Mastering the Art of Asking The Right Questions with Catherine O’Leary | MDIDS2E21

Welcome was along with everyone. This is Paul Finck The Maverick Millionaire and this is the Maverick's Do It Different podcast. This is where we think different are different do different to create a different world, a different atmosphere, a different environment for all of us to engage at a different level to create the life of our dreams. And today I've got a special guest who is here to talk about exactly how to create some of those dreams, right in your business. Did you know that 80% of the carefully crafted checklists, blueprints and ebooks that you may have been using to attract your ideal clients are never actually opened after they are downloaded. I know it's scary and yet, we're in luck because the quiz Queen Catherine O'Leary is in the House to talk about how to create the magic with all that you're doing. He's the expert in creating an ideal client attraction system. Through the power of asking questions. Catherine has spent the last three decades God bless working with Fortune 500 companies, helping them build brands and grow businesses through market research, consumer insights, she helps entrepreneurs now create the ideal client attraction system by asking the best questions to attract the best clients. Catherine says every good conversation starts with a great question, not a sales pitch. So my question for you is how do we make all this happen? Catherine? Earlier Catherine are leery quiz queen, and you so much for being there.

Oh, thank you, Paul. And my father used to say when I was in really big trouble, Catherine Margaret Mary O'Leary, Jesus, Mary and Joseph above.

Oh my gosh.

Yeah, so I'm Catherine O'Leary. I am the quiz queen, I have spent three decades in corporate working with the likes of Apple when Steve Jobs was there, and Pepsi and HP. And always when that basically what it was, it was a very fancy translator, I asked consumers questions about what they wanted, what they needed, you know, what they were struggling with what they you know, desired, and translated that information into corporate ease, or basically, new product development, marketing strategies and campaigns, sales conversations, that that type of thing. And this is something that corporate does really well, they spend a ton of money on it, is really understanding their their end user, their their consumer, their ideal client. For some reason, when entrepreneurs get started, we go straight from this marketing kind of, you know, the conversation or this marketing book, straight into a sales call. And it feels like proposing marriage on the first date. At the very least, we forgot how to ask questions. We don't ask anything.

Why do you think that is? Why do you think that that asking questions is such a, a misnomer for most people, it's such a bizarre thing for them to do?

I think it has to do with a the way that people have been taught how to set up their business in the sense of the funnel that you're using, like, you know, or, you know, everything, everything goes straight to that sales conversation, it takes a little bit of time to, you know, actually have that conversation up front, I think people are afraid of that, like, you know, hey, I've got to get the money coming in, I got to get the revenue coming in. The thing is, is that you probably push away more ideal clients, and you attract by being a little too, you know, forceful at first. And, you know, like you when you when you ask somebody for their credit card before you ask them, how you doing? Or like, you know, how you feeling like what's going on in your business? It just it doesn't, it doesn't sit well. And then I think, to your point of doing it differently, I think that it it is on us as entrepreneurs to start a relationship and a conversation. It doesn't have to take six or eight weeks, it can take up, you know, 60 seconds. So I'm not saying that, you know, you should be, you know, all of a sudden adding all this time to your upfront process. I'm just saying take a breath and learn and you know, get to know people a little bit while they get to know you and there are tools out there, like quizzes and assessments and so on that can that can help you do that very easily and quickly.

Yeah, that that effective engagement, of asking questions of, and I was about to say slowing down the conversation, but to your point, it's not. You don't have to like oh yeah, to slow it down to the point where it's going to take months. But it's slowing it down asking questions. And most people are afraid to ask those questions, they're afraid that it's going to take up too much time. They want to get right to the end and key results in their equation. So how do questions really attract the ideal clients?

