“How can I help?”
That’s the first question I ask my leads when we speak on the phone. I ask the question, and then I shut up and let them talk.
Why start with that question? Because before you start talking about yourself or asking them more specific questions, you want to let them share where the pain is. Let them drive for a moment.
Plus, It might be that your current understanding of their problem — communicated through a few short sentences in an email or your lead intake form — isn’t 100% correct. They might have shared the tl;dr gist of the problem (e.g., “We sell widgets. We need more traffic.”) but the actual problem (and how they need your help) is… more complicated.
By starting with ‘How can I help?’, you’re giving them space to share more.
Past that? I have another ~9 questions I like to ask on my initial calls. These questions help me understand the client’s problem and fill in the blanks I need to propose the next step or prepare a quote.
If you want to level up your initial calls, you should check out the Initial Call Script (https://gumroad.com/l/initial-call-script). Inside you’ll learn:
- The 10 questions you should ask
- How you can get great at asking questions
- The exact words to say if a lead is a bad (or good) fit
- How to interview your leads like a confident consultant
Here’s that link again: https://gumroad.com/l/initial-call-script
Excelsior!
Kai