4 Steps to Avoid the Commoditization Trap (And Justify Your Fees)

4 Steps to Avoid the Commoditization Trap (And Justify Your Fees)

Water is water, right? Everybody selling water is in the business of selling H2O. If anything was a hopeless case for commoditization and price collapse, it should be bottled water. Most cities in America can now deliver very clean, safe water right to the tap – at 0.0025 per gallon.

But bottled water companies like Waikea, Fiji, Aquafina and Desani have been tremendously successful in branding their products, affiliating themselves with target markets, associating themselves with positive lifestyles, creating a positive customer experience, and getting a premium price. Customers pay between 400 and 4,400 times more for bottled water than they do for tap water, and the premium water market continues to grow.

Financial advisors face a similar dynamic.

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5 Reasons Why Clients Might Not Want to Refer You

5 Reasons Why Clients Might Not Want to Refer You

The best way to gather new clients is via referral, especially since many wealthier investors find their financial advisors this way. If you are failing to acquire referrals, you need to address this issue as a matter of importance. Lack of success invariably boils down to a number of reasons – in particular an inability to get along with people.

Here are 5 reasons that could explain why clients aren’t lining up to refer you.

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Get Involved in Your Clients’ Decision-Making Process

Get Involved in Your Clients’ Decision-Making Process

To win new business, earn loyalty and get referrals, you need to focus on what your prospects and clients are thinking. We all have our own particular ‘mental model’ or way we see the world, based on our beliefs and experiences. According to classic consumer behavior theory we tend to follow similar thought processes when we make a decision whether to purchase a certain product or service.

By understanding this consumer behavior, you can tap into your prospects’ thought processes early on and influence decisions in your favor.

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