Yeah, that's a great question. So I think if we, as business owners take the time to get super clear on what our ideal clients are struggling with, so I call it the 3am question, what is that 3am question that your ideal clients are waking up, you know, either stressed out about or they wish they could, you know, I just wish I could figure out how to pay for like, the kids college, or I wish I could take everyone on a family vacation, or I just, I need to figure out how to get unstuck. I need to, you know, figure out how to go from six to seven figures, whatever that is, whatever the 3am question is, if you know your ideal client, you know, that question, you know, what they're getting stuck on use that, to start the conversation, use that as, hey, you know what, I've got an answer for you. But let's, let's, you know, slower roll here. And let's find out what's that, like, exactly what's going on with you. So to start with, I think, you know, getting into that, you know, let's let's talk about what's really bothering you and you're struggling with, and let's go forward from that point, as opposed to, you know, this kind of really, you know, neat, or, you know, gimmicky or whatever marketing hook that like, is kind of more fluff than it is substance.

So, how do you make sure, and this is really key, and I deal with a ton of entrepreneurs, and I know, I hear their questions in my head. How do you make sure that you're not all fluff? How do you make sure that you're not the guy like going forward? Well, this conversation that no real substance or meaning, what do you do?

I think that if you start with the intention of making sure that you're putting your client first, so your, your ideal client, you know, the person that you are really put on, like this planet to serve. If you're putting their interests first, then, you know, you're asking with intention, you're not asking questions, just for the sake of asking questions. I've seen those. You can smell them a mile away. It's like you don't care what the answer is. It's kind of like when you meet somebody is like, Hey, how are you? And you keep walking? And like, you obviously did not care how I was because you didn't wait for the answer, right, like, so you want to be asking intentional questions. If you know, your ideal client, you shouldn't like you by definition. No, they're 3am question and know probably some of the steps that they need to take to actually go to that next level. And those are the kinds of questions that you can ask. So that's, it's asking with intention is asking, knowing how you're going to use the information. And it's asking not for the sake of just, you know, Hey, how's it going and walking by? It's actually asking because you care, and you need, and you want to know, because it's going to help help you serve them.

Asking with intention, I love that. And with that, when, when you ask and, and the rest of the story is all too often we have the answer in our head before or the next question before you answer. And it's such a horrible, horrible thing that happens in communication with people is because they'll do that, instead of waiting, pausing and listening closely. So they've got to listen to the answer. They've got to pause. They are you suggesting that they have a list of questions like if they're doing a verbal interview, have a list of possible questions, but not necessarily the questions that they're going to ask.

Yeah, if you were doing if you are doing an in depth interview for, say, market research, or something along those lines, where it's like, hey, you know what, I've got a new mastermind coming up, and I think that you'd be really good with it. But I'm kind of thinking you're just putting it together, I've got a few questions for you. Let it flow a little bit. But also, you know, like, there are certain points of information that you need to come out of that to make it successful, as a as a conversation for the business. But also what can you give them so that it's successful for them that what can they learn from from that point of contact? So something like a quiz that's maybe online, you know, and you're not having, you're not having that immediate verbal to, like two way conversation? What's the coffee chat, you know, like, when you sit down and somebody says, I have this problem, there are likely a couple of questions that you asked before you automatically go to the solution. Right? So as a business person, you likely already have this in your head. You just need to put it in the format but you know, like, if Your if you help people go from six to seven figures, then you usually start with, hey, you know what I'm struggling going get into seven figures you usually probably start with Okay, well, where are you at now? What are your systems? What do you offer? What's your team dynamic look like? In all like, what do you struggling with most? And maybe it's, you know, like there's a couple of different outcomes. Maybe it's mindset that that coaches is struggling with? Or maybe it's systems? Or maybe it's delegation and teamwork. And then how can you have a conversation to those, you know, points. So maybe, you know, when Brian comes in and does a quiz, it really kind of it becomes apparent that it's mindset, because going from six to seven figures can can be mindset game, as you know, Paul, and, and so you know, you meet Brian, where he's at, you meet him at mindset. Or maybe when when Samantha comes in, and she's doing it, it's all about systems because her systems are a mess, right? And you need you need to fix the systems. Everyone needs the mindset. Every minute, everyone needs a delegation in this in the systems is just, it's a way for you to meet them where they're at. And so that not it's not a one solution fits all, even though you're talking to the same target audience. Does that make sense?

