and finally, we'll plan the route to get you there. Right? So just keep it simple. Simple, step-by-step process. If you have handouts or anything else that can help them understand your process, that's going to be really beneficial.
11:47
And step number five is this is where you guide your client towards the next step. But you need to remember you need to balance being direct with being sensitive and empathetic, right? So you might say something like based on what we've discussed, I believe I can help you achieve this goal. This is how we're going to do it and how does this feel for you? Does this make sense? Do you have any questions? And just leaving it open, because I think the framework needs to be flexible, because you might find that some steps need more time than others, depending on your client and their situation. So you can't necessarily expect an answer right away and on the spot. So the key is to stay attuned to your client's needs and adjust accordingly. So I want to talk stay attuned to your client's needs and adjust accordingly.
12:33
So I want to talk about something that's often overlooked but is absolutely critical, and that is the follow-up process. You cannot have sales consultation calls without having a follow-up process in place. Why? Because you will spend time on multiple consultation calls and if you're not doing the follow-up, you're losing so much business. So you need to make sure that when you have that sales consultation, that you have a follow-up process or a follow-up cadence in place, so your job isn't done when the client walks out the door or hangs up the phone. In fact, what you do after the consultation can actually be just as important as the meeting itself, and I think so many professionals leave so much money on the table when they do not have a follow up process in place, in particular, for sales consultations, and so I want to share with you a simple three-step follow-up process that can make a world of difference.
13:39
So step one is you send them a thank you note and you know a summary of what you talked about. You can also send them a personalized thank you note, but you typically want to do this within 24 hours of your consultation, and once again, this can be an email but a hand. Want to do this within 24 hours of your consultation and once again, this can be an email, but a handwritten note can really set you apart. You know, if you're going to send out a card, that's great, but I would also send out the email with the details of what you talked about, because that's more of a way to quickly thank them and give them a summary or a synopsis of what you talked about. So I think, if you're going to do email, you can just do email on its own, or you can do email and a handwritten card.
14:20
Okay, you want to briefly recap the key points that you discussed, as I just mentioned, and you want to reiterate your commitment to helping them, so you can say something like thank you for sharing your story with me. I understand that these are your main concerns and you list them and that this is a top priority for you. I am committed to helping you achieve and then you insert what their end goal is. So just really summarizing the conversation, but also making them feel confident that you can help them. And, of course, you're only going to say this if you can actually help them, right, of course. If you can't, then you need to be upfront with them to let them know that you're not the right fit.
15:01
So step number two in the follow-up process is the value add. So about a week after your consultation, you can reach out again, but you need to reach out with something of value. This could be an article relevant to their situation. It could be a checklist to help them prepare for the next steps. It could even be a brief video explaining a concept that you touched on in your meeting. I think the key here is just to show them that you're still thinking about them and their needs, even when you're not on the clock.
15:30
Okay, and the third step is the check-in. So two or three weeks after your initial consultation, you can make a quick check-in call or send an email, ask if they have any questions that have come up since your meeting or if there's any additional information that you can provide to help them make their decision. And this is also a good time to gently remind them of any next steps that you discussed. And maybe the next step is to meet again and, to you know, answer any of their questions and to get started, if that's what they want to do. So it's super important to do that.
16:01
Another key thing that you can do is, just before your consultation call ends, you can certainly, you know, gauge interest and see if they have not been able to make a decision yet which in most cases they will not then ask them if they're interested in booking a next call so that they can share with you where they're at and how they'd like to proceed and set the date in the call, in that consultation call. That's a really great way to also gauge their commitment and their interest levels, and it also gives them a timeline to work towards so that they need to make a decision before they speak to you again. So I think the goal of this whole follow-up process isn't just to pester your potential client. It's about adding value, staying top of mind and making it clear that you're genuinely interested in their success. And also, if you have a CRM system, you definitely should be automating those reminders for these follow-ups, because you don't want to miss an opportunity to nurture these important relationships. And I think by implementing a solid follow-up process, you're not just ending your consultation on a high note, you're setting the stage for a long-term trust-based relationship with your client and in the line of business that you are in as professionals. This is super, super important.
