unique value proposition Archives - Don Connelly & Associates

Make It Your Focus to Be Referable

/ by Don Connelly / Prospecting / 0 comments

I don’t think any one method of prospecting works particularly well, but they all work. The idea is to pick one and stick with it. Whichever method you choose, give it a chance. Don’t bounce around. Get so good at the method you choose that getting referrals become as natural as brushing your teeth in the morning. Position yourself to be referable.

Watch this video or read the transcript below, adapted from the video, to learn how to make yourself referable.

Financial Advisor Branding—Elements to Focus On

/ by Don Connelly / Marketing Yourself / 0 comments

One of the most significant challenges facing financial advisors trying to grow their practice is it takes time, resources, and a well-conceived marketing strategy to get their stories out to the right audiences. While it involves strategically utilizing digital marketing and producing targeted and relevant content, the path must be paved by building a solid brand and reputation.

How to Bring Back Face-to-Face Meetings with Clients

/ by Don Connelly / Managing the Relationship / 0 comments

A survey by YCharts in December 2019 found that clients didn’t feel engaged and wanted more personalized communications. We’ve posted several times that, pre- and post-pandemic, the frequency and style of advisors’ communication directly impact client trust and confidence in their advisor, financial plan, and their likelihood of keeping their advisor.

A more recent report, post-pandemic, found that, though virtual meetings had taken hold as a viable form of communication for advisors forced to limit in-person meetings, it’s likely that the decrease in face-to-face contact contributed to client feelings of reduced communication. That’s a direct threat to the strength of the advisor-client relationship.

How to Get Your First Client as a Financial Advisor

/ by Don Connelly / Prospecting / 0 comments

All financial advisors start in the same place—with no clients. Getting that first client (who’s not a relative) is a significant hurdle but not insurmountable. And, as many successful advisors will tell you, once you clear that first hurdle, it’s off to the races.

While getting your first client can be a challenge, you can succeed with the right skills, a solid game plan, and a hefty dose of persistence.

The Best Newsletters for Financial Advisors

/ by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments

The list of traits and characteristics financial advisors must have or develop to be successful is long. We’ve discussed many here, including excellent communication skills, outstanding work ethic, uncommon optimism, persistence, and resilience, a hunger for self-improvement, and a passion for helping people achieve their goals, to name a few. While all are essential, advisors with ambitions of becoming tops in their field must also have a zest for learning and staying abreast of the news, trends, and developments that impact their business.

3 Ways to Boost the Promotional Power of a Marketing Resume

/ by Don Connelly / Marketing Yourself / 0 comments

A marketing resume can be a very potent tool because it can be used in unlimited number circumstances—at networking events, canvassing businesses, social events, speaking events, or anywhere you would normally hand out business cards. But you must be thoughtful about who exactly should receive your marketing resume. If your value proposition is too broad (trying to be everything to everybody) it may not resonate with anyone because it doesn’t differentiate you.

Here are three tips on how to get the most promotional power out of your marketing resume.

9 Must-Haves for Your Financial Advisor Website to Attract Prospects and Clients

/ by Don Connelly / Marketing Yourself / 0 comments

Most Advisors today have a professional website to represent themselves online in front of potential or current clients. In a post-pandemic world where even meetings are conducted online, it’s not really a matter of if you should have a website, but a matter of what website you should have.

Should it be one of those static pages filled with general information, serving as your online business card? Or should it be an engaging piece of online real estate to keep your prospective and current clients hooked and looking for the phone to call you for more? Or should it be somewhere in between?

Here are a few things you must have on your website if you want to stand head and shoulders above other Advisors.

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.

How to Make The Most of Your Value Proposition

/ by Don Connelly / Marketing Yourself / 0 comments

Too few advisors know what a value proposition is or why they need one. Others understand the importance of identifying their unique value, but don’t know how to articulate it.

This is a serious mistake, because unless a prospect understands what you do and why you do it, they’ll remain unconvinced about your worth. In fact, without a strong value proposition your business won’t even get off the ground – it’s the first step in building your financial advisory practice.

Here are some tips on creating and expressing your value proposition.

Tell Prospects What You Do instead of What You Are

/ by Don Connelly / Presentation Skills / 0 comments

In social settings, people will often ask what you do for a living. If, like the majority of advisors, you reply ‘I’m a financial advisor’, you’re missing an opportunity to pique others’ interest and possibly win new business.

Instead of simply sharing your job title, use this opportunity to establish your value, and give people a reason as to why they should want to work with you.