It absolutely does only what I'm hearing is that there are multiple, there's different directions, that conversation will go depending on the client that's in front of you. How do you help clients create this, you know, a quiz format? Where it does create that different direction, per per client? How does that happen?

Yeah, so this is, it's a little bit of the, you know, behind the curtain, you're gonna see behind the curtain because it's self fulfilling prophecy, right? Because you've created the entire structure of everything to go into the different outcomes, if you will, already in place. It's just that your clients don't know that you've done that already. So they think you're a mind reader, when they go through. And they answer, you know, eight questions, and all of a sudden, they get to, oh, you're actually struggling with mindset and is like, oh, my gosh, yes, of course. That's exactly what I'm struggling with. I still need systems and in teamhealth, but yeah, mindset is all about it. I mean, it's it's sitting down and really understanding again, it's a 3am question. And then what is what are those five to eight questions in between that 3am question and the outcome that you're going to put them into? What what helps them understand how to get like, what's that self discovery journey? What are those questions around? Where are you at? Now? What are you struggling with? What do you aspire to? So there's a gap. Okay, now, I've heard you, because clients want to be heard people want to be heard, I've heard you, I understand you. You're you know, you're needing, you know, a nutritional plan versus an exercise plan versus a sleep plan or, you know, whatever you happen to be to be working with. So it looks like you're a mind reader. But you've done all the upfront work to make it look like you're the mind reader.

So as the quiz queen, you guide us through as an entrepreneur, I'm including myself, you guide us through the process of creating the all those different channels of questions. Is that what I'm hearing? Yeah, that's not just one set of questions, depending on the answer to question A, they may get a different question for Question B?

You can, you can do that. It's usually a lot simpler than that, honestly, like, it's usually one track of questions that can get them and then based on one certain question, how they answer it, that's the outcome that actually drives the the whole engine behind. So it's actually a lot simpler than you think it is, in the back of them the secret talent, like behind the curtain Oz, you know, don't don't tell anyone. You can make it complicated. You can get into some complicated, you know, scoring systems and all the rest of it. But honestly, 90% of entrepreneurs, you don't need to be get complicated, but you do need to spend the time upfront, it takes a little longer. It's not a weekend warrior, kind of, you know, production where you know, at the end of the weekend, I'm going to have a quiz usually, it you got to get really into that 3am question. And then what makes sense Question one, to question two, question three. Do they make sense? Because I'm telling you right now, Paul, I swear by see another quiz that takes me through what's my dog's name? What am I wearing? And you know, what, what car do I drive, and then gives me a financial plan. I'm going to use all four names of that person and I'm going to use it in the Irish accent.

So why did they why did they do that? What did they look to accomplish, they really think that works?

Well, I think that there's a little bit of a disconnect in the intention, and the fact that the questions are intended to be the conversation, right? The questions aren't just throwing, like, you know, I've seen survey or quizzes that are 1520 questions, that's too many. for lead generation question, you don't have that kind of time, we've got 60 seconds at best. And you've got like less than that to catch their attention.

What you're saying is 60 seconds for them to actually do the the whole questionnaire otherwise, I know for me, I'd be like next, it wouldn't happen...

Unless it's answering, excuse me, unless it saves during your 3am question, right? You're scrolling through and all of a sudden, you see, oh, you know, what's my, you know, what am I getting stuck on to get to seven figures, and you're like, Oh, my God, I woke up this morning thinking that, like, I want to know the answer to that. Or how do I lose that last 10 pounds in summer body time, let's go now, you know, like, I was talking more of myself, but it only because it's Toronto. And it's warm here today. So like, we're all about that. It's it, the questions have to go together to make the story. And they have to make sense to the consumer as they're going through. And it's a journey they they like, going from question one question two makes sense, like, you know, going from what are you currently doing to what are your offers to what are your systems? That makes sense? It doesn't make sense to start with what are your systems and end with, you know, how long have you been in business necessarily? So there's, there's a process, there's a thought process behind the intention of each question and how they work together to create that journey to the end result. That then you get to invite them to the next step with you. Right? So hey, you know what, you're all like, it's all about mindset for you. Here's a couple of things that you can do, you know, like, you can walk away with an answer to the question. But if you want to learn more, then you invite them to your calendar, then you invite them to your webinar, or your master class, or whatever that happens to be, then they're engaged. They know like and trust you, you've heard them, they are far more, you know, ready, willing and able to be quote, like they are qualified, but they're ready to actually buy. So your conversion rates go up, because you're talking to the right people at the right time with the right message. And you're ready to go from there, as opposed to just getting a whole bunch of tire kickers and freebie seekers that just waste your time.

