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It’s time to challenge the conventional wisdom surrounding initial consultations.
For many advisors, questioning the sacred "discovery" meeting might feel almost sacrilegious.
After all, it's been preached by industry leaders for decades.
But why are advisors expected to get the same level of respect, trust, and authority as doctors do?
Doctors don’t do discovery meetings.
They don’t sit down with patients to “discover” what’s wrong.
They diagnose the issue, lay out a plan, and provide the solution.
The term “discovery meeting” emerged in the 80s, back when the profession wasn’t yet commoditised.
It was originally a peer-to-peer framework -- professionals sharing information with each other.
That was fine when knowledge was less accessible and not everyone had an advisor, but today, the landscape has changed.
Information is readily available, and most people either already have an advisor or are actively “shopping” for one.
Now, let’s take a look at how doctors do things.
A doctor’s job isn’t to share information -- it’s to diagnose a problem, communicate that diagnosis clearly, and outline a solution.
The patient is the non-expert who trusts the doctor’s authority.
The doctor doesn’t need to “discover” anything about the patient -- they already know the issue based on their expertise.
They simply need the patient’s trust that they have the right solution.
This is the key distinction for advisors: the moment you position yourself as a peer to your prospect, you lower your status from authority to a “fit-seeker.”
By doing so, you unintentionally make your prospects feel they need to evaluate whether you’re the right choice for them, which ultimately forces you to "sell" yourself.
When you take the approach of the doctor, however, the consultation becomes a diagnostic session.
You don’t need to “discover” anything, you define the issues at hand and explain them clearly.
That builds trust.
You don’t need another meeting to follow up -- your initial conversation provides enough clarity for your prospect to understand their issues and why they need solving.
Your consultations should focus on clarity, not just on presenting solutions.
Forget about delivering free “value” upfront -- that’s been commoditised. Instead, offer deep insights that your prospect can’t uncover on their own.
Help them understand the cost of inaction and demonstrate that you truly care about solving their problems.
In the end, your success hinges on your ability to establish authority.
When you diagnose the issues and provide clarity, your prospect won’t be wondering if they need you -- they’ll be clear on why they do.
To learn more about why traditional discovery selling is on the decline and what you can do to improve your sales process, order your complimentary books and consultation below.
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