/ by Don Connelly / Presentation Skills / 0 comments
Yes, I’m a huge believer in stories, and in taking time to build value in your services, your brand, and in taking a detailed fact-finder, so you can make your engagement truly client-centered and set yourself up for the close.
But as we all know, many times there just isn’t enough time.
Sometimes you don’t have a leisurely lunch appointment. Sometimes it’s just a meeting engagement: A shared Uber ride, a shared elevator. That’s why you need an “elevator speech.”
Before we get into what constitutes a good elevator speech, let’s think about what you want your elevator speech to accomplish for you.
In 30 seconds or less, a good elevator speech should accomplish the following:
Establish your unique value proposition (UVP).
Establish a reason to initiate contact later.
Establish the means to initiate that contact.
Set up the expectation of contact.
Let’s look at each one in turn.
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Why It’s Critical for Advisors to Build Online Influence
/ by Don Connelly / Marketing Yourself / 0 comments
The most significant transfer of wealth between generations is underway right now. For Financial Advisors, it could be an extraordinary opportunity, or it could threaten their very survival. Ultimately, it’s a matter of trust.
Do investors have trust issues with Financial Advisors? A study by the CFA Institute revealed that the financial services industry is among the least trusted industry. Only half of those surveyed indicated they trust the financial service professionals to do what’s right. In a separate survey, the CFP Board found that just 40% of investors trust financial advisors to put their interests first.
Of the emerging group of affluent investors, millennial and Gen Z investors – the ultimate beneficiaries of the great $30 trillion wealth transfer occurring over the next 30 years – may be the least trustful.
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Create an Elevator Speech that Wins
/ by Don Connelly / Presentation Skills / 0 comments
Yes, I’m a huge believer in stories, and in taking time to build value in your services, your brand, and in taking a detailed fact-finder, so you can make your engagement truly client-centered and set yourself up for the close.
But as we all know, many times there just isn’t enough time.
Sometimes you don’t have a leisurely lunch appointment. Sometimes it’s just a meeting engagement: A shared Uber ride, a shared elevator. That’s why you need an “elevator speech.”
Before we get into what constitutes a good elevator speech, let’s think about what you want your elevator speech to accomplish for you.
In 30 seconds or less, a good elevator speech should accomplish the following:
Establish your unique value proposition (UVP).
Establish a reason to initiate contact later.
Establish the means to initiate that contact.
Set up the expectation of contact.
Let’s look at each one in turn.
Read more
How to Build Your ‘Why I Am Here’ Story
/ by Don Connelly / Storytelling, analogies and power phrases / 0 comments
Your ‘why I am here’ story is an essential market differentiator. First of all, not every financial advisor even has one – other than to make money. And out of those who really do have a client-centered reason for being in this business, not all of them are able to express it. So if you have a real reason you come to work every day, and you’re able to articulate it in a way that makes sense to the clients and gives them a reason to work with you, you’re already way ahead of the competition.
That’s why you need a “why I am here” story.
But the ability to articulate your story in a way that makes it stick is essential. You don’t want to get lost in the details. You don’t want to get sidetracked. You don’t want to get interrupted while you’re trying to tell it. And you don’t want to bore the listener!
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Automated Marketing for Financial Advisors – 5 Ways to Improve Your Practice
/ by Don Connelly / Marketing Yourself / 0 comments
For many business owners marketing is tough and likely not the reason they started their business in the first place! As a Financial Advisor, your work is primarily focused on money management and building client relationships, not marketing. Having said that, a proactive and well-planned marketing initiative can go a long way in improving and growing your practice, so you can do more of what you love.
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5 Soft Skills You’d Need to Work Entirely Online as a Financial Advisor
/ by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments
Times are changing, and suddenly we have all been thrust onto the online space, whether we were prepared or not. While the country is slowly opening back up despite the increasing number of covid19 cases, many businesses are choosing to stay remote, and people are still wary about office meetings. Financial Advisors are in a fortunate position to potentially increase their client base, as now you are not limited to the geographic area that you are physically located in.
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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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Want to Succeed as a Financial Advisor? Do These Five Things.
/ by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 2 comments
Helping people achieve their financial goals and provide security for their families is one of the greatest, most rewarding career paths on the planet. But it’s a very tough business to succeed in, especially in your first few years.
Here are the five things you must do, if you want to maximize your chances of surviving your first five years as an advisor.
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5 Advantages Young Financial Advisors Have Over Older Advisors
/ by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments
When it comes to asking people to handle their money, having a few grey hairs does bring a small advantage. People are just naturally reluctant to trust people with managing their money who are younger than their own children.
But there are some huge advantages to being a younger advisor, as well. In fact, I can tell you after decades in this business, there has never been a better time in the history of the financial services business to be coming into this business as a young advisor, or even a career changer under 40.
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Seven Things to Do to Set Yourself Up for Success as a Financial Advisor
/ by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments
All Financial Advisors need a track to run on. That is, a set of activities that you know are productive, and that will continue to guide you on your path to success, even … and this is key… even if you don’t feel like working!
Here is a set of seven principles that will help keep you focused and moving along your path to the very top of our profession.
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Why You Should Create a Story-Benefit Matrix
/ by Don Connelly / Storytelling, analogies and power phrases / 0 comments
Recently, in my post ”Never Underestimate the Power of a Good ‘Who I Am’ Story,” I mentioned the concept of building a good “story-benefit” matrix. I wanted to take a little time and drill down that concept.
Many salespeople are familiar with the concept of a features-benefit matrix – a handy little cheat-sheet that helps sales and marketing people translate product features into benefits for the customer.
Here’s how a features-benefit matrix works in a nutshell.
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