C (2:39)

Well, it's interesting because it's a lot of chatter about the preparation and being ready to pick up the phone, whether they're dialing out or the phone is ringing and they're picking up. And so being ready and having that you're having your smile on so that you can sound happy and you have a good tone and every. It's easy to talk. Well, easier to talk when you're prepared. It's really hard to talk when you're not. And that's where the filler words come in. And people end up getting bogged down in over explaining.

B (3:17)

What's a filler word? Janain?

C (3:20)

Jonathan? I'm not. I don't know. I'm not really. I'm not sure. I don't know.

B (3:29)

Let me.

C (3:30)

What is a filler word? Um, Jonathan? Um, that's one good filler word that people use a lot.

A (3:38)

Feels like people tend to go off onto tangents because they're not ready. Just not ready. I think that's one of the topics that we covered. Um, some of the things we saw were, although this is something that we're expecting our members to be doing every day, multiple times a day, they still were caught off guard and were unable. Simple things like not being able to remember their studio name. Some people struggle to remember their own name. Some people struggled to know what their offer was. So really, really honing in on what are all the different components that we need to deliver and polish that. Making sure that we're ready because we know that when somebody calls us back, because we're leaving messages for people when they call back. And this is one thing that surprised me that some members were saying, you know, it catches me off guard because they're calling back and I'm not prepared. But we have to be ready because if we're able to answer the phone from an incoming call, the conversion rates on those conversations are so much higher. And what we're hoping for is for the client to call us back so we can pick it up. And so part of what we were talking about was having a. Or reciting a. What would you call it, Janine? A readiness plan in the morning?

C (4:59)

Yeah, like a. Like a readiness plan. Like a mindset plan for the day.

A (5:02)

Yeah, a readiness plan and a mindset plan. And to have that with your team. And if you are the team, you still need to do it with yourself. If you're a solopreneur. Because you have to always be ready when you are turned on and are at work, ready to answer the phone. Because they're the ones that are the easiest to convert into. Into bookings, and we want to do what's easy. And I'm almost suspecting that a lot of people are letting it go to voicemail, so then they can listen to the voicemail and then maybe plan it later, but then they're struggling to contact the client again because the moment's gone. And so this mindset of always being ready and really practicing, it was the first. How long, Janine? Maybe 10 seconds of the phone call. It's taken a while to get that polish, so we can't overemphasize enough how important those first 10 seconds are. Because this is where the moment the client picks up the phone, they're either going to be suspicious or you're going to start building trust. They're going to think this person's not confident. So is it a scam?

B (6:10)

What was really interesting as well is that, you know, years ago, did a training with Jordan Belfort, who's the Wolf of Wall Street. Something that stuck with me was he said, like, you literally have to show that you are sharp as attack, enthusiastic as hell, and a force to be reckoned with in the first 10 seconds, like what you're saying. And, you know, the example you gave of using filler words, if you look at the greatest salespeople and presenters in the world, they don't really use filler words and they're comfortable with silence. Like, they use pauses to control conversations, to emphasize things. And it's so important and critical that you're always communicating that you're sharp as attack, enthusiastic as hell, and a force, which goes back to what you guys are saying. So it's consistent.

D (6:58)

Which is exactly what Steve and Janine have been working with the members on. But I remember something from that, too. Steve, I don't know if I told you this story, but the training was done live and it was video recorded. Right. But the training was all with top salespeople. And I say he spent with one of the sales people, the group of salespeople on stage with him. But with that group, I'd say he spent at least an hour coaching them on that first 10 seconds.

A (7:26)

Wow. So it's okay that we've taken two weeks to go through this, right, Janine?

C (7:29)

It's totally okay. Because if you add up all the time, you know, it's probably about the same amount of time.

A (7:35)

Yeah. Because we gave people the opportunity to practice and do it. Live with us.

C (7:39)

And I think what's interesting too is if you think about your own experience on the phone, either receiving a call from someone else, whether it be a business or someone personal, or or making a call to another business or someone personal, how that person answers the phone can really determine what your experience on that phone call is going to be. And that's why it's so critical. It's hard to get past if someone answers the phone. Hi, this is Janine from Cloud 9. What's up? You know? Or hey, this is Janine at Cloud 9 Studios. How can I help you? You know, I mean, like, you can have an happy, upbeat voice and it instantly puts a smile on people's face, or you can sound like Eeyore and, and, and not. And it's hard to recover from the one. It really is hard to recover. Or if you sound surprised. And that what gets me too, Steve, like, have you called people and they're surpri like another business and they're surprised that you're calling? Like, why are you surprised I'm calling? This is a little weird. Are you open?