17:22
Okay, so let's switch gears now and tackle a common question that weighs on the minds of professionals when it comes to consultations Should your consultation be free or should it be paid? And you know this is a tricky question to answer and this isn't a one-size-fits-all answer, nor is this a way to sway you one way or another, but I think it will give you some things to think about and a few different perspectives here. So let's start with free consultations, and these can be a great tool, especially for divorce mediators, family law lawyers, collaborative law professionals, and I think that's the case because your clients are often dealing with emotionally charged situations. They need to trust you before they'll open up their wallets and their lives and start confiding in you and telling you their story, and I think the benefits of this is that free consultations are really lead generating machines. They truly are. So they lower the barrier to entry, making it easier for potential clients to say sure, I'll give this a shot. For potential clients to say sure, I'll give this a shot. Plus, it gives them an opportunity to see if they trust you, if they like you, and you get to showcase your expertise and empathy without asking for anything in return. Right, this is you as a professional giving your time.
18:46
But of course, there are some drawbacks as well. So free consultations can be a major time drain if you don't do them properly, and you might find yourself spending hours with tire kickers who have no intention of hiring you. And some people might not value your expertise if you're giving it away for free. So it's the old you get what you pay for mentality. Old you get what you pay for mentality.
19:13
So how do you make free consultations work? Well, there are a couple of ways to do this. One is you can set a time limit on how much time you will give away for free. So maybe it's a 45-minute consultation call. You also want to make sure you have a pre-qualification process in place. A quick intake form or phone call can weed out the not-so-serious leads Super important and finally have a clear structure for your consultation. This isn't a free-for-all advice session. It's a chance to demonstrate your value.
19:44
Okay, so let's talk about paid consultations, and I think the benefit of paid consultations. The first one is that it clearly filters out tire kickers. It's really for just those that are serious and are willing to pay for your time and they're most likely serious about working with you. Plus, it sets the tone that your time and expertise are valuable. But there are some drawbacks too. So paid consultations can be a really high barrier for entry. So some potential clients might hesitate to pay before they're sure that you're the right fit, and if your competitors are offering free consultations like many of them are you might feel the pressure to do the same. So what we've seen so far in helping legal and financial professionals, there is definitely a trend, and that trend is toward free consultations, quite frankly, because the market just expects it. More and more legal and financial professionals are offering it, and this is why it's so important to make sure that you have a structure in place, particularly if you're offering free consultations, particularly if you're offering free consultations, so that this structure can help convert more prospects into clients. So the structure that you have in place needs to lead to more conversions at the end of the day.
21:04
Now another approach to consider is the hybrid approach, and so if you offer a free short discovery call maybe like 15 minutes, to qualify the lead and you see that they're a good fit, then you can possibly offer them a paid in-depth consultation. This way, you're not giving away free or it could be hybrid, and I think it's all about tailoring your approach. If you go the free route, make sure that you're qualifying leads beforehand that's going to be really important and also have a clear agenda for the consultation and always end with next steps. For paid consultations, you want to emphasize the value that they'll receive. Maybe you provide a written summary of recommendations after the meeting. Whatever it is, make it clear that they're not just paying for your time, they're paying for your expertise and insights. And remember, whether you choose the free, the paid or the hybrid model, the key really is to provide value, because your consultation should really leave the client feeling like they've gained something valuable, whether they've paid for it or not, right? So here's another quick tip I wanna leave you with.
22:17
Whatever model you choose, it's super important to track your results. Look at how many consultations convert to clients, and this data will help you refine your approach over time. So really important to be able to do that, and I think, at the end of the day, the right choice depends on your specific practice, your target clients and your goals, and don't be afraid to experiment and find out what works best for you and your team. Your perfect consultation model is out there. You just need to find it and refine it to get it to where you want it to be. Need to find it and refine it to get it to where you want it to be.
22:54
So mastering your consultation skills is about so much more than just delivering information. It's really about creating a real human connection and building trust, and rapport. Quickly is crucial, and every consultation is an opportunity to do just that. So, whether you're navigating the psychology of trust or balancing, maybe, the art of showcasing your expertise without giving away too much, or deciding if free or paid consultations suit your practice, it's really what works best for you, right? And don't forget, it's all about adaptability, tweaking your approach to fit the unique needs of your client and just know that your process may change again as more information comes into your firm and you understand more about your clients. So it's an ever-evolving process. So, as you step into your next consultation call, really focus on being fully present, truly listening and leaving your potential clients feeling heard, understood and confident in your ability to help them, and I think that's the magic formula for consultations that convert and relationships that last.