/ by Don Connelly / Managing the Relationship / 0 comments
It’s long been said that people might forget what you say. But they will never forget how you made them feel.
There’s a lot of truth to that. And one of the first things your clients and prospects should feel is that you understand what they’re going through. Before some of you were born, there was a great, great sales trainer and educator named Zig Ziglar. Look him up! He learned to sell by selling brushes. Door-to-door.
He went on more sales calls before breakfast than some of you go on in a month. And he used to say “People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care… about them.”
There’s two steps to that equation: First, you need to genuinely understand what they are going through. Second, you need to communicate that to them.
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The File Note: How to Increase Your Closing Rates to 9 out of 10 in Life Insurance Sales
/ by Russell Collins / Connelly Corner, Presentation Skills / 0 comments
At the conclusion of my previous guest post – “Making Every Initial Meeting with a Prospect Successful” – I mentioned that if I could point to one thing that increased my closing rate to 9 out of 10, it was the file note. This in effect acted as a pre-presentation vehicle and I believe it motivated people to really look forward to our next meeting and my eventual recommendations.
Here’s how to start using the file note to increase your life insurance sales.
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How to Increase Your Life Insurance Sales Making Every Initial Meeting with a Prospect Successful
/ by Russell Collins / Best Practices, Connelly Corner / 0 comments
When people meet with you for the first time, subconsciously they have four questions that need to be answered. They haven’t thought about these questions in advance but they cross their mind during that meeting. If they are answered, this will ensure that there is not only a second follow-up meeting, but also presents the immediate opportunity to develop a long-term relationship:
Do I like you?
Do I trust you?
Are you competent?
Are you the sort of person who will put my best interests before your own?
In addition to these four questions, I believe that a person would also have to be thinking to themselves “this adviser makes sense!” if there is going to be an ongoing relationship.
How to make every fact-finding meeting a success
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First Meeting Conversations You Need to Have with Prospective Clients
/ by Don Connelly / Prospecting / 0 comments
Let’s be honest. Many financial advisors view the first client meeting frettingly as an obstacle to overcome on their way to, hopefully, establishing a new client relationship. After all, the way you start a first client meeting sets the tone for how your relationship will develop—if it develops at all. Prospective clients don’t make it any easier, often approaching their first advisor meeting with an air of skepticism or apprehension. This creates an unnatural tension that crowds out trust-building. That tension must be broken at the outset, and the ball is in the advisor’s court.
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How to Convince Prospects and Clients That You Understand What They’re Going through
/ by Don Connelly / Managing the Relationship / 0 comments
It’s long been said that people might forget what you say. But they will never forget how you made them feel.
There’s a lot of truth to that. And one of the first things your clients and prospects should feel is that you understand what they’re going through. Before some of you were born, there was a great, great sales trainer and educator named Zig Ziglar. Look him up! He learned to sell by selling brushes. Door-to-door.
He went on more sales calls before breakfast than some of you go on in a month. And he used to say “People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care… about them.”
There’s two steps to that equation: First, you need to genuinely understand what they are going through. Second, you need to communicate that to them.
Read more
Sales Jiujitsu: How to Introduce Yourself as a Financial Advisor
/ by Don Connelly / Presentation Skills / 2 comments
Occasionally I get asked about the best way to introduce yourself as a financial advisor.
That’s an important skill. But in some ways, focusing on introducing yourself to other people is looking at the problem from the wrong direction. There’s always the risk that going to a business mode when the prospect is not yet receptive to it will cause them to go into “shields-up” mode.
Instead, turn that process inside out: Consider finding ways to get prospects to introduce themselves to you.
The difference is fundamental.
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The Right Story at the Right Time Can and Will Tip the Decision in Your Direction
/ by Don Connelly / Storytelling, analogies and power phrases / 0 comments
When you meet with prospective clients, they will very possibly have concerns. They may be worried about investing per se, undecided about whether now’s the right time to invest, or unsure if you are worth your fees.
Don’t see their concerns as obstacles but as an opportunity to build trust. If you suspect they feel anxious, step in tell them an “I know what you’re thinking” story to reassure them they’re doing the right thing. This is a story designed to take away some of your prospect’s concerns.
Here are some situations where a good story can help persuade prospects to hire you as their advisor.
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How to Be a Financial Advisor
/ by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments
Working as a financial advisor is one of the highest ranked business careers according to a recent U.S. News & World report, advisors rating it highly for job satisfaction and prospects. As a financial advisor you can make a real difference to your clients’ lives, making this a rewarding profession to aim for.But if you want to be a financial advisor, you need to have two quite distinct skill sets.
Firstly, you’ll need to pass the relevant industry exams. Financial acumen is a must.
Secondly, and indeed more importantly, you should have a real desire to help people and have an ability to understand their goals and concerns.
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