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Week 1 Training

Session 2 of 3

How to Run a Brand Deep Dive Call

The 60-minute call that sets the foundation for everything you build.

The first 45 seconds
define everything.
Outcomes

What You Will Learn

Non-Negotiables

The Rules

  1. 60 minutes. Never 90.
    Longer calls signal you lost control.
    If you hit 55 minutes, start wrapping.
    Respect their time and they will respect yours.
  2. Fathom MUST be on.
    Every single call. No exceptions.
    The transcript feeds directly into the skill that builds their deliverables.
    No Fathom = no transcript = garbage output.
  3. 10 to 12 questions max.
    This is not an interrogation.
    You are having a conversation that happens to extract strategic gold.
    If you need more than 12 questions, your questions are too narrow.
Preparation

Before the Call

  1. Run the Brand Deep Dive skill
    In the FOS Skills Portal.
    It pulls their intake data, website, and any prior context.
    Review the output so you walk in informed.
  2. Spend 15 minutes researching.
    Their website.
    Their LinkedIn.
    Their competitors.
    You should know more about their public presence than they expect.
  3. Note 1 to 2 genuine compliments.
    Something specific you found in your research.
    Not "I love your brand" but "I noticed your LinkedIn post about X got 400 comments, that hook structure was really strong."
The Opening

The First 45 Seconds

This is where the entire call is won or lost. Energy first, structure second.

"Hey [Name]! So good to meet you. I have been looking forward to this.

I spent some time on your [website / LinkedIn / content] and I have to say, [specific compliment]. Really impressive.

Here is how today works. I am going to ask you about 10 questions. Some about your business, some about your brand, some about where you want to go.

By the end, I will have everything I need to start building your brand positioning document. Sound good? Let us dive in."
Mindset

The Energy Standard

Ritz-Carlton

  • They paid premium. Treat them like it.
  • Warm, confident, unhurried
  • You are the expert who is genuinely excited to help
  • "I am going to take incredible care of you"
  • Every founder should leave feeling heard

Drive-Through

  • Rushing through a checklist
  • Monotone, reading questions off a screen
  • "Next question..." energy
  • Making them feel like ticket #47
  • Remember: "They can feel it"
01
Question 1

"Tell me about your business in your own words."

Why You Ask It
This is their warm-up. Let them talk.
You are listening for how they describe themselves, what they emphasize, and what they skip.
Their natural language reveals their positioning instincts.
What to Listen For
Do they lead with product or mission?
Do they sound excited or exhausted?
Are they clear or scattered?
This tells you where they are mentally.
Follow-Up
"And how long have you been running this?"
"What made you start this in the first place?"
02
Question 2

"Who is your ideal customer? Paint me a picture."

Why You Ask It
Their content, positioning, and every deliverable you build targets this person.
If they cannot describe them clearly, that is the first thing you are fixing.
What to Listen For
Specificity.
"Entrepreneurs" is vague.
"B2B SaaS founders doing $1M to $5M who want to build a personal brand but do not know where to start" is gold.
Follow-Up
"Where do they hang out online?"
"What is the biggest pain point they come to you with?"
03
Question 3

"What makes you different from everyone else in your space?"

Why You Ask It
This is the core of their brand positioning.
Most founders struggle here.
Your job is to help them find it, not judge them for not having it.
What to Listen For
Unique methodology
Origin story
Contrarian take
Specific results
If they say "I just care more," push deeper.
Follow-Up
"If a customer had to pick between you and your biggest competitor, what would tip the scale?"
04
Question 4

"What are you most proud of in your business?"

Why You Ask It
This reveals what they value most.
It also gives you content gold for their brand story, social proof, and case studies.
What to Listen For
Numbers
Milestones
Transformations
Example: "We went from 200 to 4,000 subscribers in 18 months, and our churn is 3% in an industry where 15% is normal."
Follow-Up
"What was the turning point that made that possible?"
05
Question 5

"Where do you want to be in 12 months?"

Why You Ask It
This gives you the destination.
Every deliverable you build should point toward this vision.
What to Listen For
Revenue targets
Team size goals
Lifestyle changes
Platform ambitions
The more specific, the more useful.
Follow-Up
"What is the single biggest obstacle between where you are now and that goal?"
Questions 6-10

The Remaining Five

Question 6
"What brands do you admire and why?"
Reveals their aesthetic taste and positioning aspirations. Feeds directly into visual direction.
Question 7
"What content has performed best for you?"
Shows what already resonates with their audience. Build on what works.
Question 8
"If you could be known for one thing, what would it be?"
Forces them to distill their brand to its core. This often becomes the positioning statement.
Question 9
"What does your current customer journey look like?"
Maps awareness to purchase. Reveals gaps where your deliverables create the most impact.
Question 10
"Is there anything I did not ask that you think I should know?"
Opens the floor for the insight they have been holding back. Often the most valuable answer of the call.
Lead with what you noticed.
They'll follow your confidence.
Call Energy

What Great Energy Looks Like

Open with specifics
Start by referencing something you saw in their intake, their website, or their content.
"I was looking at your Instagram and the way you talk about [topic] is exactly the kind of voice we want to amplify."
This tells them you did the work before the call started.
Build forward momentum
Point toward what is possible, not what could go wrong.
"Where do you want to be in 12 months?"
"What would a home run look like for this project?"
These questions build excitement and trust.
Match their energy
When they light up about something, go deeper. When they are reserved, slow down and ask something personal.
Your energy is the thermostat, not the thermometer.
Adaptation

Reading the Room

They Light Up
They lean in, talk faster, share stories.
Go deeper. Ask follow-ups. Let them expand.
This is where the best content comes from.
They Shut Down
Short answers, looking away, flat energy.
Shift gears. Ask something emotional: "What made you start this?"
Connect to their why, not their what.
They Go Off-Track
Rambling about something unrelated.
Redirect gently. "I love that, and I want to make sure we capture everything.
Let me ask you this next question and we can come back to that."
The Close

Closing the Call

"[Name], this was incredible. You have given me so much to work with.

Here is what happens next. I am going to take everything from today and build your Brand Positioning document. It will cover your strategy, competitive landscape, offer positioning, and brand voice.

Our next call is [date]. I will walk you through the entire document live. If there is anything you want to tweak, we will do it together on the call.

Any final questions before we wrap? Amazing. Talk soon."
Time Management

60-Minute Deep Dive Call

60 MIN
0-5 min Intro and energy setting
5-45 min The 10 questions
45-55 min Open discussion
55-60 min Close and next steps
Standards

Do's and Don'ts

Do This

  • Research for 15+ minutes before the call
  • Lead with genuine energy and a specific compliment
  • Let them talk. Listen more than you speak.
  • Ask follow-up questions when they light up
  • Redirect gently when they go off-track
  • Close with clear next steps and a date

Never Do This

  • Run the call without Fathom recording
  • Read questions off a screen in monotone
  • Open without referencing their intake or context
  • Let the call run over 60 minutes
  • Skip research and wing it
  • End without confirming the next call date
Pre-Flight

Deep Dive Checklist

Check each item before your next Brand Deep Dive call.

Remember

The Deep Dive is where trust is built or broken.

Energy. Preparation. Genuine curiosity. That is the formula.

Up Next
Next Session
How to Present Brand Positioning
Your first deliverable presentation. Make it unforgettable.
Deck 2 of 9: Brand Deep Dive