I was having lunch with a friend recently. My friend ordered a Coke with his food. The waitress told him they didn't serve Coke. Would a Pepsi do? Without hesitation, my friend said yes. He didn't care if he was drinking Pepsi or Coke. He just wanted something to drink with lunch.  

Clients think like my friend thinks. They don't care if they are drinking Pepsi or Coke. Clients want to hit their goals. Your selection of managed money, mutual funds or annuities is a lot less important to them than it is to you. The products aren't going to do the job. You are. If all goes well, they aren't going to thank Black Rock or Franklin. They are going to thank you. If something goes wrong, they’re not going to blame the products or the process. They are not doing business with Black Rock. They are doing business with you.

That is precisely why you needn’t compare yourself to the other advisors they are considering. Their decision is not going to come down to who has the most experience. Having experience is a plus, but being less experienced is not a deal killer. Working for a well-known firm is a plus, but it will not necessarily sway someone’s opinion. Having a richly appointed office is nice, but not mandatory. Being you is really important. Prospective clients are not looking for the person with the most experience. They are not looking to do business with a carriage-trade name. They are not looking for opulence. Prospective clients are looking for someone they can trust.   
        
When people come in for that initial appointment, they are not coming to merely hear you out. They are coming to interview you. They are going to focus on your work ethic. They are going to try to determine your values. When the meeting is over and those folks get in their car, they are not going to weight the merits of tactical asset allocation. They are going to decide if they like you and trust you. If they think you are too stiff and formal, they won’t like you. If they think you are in it for the money, they won't trust you. If they think you talked down to them, they won't like you or trust you.

When you sit down with prospective clients, your job is not to show them how smart you are. Your job is not to explain how well you manage money or how efficient your staff is.  Your job is not to tell them how your firm has more capabilities than that other firm they are considering. Your job is to let it shine through how likable and trustworthy you are.

One sure-fire way to be liked by someone is to make that person feel smart. A sure-fire way to make someone feel smart is to get them to grasp a difficult concept. And a sure-fire way to do that is to explain that concept in easy-to-understand terms. Break it down and then break it down again. Make our business simple. Be credible. Put our business in terms familiar to them. Be emotional. Tell stories.  Make it easy for them to decide about you.

Setting up a retirement fund may be the logical thing to do, but the final decision to get started is an emotional one.

Don Connelly is a speaker, motivator and educator for financial advisors. If you want to ignite your performance, be sure to check http://www.donconnelly247.com/ learning center and follow Don Connelly & Associates on twitter - @DonConnelly.