A (8:37)

Are you a legitimate business?

C (8:39)

Hair salons are never surprised when you call, and they always have the happiest of people waiting to take your phone call, ready to book you for a hair appointment at the hair salon. Always so true.

A (8:51)

Share the story from yesterday that you shared with our members yesterday about the lady that called.

C (8:55)

So I had a call. So my Betsy has had the flu. It's been so fun here. I've been chugging vitamins to try and avoid getting the flu. But so I was on the phone all day Monday and I called one lady, she was a potential client that we had come in for a first birthday session, called her, had a lovely chat. We were happy, we were talking. And it really, even though I and this is why we do say the city that we're in. Even though I had said Wesley Chapel, it did not click in her brain. And by the time we got to talking further down the line, she's like, wait a minute, where did you say you are? And I said Wesley Chapel. She's like, I'm in Miami. And I'm like, oh, it's only four hours. You can drive on up here. And it was it for many reasons, it just didn't work that she would be able to come to Tampa from Miami. So I was able to actually refer her to a photographer I know in Miami, happily, because I trust that photographer a lot to handle a client in the difference maker way. But what was so amazing is we got to that, and she's like, can I just tell you, never change the way you talk on the phone. You have made my day. She's like, I've talked to people on the phone before, and they just bring it down. And you never know what a person is going through in their day. And honey. And honey, you need to always sound as happy as you sound right now, because I'm gonna go the rest of my day being just as happy as I am talking to you. You changed my day. And so how awesome is that, right? Like, we had a lovely chat. It was happy, it was upbeat, it was enthusiastic. And that. And she has a very good point. You don't know what someone has gone through in that day leading up to the time that you have a conversation with them. And truly being the one positive light in their day can already make a tremendous difference in their life, whether you book the experience or not.

A (10:43)

It's a privilege. It's a privilege to be that person and have access to people and come in with a mindset of elevating somebody. And it's a privilege to be, you know, to be that person and to, you know, have that. That place for them. That's great.

D (10:58)

So, Janine, how do you make that happen? Like, have you an approach that you take? Or, like, is it that you've done it so often and you've practiced it that it just is. You're unconsciously competent. You just can do it like driving a car without thinking about it or, like, how does it all come together?

C (11:16)

Well, I do put my smile on before I pick up the phone, so I always practice smiling and I talk happy anyways. I don't know. I just don't see why we talk depressed. I don't understand that concept. So I always like to talk happy. My thing. Everybody has their thing they have to work on. I have a little post you note saying talk slower. Because my challenge with myself is I tend to talk fast. Uh, you guys, if you've listened to the podcast for a while, will know that I tend to talk fast on the podcast too. So when I'm on with a client, I really have to consciously slow myself down and really practice active listening. And Jonathan makes fun of me because I do to make myself active, listen, I repeat the. The end of what someone says often, and he teases me about it, but

B (12:00)

it is it all the time. Not often

C (12:05)

all the time. So, yeah, so I. And. But I do feel that people feel like, you're listening to them and they feel heard and seen. And so I don't know. It's just something that I do. It doesn't have to be. Steve doesn't do that. He.

D (12:19)

He.

C (12:20)

He active, listens differently. But I often tend to. Well, you don't. You have all your brilliant words, Steve. We have to do what we need to do in order to become even somewhat Steve. Like. So, no, I just. I try to listen. I try to have all the distractions away. My cell phone's flipped upside down. My. My laptop doesn't ding me because a slight distraction can totally take you off of your game. And so I erase all the distractions and I get in the total mindset of who can I brighten the day of right now? And that's how I go into the phone call.

B (12:57)

It's like the key for your brain, Janine. It's like, you know, like your operating system, your processing. It's like as you repeat something, it's like telling your brain, open brain, take in this information. Thank you. Yeah, it's just your way of processing that you've trained your brain to accept information.

A (13:14)

But it does make it easier for you to then come up with a question or tease out something about what's just been said. And it's. It's a valid technique that, you know, I recommend using because if you do repeat something that they've said that, you know, that has caught your attention, your brain just engages. You're right, Jono. And will ask. You just ask another question about what's just been. What you've just repeated. And it also gives you time to think and process. So it's a great way of doing it.

