3. Opening the call with a value mindset.
4. Identifying value.
5. Explaining your value.
6. Responding to value challenges.
7. Requesting a value commitment.
8. Employing a post-call value analysis.
Developing A Pre-Call Value Strategy Skill Model
To best prepare yourself in advance of an important meeting (or call) with a prospective client, you need to do six things. These six things will position you as an advisor who is focused, confident and on top of your game. To get started, you need to "determine what you know." In other words, you will assess what you already know about your prospect (or client). Ask yourself what you have discovered about this individual, both personally and professionally, through initial questioning or other research.
For example, some personal considerations are: where they live, various family information, educational background, where they were raised, hobbies, sports or other non-work activities, charitable or civic organizations they support, and so on. On the professional side, you should know: how long they've been in their current position/business/profession, previous employers, expertise, professional affiliations, etc.
Next, you should "assess what else you need to know." This step helps you focus on obtaining additional information needed for the meeting with your prospective client. This includes inquiring about details that you feel are important in establishing the relationship, thereby helping you better prepare for the meeting.
After you obtain the initial information, you need to determine additional ways to prepare. You might consider making a list of information sources that will help you research what you need. On this list you would include such sources as newspapers and trade magazines in which your prospect may be quoted and annual reports and company literature distributed by your prospect's firm; you could try searching the Internet. Also on your list should be requests for documents like wills, tax returns, insurance policies, financial statements and retirement plan information, as well as the names of other advisors with whom the prospect may be working.