You mean, I'm not the only one?

No, you're not. It's amazing, right? I mean, when people see a calendar, they just like they go crazy. It's like Christmas.

So important with this whole process, to dial it in, get it right with your messaging as to where you want to guide people exactly who you want to be talking to. And then to sit down with you and go through the process of figuring out what are the key questions, to be asking to lead the perfect person, to your doorstep,

To your doorstep ready to like ready to engage ready to have that sales conversation, you know, so like, you can actually shorten your sales cycle by asking, you know, you know, a 62nd quiz, because now you're not email nurturing for eight weeks off of a checklist that they may or may not have actually read. So you know, that you can, you can make sure that you're getting those qualified leads, and it's all about the intention, it's all about the storytelling through questions, and and then you've got all this data that you can use the back end. So you've got, you can do press releases, you can do you know, you can do you know, posts on, you know, 80% of my ideal client. So 80% of people that are trying to hit seven figures are struggling with this, what do you think, like, is that you? And you can, you know, like you have now some, I mean, you'll have content for days.

Yeah, so great content, great ability to engage your audience at the next level with all the data and information you have. So what what is the biggest results? What are we looking to? This takes some some focus, some effort, intentionality. What do we look to get out of this? Well, what is the end result of all this?

Yeah, so my, from my own experience, from my own experience, when I applied this to a network marketing business that I was running when I first started in lead generation was my least favorite thing. I was throwing money at Facebook ads, like there was no tomorrow. I was trying to be an SEO expert and I was spending hours On the calls with like, the tire kickers in the freebie seekers, I actually implemented a quiz, I tripled my leads that became qualified leads, all qualified, which allowed me to double my conversion rates. So those like, you know, once you want and this is the other thing, everyone, please please please, if you talk to everyone you're talking to no one, you have got to get your target audience styled in. Otherwise, the quizzes like it's just it's going to give you everyone. And everyone means you're going to get a lot of tire kickers and freebie seekers. So you're not doing yourself or your business any favors by trying to talk to the masses, right. So really dialing in on your target audience and your target client. That's the key.

Though increasing your conversion rate has everything to do with you're talking to the right person. And, dude, a lot doing and utilizing this technique will increase the amount of people that you're able to talk to your prospects, and you're bringing in the right prospects that increases your conversion.

And I don't know whether you track this, but in my experience, not only does that create that loyalty, clientele, and the raving fan, only the, the the next level sale, and the higher level sales become a much more obvious easy, almost automatic conversion with all those people that come through your funnel in this way. Because you're you from an early early on in your relationship, you start off with a real connection. And that carries through all the way through to the upper level, high ticket item sales that you might have that sort of thing.

Yeah. So I mean, you've started the relationship, like a relationship, not like some sort of weird, like, you know, crisis, right game. And, and you've had a two way conversation, you've actually both agreed, yes, we fit so that that relationship, even on your $97 or whatever, or your $17, whatever, even that relationship is stronger, so that, you know that they're like, oh, yeah, I know, Paul, like this is like that, that's a no brainer, yeah, I'm gonna get that or Yeah, I want to sign up for that bootcamp, or, you know, go to that mastermind or, you know, whatever that is it. When you start with a with the respect of the relationship first. That's just going to make every conversation going forward that much easier for both of you.

