4 builders who never spoke to each other

Let the prospect diagnose their own business aloud

Skip the script and spend the meeting asking questions until the buyer maps out how their business works and points at the weak part themselves. A conclusion they reached and confirmed is one they will not argue with later, and the close is often just the end of the questions.

The method

1. 01

   Skip the sales script: the meeting works when the prospect maps out how their own business converts and points at the stages they believe are weak.

2. 02

   Keep asking why they want the thing they asked for until the business belief underneath it surfaces, since a request for a logo usually hides an assumption that looking like a rival will bring the rival's results.

3. 03

   Restate what the prospect has just told you and ask them to confirm it, because a conclusion they affirm themselves is one they will not argue with later.

4. 04

   Trace the money backwards with them: how cash lands in the account, then the step before that, and the step before that, until you reach the stage you can actually influence.

5. 05

   Use Socratic questioning at this stage to surface what someone actually wants, which is often not what they first say they want.

What it returned

• 9

  A call from 9:00 to 11:45 ended with the owner saying he saw no reason not to proceed, and payment of $5,000 arrived two hours later

• $997

  Paul's programme sold at $997 off the back of these calls, giving him a $4,985 month from five clients.

• He used a Lifecycle Marketing self-assessment and spent a solid hour on questions before offering a single suggestion

Sources

• How Freelancers Can Kickstart Their Audience - Double Your FreelancingBrennan Dunn · doubleyourfreelancing.com · Step 2: Talk to people about their business/goals, and find ways to tie it to your business · 2014-09-04
• Student Success Story with James Dixon - Double Your FreelancingJames Dixon · doubleyourfreelancing.com · What part of Double Your Freelancing Rate has challenged you the most so far? · 2015-06-12
• Student Success Story with William Durkin - Double Your FreelancingWilliam Durkin · doubleyourfreelancing.com · What are some specific strategies, tactics or pieces of advice that helped you grow? · 2015-06-19
• How To Socratically Question New Project Leads - Double Your FreelancingBrennan Dunn · doubleyourfreelancing.com · How To Socratically Question New Project Leads · 2017-01-01
• How the "Rule of One" led to a $4,985 monthJustin Welsh · justinwelsh.me · The Results · 2024-11-09
• How Content Marketing and Marketing Automation Led to a $5,000 Retainer ClientNathan Barry · nathanbarry.com · Getting the Deal · 2013-12-07