People won’t remember your process, but they will remember how you made them feel.
Here’s a practical way to do it based on one simple question.
“What prompted you to reach out?” is one of Dan’s favorite conversation starter questions with potential new clients.
He wants to find out what’s bothering them or what’s on their mind then he sets about solving it right away. When you address the prospect’s concerns quickly, “They’ll feel the value. They’ll feel well served. They’ll feel more excited about getting into stuff they weren’t as excited about getting into, but that they know still needs to be addressed.”
Notice the word “feel” three times in the previous paragraph! Mastering these kinds of conversations will build a special rapport between you and your clients so when life happens, you’ll be on speed dial. You’ll connect more deeply and build a moat around your relationship that won’t be sunk when the markets sink.
Up Your Game
Getting your clients to feel more isn’t the only new skill you’ll need in order to succeed as an advisor in a tech-soaked world.
There are several ways to think about how to define your role as an advisor. I believe an advisor’s role is evolving more toward the “coach” model than the “I’m the expert, here’s what you need to do” model.
Two past guests on my podcast had complementary variations on the evolving role of the advisor.
Dr. Brad Klontz, CFP, talked to me about using what he calls “money scripts” to uncover why people have certain attitudes about money, and how advisors can use this information to improve their client’s financial outcomes.