Yep. Yeah, I find that, you know, with with the advent of the Internet, and everything that we do online nowadays, that webinars are all well and good. Only when I'm able to either guide them from the webinar to a quiz of some sort, or do the quiz prior to meeting them on a webinar or meeting them on some sort of other engagement. The magnitude of stick factor, if you will, the magnitude of stain factor for all of those leads increases exponentially.

Because they're already engaged, right?

Yes, and it's something that is in most companies, especially the small entrepreneurial companies, they don't look at it to a significant level. And so they just look at, oh, well, I got X number of leads, and they kind of carry forward from there without looking at the long term customer value, or the lifetime customer value that that person is bringing in. And that's huge.

And I get I get that sometimes it's hard to look the lifetime value when you're like Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I need to pay the mortgage. I get that I get it. However, if you look at the number of people that are coming in and sticking and then your conversion rates, even on that one webinar, I mean, if you I mean, you know, Paul, if you take one webinar, and you will increase your conversion rate 5% or increase it by 10%. Like how much how much, like more valuable is that like, I mean, you're you're going from potentially five to six feet Here's in one, you know, you know, one webinar or something like that. So like that that's those are the kinds of conversion rates, like you can double your conversion rates, like imagine that, because you've got all the right people in the room. So I always say, You know what I would, I would much rather be in a room of 100 people, where 98 of them are ready, like are already my ideal clients that I'm just talking to them about how, you know, we can work together versus being in a stadium of 10,000 people and trying to find the 98. Yeah, give me give me the 100 people every day.

I am a firm believer in building relationships, and quality over quantity. And with what you're talking about here and building that those quizzes out, there's no no question that you're building really good connection, which builds that quantity? I mean, that quality over that quantity. Yeah, great stuff.

Yeah, and I mean, I've been in, I've been in this situation where, you know, you got five hours of sales calls ahead of you in the day, and you know, you just know, in your soul that they're not, like not even one of them likely is going to convert, and you're gonna spend your whole day talking to people that are wanting something for free or wanting just a bit, bend your ear or whatever, that can be soul sucking, like it can, it can really, you know, like it can send you under the covers, and going back to corporate, which it almost did for me, but not enough podcasts or audiobooks in the world to get me back in the car. So this was a way that I figured out how to how to get out of it. And, and it's, it can be so powerful if you just sit down and put the time upfront, because then you can use it everywhere. Right? You can drop your quiz like on your networking on your speak to sell on your webinar, um, you know, before your webinar, JV partners can use it, you can be using it in your email list, basically anywhere list or a link lives. Your quiz can live. I mean, I dropped into the grocery store the other day because somebody said, you know, what do you do? I'm like, hey, just go to quiz for my biz.com you'll see exactly what I do. That's what I build those that's use it everywhere.

So great lead gen really easy to use multipurpose social uses for it. How do they get in touch with you? And for everybody here that wants to connect with you. They would love to talk to you more about how to make a quiz for themselves or anything else on quizzes. Where would they reach out to you?

Yeah, so you can absolutely go to quizformybiz.com and that will take you through my quiz. Shockingly. And that will get actually to my calendar or my webinar and but you can also go to CatherineOLeary.com. And all my information is there as well.

Quizformybiz.com Got it. We are definitely going to follow up on making that happen. Everybody you're listening go to quiz for my biz.com and make it happen for you. Catherine earlier a we're we are listened to all around the world. Any last comments that you'd like to tips of wisdom that you'd like to share with everybody? Yeah, just ask don't guess. Oh, simple but powerful. Ask Don't guess. Definitely a great, great mantra with everything that we do in life, not just in business. Great to see you. It's great to talk to you. For all of you that are listening. This is absolutely a topic of conversation. You want to increase your bottom line. You want to increase your lead gen you want to increase the connectivity with any of your prospects. This is the way to do it. Reach out to Katherine O'Leary. She's got the answers for you and she can help you make it all happen. Thank you so much, appreciate it.

Thank you for having me. It was a blast. Thanks.