D (13:46)

And it also tells the person who you're talking to that you're actually listening to them because you're repeating their words, right? So they're also hearing what they just said. So they go, oh, Janine is actually listening to me.

B (13:59)

Hey, dudes and dudettes. The problem is, like, I'm a photographer. Why do I need to know this?

C (14:02)

Did you just say dudes and dudettes?

B (14:05)

Did and channeling, like, what's that? West Coast American surfer. I don't know.

A (14:10)

With an Irish accent.

D (14:15)

Well, because.

A (14:15)

Because we are in the business of people and we hear so many people, so many photographers talk about, you know, we want to capture your story. Unless you dive in and find out about a person and get really curious and ask them compelling questions that are going to tease out who these people are and what their relationships mean. What their relationships mean to them. And how are we going to be able to tell their story? Having the right props, having the right lights, having the right backgrounds isn't telling someone's story. They're fitting into the story that you are creating, which may not be their story. It's about finding out what truly makes up this relationship. What do they truly love about being a mother? What do they truly love about being a father? What does this baby mean to them? And so when you're asking those questions, it really does help them. And I think too, you know, Ronan, when you were talking about repeating and a client feeling as though they've been hurt for sometimes some of them, a lot of people say things without realizing they're saying it. And when we lock onto something that we heard that we thought was important and repeat it, you can see in their face that they hadn't realized what they've said and they hadn't realized the importance of that. And sometimes when we lock onto something that we believe is important, it's almost like they've heard it for the first time. And when we, like I was listening to a phone call the. Just this morning, and the client said that her child was a blessing, and she said it in passing. And it wasn't until she was asked about that blessing that she thought, oh, oh, what does that mean for me? And when we ask about that and she got to explain what that meant, I think it was the first time that she realized what she had said really meant to her. And so I think that although, you know, when we repeat something, clients feel as though they're being heard sometimes it's also a realization of some of the words that they use, even subconsciously, without realizing how intentional it really is for them and what it really means. So I think when. When we were going through the. Going through the exercise with a lot of people, there was a lot of eagerness, there was a lot of willingness. I think just polishing that first few. That first 10 seconds makes a huge difference to setting the tone and the direction, taking control. And I think a lot of what Janine was talking about before was putting on a smile, but setting an intention, really setting the intention of what do you want for this person that you were about to answer, who do you want to be for them? And for a lot of people, it was more about who they don't want to be. They don't. They don't want to sound like a salesperson or they don't want to. Their fear is that they're going to be price focused. And so you know, I'm a strong believer of what you resist persists. And the more that you worry about somebody being focused on price, the more you're going to look for evidence in everything that they say that is going to be price focused. And we create that in many, in many cases.

D (17:20)

So one of the things that I see a lot, Steve, and I know you've seen it and Janine and Jonathan's seen it, but this whole you talked earlier about, rather than putting them through our system of props and poses and all that, you know, we need to understand and have conversations, understand what the client story is, because every client's story is different. So what about the documentary photographer who's just letting people be who they want to be and think that they're managing to capture the story without having any contact whatsoever?

A (17:50)

You know, it's great that they're, they're there for the day and they want to spend the day with, with, with a client. But there needs to be some understanding of what they're seeing. Because if you know what it means for a mother or for that person, it could be a mother or a father, a sister or brother, what it means for them to watch their children play and how they interpret that play. What are those signals that they love the most when their children do play? What do they long for at the end of the day? What is it that shows them that they're doing a good job? What is it that they see in their partner that tells them that they are loved? What do they look forward to the most about certain parts of the day? And when you have that information that changes what you look for. It changes the details.

D (18:46)

I think what you're saying, Steve, there is that, you know, even your clients, if you document right where any conversation and try to understand their story, that often the clients don't know their own story. Right. Unless you have that conversation.

