August 30, 2021 / by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments
For many financial advisors, that moment right before asking a prospect to take action on a recommendation or, in sales parlance, asking for the order is filled with tension. It can be more stressful when asking for referrals. Less seasoned advisors are often overcome with the fear of rejection, which is natural until you’ve developed more confidence in your ability to close. That comes with practice and experience.
The bigger problem is with advisors who, for whatever reason, approach that critical moment feeling apologetic—as if asking a client for a referral or a prospect to act on their recommendation may seem offensive. It’s a bigger problem because it stems from a mindset that can be more difficult to overcome. It demonstrates a lack of conviction in what they are proposing or, worse, in what they do for a living. They’re not convinced they are providing genuine value. If you don’t believe in yourself at that moment, how can you expect your prospect to have conviction in your solution or your client to believe in you when you ask for a referral?
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Why You Shouldn’t Be Apologetic when Asking for Business or Referrals
August 30, 2021 / by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments
For many financial advisors, that moment right before asking a prospect to take action on a recommendation or, in sales parlance, asking for the order is filled with tension. It can be more stressful when asking for referrals. Less seasoned advisors are often overcome with the fear of rejection, which is natural until you’ve developed more confidence in your ability to close. That comes with practice and experience.
The bigger problem is with advisors who, for whatever reason, approach that critical moment feeling apologetic—as if asking a client for a referral or a prospect to act on their recommendation may seem offensive. It’s a bigger problem because it stems from a mindset that can be more difficult to overcome. It demonstrates a lack of conviction in what they are proposing or, worse, in what they do for a living. They’re not convinced they are providing genuine value. If you don’t believe in yourself at that moment, how can you expect your prospect to have conviction in your solution or your client to believe in you when you ask for a referral?
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Recognize When It’s Time to Move On
December 5, 2016 / by Don Connelly / Prospecting / 0 comments
Prospecting is the backbone of your business. It’s the one task you cannot delegate, since people need to like and trust you personally if they are to do business with you. So you should be constantly perfecting your soft skills in order to connect with and win new clients.
Inevitably however despite all your best efforts, you will fail to win influence with certain prospects. And it can be hard giving up on them – especially if you believe there’s even the tiniest chance of them converting.
There is a fine line between giving up too quickly and not knowing when to give up.
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How Consistency Will Help You Become an Elite Advisor
December 4, 2014 / by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments
The behavior of elite Advisors is consistent. They come up with good ideas and they stick with them. They do something for a long enough time to know if it works. That’s precisely why what they do is so easily measurable.
This type of behavior is mandatory for those who wish to build a business in a dependable manner.
It is difficult to measure the effectiveness of average Advisors because their behavior is less consistent. We might try seminars this quarter and if we don’t see results in ninety days, we’ll try a referral campaign. If that doesn’t work next quarter, we’ll try something else. We don’t do something for a long enough time to measure results. Without clearly delineated goals, accountability becomes elusive.
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12 Practice Building Tips for Financial Advisors
October 9, 2014 / by Kirti Anand Sharma / Best Practices, Connelly Corner / 0 comments
According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the projected change in the number of Personal Financial Advisors from 2012 to 2022 is +27%, which is much higher than the average growth rate (11%) for all occupations.
This is a sign of opportunity as well as an increase in competition.
To help you outrank this growing competition and at the same time, build an enjoyable and dynamic practice, check out the infographic below – featuring the top 12 practice building tips by Don Connelly. Check out the infographic.
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Communicating as Intended Is Vital to Your Success
July 14, 2014 / by Don Connelly / Presentation Skills / 0 comments
Since it is your job to influence and persuade, what you say is not nearly as important as what the other person hears. To be successful, you’ve got to communicate as intended.
When folks say to you that they want to go home and think about what you proposed, they are most likely telling you that they haven’t fully understood what you said. They aren’t rethinking their decision to retire comfortably. They simply don’t want to buy into what they don’t understand.
Why are we misunderstood and what can we do about it?
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Stress Management Will Help You Get Your Stress Level under Control
June 2, 2014 / by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments
Stress is a two-edged sword and it’s important you find the proper balance. Stress occurs when things happen that disrupt our routine. Too little stress and we’re under-motivated. Too much stress and we could be heading for an early grave.
The stress of building a business, hitting goals and asking for commitments never goes away.
You’re not going to escape it. You must learn to manage it. Your career depends on it.
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When Asking for a Commitment, Make Up Your Mind in Advance
January 9, 2014 / by Don Connelly / Presentation Skills / 0 comments
Of all the presentations given by Financial Advisors to prospective clients on any given day, how many end up with no commitment being made? We’ll never know. Of all the presentations which end up with no commitment being made, how many end up that way because the Advisor didn’t ask for the commitment? We’ll never know that either. But we can take a pretty good guess and we can also guess why.
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New Year’s Resolutions for 2014
December 30, 2013 / by Don Connelly / What's New / 2 comments
I make too many New Year’s resolutions. I know that because I have never once kept them all. That’s ironic since I preach simplicity. So this year, I’m going to eat my own cooking. I’m going to simplify my list. I’m going to make one resolution for you and one resolution for me. Let’s start with you.
Repeat after me: In 2014, I resolve to ask for the order.
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Asking for a Commitment
October 28, 2013 / by Don Connelly / Managing the Relationship / 0 comments
Mechanically, asking for a commitment is rather rudimentary. Why, then is asking such a difficult thing to do?
The inability to properly ask is perhaps the number one reason for failure in the Financial Services industry.
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