A (19:03)

Well, that's exactly the feedback we're getting that a lot of people are. You know, when we're getting those video testimonials, clients are saying, we didn't even realize what this meant for us until we had the conversation. We had no idea that this was so important. And if you're going in without those conversations, you're not giving people this gift. And yes, we can get some great photos, but what does that say to somebody when they look at it? What are they hearing? What are they feeling? And if we haven't had those conversations and they haven't had that awakening, we can only really give them something that's quite Superficial compared to if they have had the opportunity to talk about something that's meaningful to them and they've had these realizations about all these different things that matter to them, about their children, their partner, various parts of the day. Why is breakfast so important to them when they sit down together as a family, when they get the opportunity to sit together as a family? Because it doesn't happen every day. Why, you know, why is it important that he knows that I have milk with my coffee but not with my tea? And that can be important to somebody. It's all these little things that people know. You can then photograph with significance and purpose. Then that, you know, a simple, you know, adding milk to the coffee and stirring it becomes something that's important to them. And until those conversations, they don't even know that it is important. But you have to build a rapport. And we only get one chance at making a first impression. And those first 10 seconds are crucial for how that client's going to turn up for that call. I'm always amazed how you always get the same people saying, everybody's after the price. Nobody wants to talk to me. Everybody's suspicious, everybody thinks it's a scam. And even within one business, I was speaking to somebody last week, it's the same offer. A whole lot of clients, a whole lot of leads coming in. Because we call them potential clients, not leads, but we've got to translate it. A whole lot of potential clients. And one team member gets all the people that are grumpy and don't want to talk. And another team member somehow gets all the people that are bright, happy, chirpy, and are willing to talk. And then when that other team member calls all the grumpy people, suddenly they convert into happy people. And it's those first 10 seconds that shape who, how that person's going to turn up on the call. Because they're sensing your enthusiasm, they're sensing your energy, and they will replicate that. And if we are confident in those first 10 seconds in delivering who you are, the name of your business, what did they do that caused you to call them? And that's delivered with confidence, with a tone that is inviting and warm and excited for them, then that's a whole other person, that somebody, the other client's going to be this whole other person. Than if when you pick up a phone, we were experiencing, you know, thank you for calling. Oh, you've called. And then they forget the name of the studio. They don't know the name of the offer that they had they had entered. That person's going to show up differently on the other end of the phone when somebody isn't as confident. And it just takes a bit of practice and a bit of awareness.

C (22:16)

And I'm going to extend it on even further to first impression, because not every time do you get the person on the phone that you're calling. And that voicemail that you leave is also, I believe, very critical, because if you sound disappointed that you're leaving a voicemail or you fumble through it, or you're, you know, like, you just. And I have. I have fumbled through a voicemail, I delete it and then I do it again because, like, something just throws you. But you have to deliver a voicemail. Happy, clearly, with confidence as well, because that really will determine if they're going to call you back or not. I mean, talk about a first impression, if it's something they can listen to and they're like, oh, I don't. I call that person back, or, oh, my God, that person sounds fun to talk to. I can't wait to call them back. They seem really. This is going to be an amazing experience. I can tell already by the tone of their voice. It's like subconscious, you know, like who you want to talk to versus who you don't.

A (23:09)

I've coached a number of studios and listening to their messages. It's a great point, Janine. Sometimes you can hear them almost groan or moan with frustration at the start of the message. They go, oh. And then they'll leave their message. It's like, right, no one's calling you back if that's how it starts. And you give this sigh of disappointment, sigh of, oh, another one. And I know that we're talking almost into the ether sometimes when we're leaving a message on a voicemail, but we have to have to believe that we're actually talking to that person. And I think it's very easy to believe we're talking to a machine or into the ether, and it sounds like we're not talking to anyone. And the difference that it makes for you to picture that person that you're talking to and speak to a person, it's huge.

B (24:00)

Huge.

D (24:02)

I want to know more, Jono.

B (24:03)

You want to know more, Ronan and gee, you want to know more. All right. So where you need to be to be at the cutting edge of the future of photography, of the photography industry, is inside the inner circle. Because when you're a member of the inner circle, not only do you get an incredible community, incredible access to this coaching team that's going to help you to achieve your version of success and become a difference maker photographer. But you're also going to get access to our 24. 7 virtual coach, KCB. And KCB is a game changer. It's incredible what she can do for you and your business to accelerate your success. And that's why we've called what KCB sits in Accelerator AI. So make sure if you want to have Access to Accelerator AI by Difference Maker Revolution, access to your 24.7Virtual Coach, KCB, access to an incredible community and these incredible coaches to help you accelerate your success, then click the button below, apply for Inner Circle and we can't wait to see you on the inside.

C (25:06)

Woo.

A (25:07)

Thanks, everybody.

D (25:07)

See you on the inside.

C (25:09)

Bye, guys.

A (25:10)

Just turn up on a Wednesday night. Ronan.