Summertime Selling Skills

Over the last 9 weeks we’ve covered the biggest mistakes advisers make at first meetings. Whilst each one on its own is a clanger, the key is trying to eliminate all of them to create a really powerful first meeting experience, both for you and the prospective client. Therefore, for the final week of my Summertime Selling Skills series, I give you a checklist of no-nos as we to do a quick refresh.

Top 10 First Meeting Mistakes

Mistake 1: Talking Too Much

• You have two ears and one mouth. Use them in that proportion.
• Telling Is Not Selling {click it to tweet it}
• If you say it, the prospective client can disbelieve you. If they say it, it’s true.
• One of the basic skills of selling anything is to control the meeting with (searching and interesting) questions.
• Click here to read the ‘You Talk Too Much’ blog in full.

Mistake 2: Using A Fact Finder

• Remember that first date analogy? Asking a formal set of questions might be thorough, but if you did that on a first date it would probably be your last!
• If a fact finder is a bad idea on a first date, why would you use it in a first meeting? {click it to tweet it}
• Have your best questions in front of you if you must, but don’t try to fill in your compliance approved fact finder.
• Let the meeting flow, and be a conversation.
• Click here to read the ‘Put The Gun Down & Walk Away From The Fact Finder’ blog in full.

Mistake 3: Going For The Jugular

• Don’t be a vampire adviser by asking just one or two questions, then diving right in there telling clients how to solve whatever it is they’ve mentioned.
• Hold fire and ask more great questions.
• Step out of your ‘selling comfort zone’ and open up a broader, higher value discussion around the client’s real life goals.
• Click here to read the ‘Are You A Vampire Adviser?’ blog in full.

Mistake 4: Not Giving Enough At The Right Time

• Whilst remembering that ‘telling is not selling,’ it is important to dangle a few ideas, wins or strategies to show the client they’ve come to the right place.
• Don’t go into too much detail, but show the client a hint of the potential value you will add.
• A little bit of telling at the end of the meeting is okay, as long as you have a good understanding of the client’s issues and you keep it brief! {click it to tweet it}
• It’s important to give a little something back so when you tell them the cost of the work the client knows:

1. you listened
2. you understood
3. you can help
4. you are a genuine professional

• Click here to read the ‘Knowing When (And What) To Dangle’ blog in full.

Mistake 5: Fluffing The Fee Discussion

• If you have asked good questions, listened well and dangled your value the simple next step is telling the client your fee.
• Don’t waffle.
• Keep it simple: “It will cost £xxx for the initial planning work.”
• The first time you say your fee out loud can be nerve wracking. It gets easier with practise. So practise. {click it to tweet it}
• Click here to read the ‘Don’t Fluff The Fee Discussion’ blog in full.

Mistake 6: Committing The Client To All Three Phases

• Make it clear to the client that they are only committing to the first fee (the planning fee) at this stage of the process.
• Remember the skydiving analogy? You may put too much pressure on the client too soon if you need them to commit to all three phases up front.
• Create a safety zone that provides space for clients to gently take the first step. {click it to tweet it}
• Click here to read the ‘The C Word’ blog in full.

Mistake 7: Not Asking Searching & Interesting Questions

• The quality of your first meeting engagement is directly related to the quality of the questions you ask at the first meeting. {click it to tweet it}
• An important part of an adviser’s job is to help clients remember what is important to them.
• Check out some of the gurus (Bachrach, Kinder, Sullivan, Nemeth) or contact me for some quick and dirty first meeting skills training.
• Don’t tell people how good you are, show them by asking questions that help clients see their bigger issues.
• Click here to read the ‘Take It Easy’ blog in full.

Mistake 8: Not Dealing With The Answers (A Mistake In Two Parts)

1: Not Listening

• You start asking great questions and your brain gets so caught up in what you are going to ask next, you miss the client’s answer. So listen up and really pay attention to what the client is saying.
• Record the meeting so you can listen again later.

2: Not Recognising The Significance

• This is a killer! It’s no good asking great questions, listening and even noting down the client’s answer if you fail to recognise the significance of the answers in the bigger scheme of things.
• Ask yourself “what can I do to help this client start to live their dream right now?”
• By helping clients live their ideal life (as best you can) you add more value than any other profession on the planet. {click it to tweet it}
• Click here to read the ‘Listen Very Carefully (I Will Say This Only Once)’ blog in full.

Mistake 9: Doing The Perfect First Meeting…To Only One Person

• When working with a couple, make sure you don’t hold the first meeting with only one half of the couple.
• Two outcomes are likely if you do a great first meeting to only one half of the couple:

1. they don’t come back (because the person who attended the meeting can’t communicate your value as well as you can)
2. the person who attended the meeting comes back with their partner and you have to do the first meeting again

• Don’t be fooled by the person who claims they take care of the “money stuff” in the household. Whilst it might be true, you and I know the first meeting isn’t a discussion about “money stuff.” It’s a discussion about how-you-want-to-live-your-life stuff.
• There is also basic courtesy that both members of a couple should be involved in the big decisions about their life together. {click it to tweet it}
• Click here to read the ‘Don’t Do Things By Halves’ blog in full.

Mistake 10: Not Juggling All The Above

• There is a lot to think about, and the first meeting can seem like a juggling act!
• The key to a great first meeting is to have a simple but effective, and repeatable process.
• Make a video or an audio recording of your first meetings, so you can pick up which of the above habits you have, and start to eliminate them.
• Role play with colleagues, help each other out and practise.
• Now, just do it!

I hope you’ve enjoyed the Summertime Selling Skills series and that it has reminded you of some of the basics of good communication at the first meeting. Next week we kick off the new Autumn Review Series.

Comment

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the Summertime Selling Series. Leave a comment in the comments section or drop an email to [email protected]

Take Action

If you’d like to work with me directly on addressing your first meeting skills for you or your team drop me a line at [email protected] or give me a call on 0333 939 0027.

Webinars

My upcoming webinar Converting Existing Clients To Your New Approach is on Thursday 7th November 2013 at 12pm. Making the move to an ‘outcomes focused’ financial planning service is highest value for you and your clients, but there is some work involved. If you can create an amazing ongoing review service (see last month’s webinar), you are just about there. This month we look at the steps you can take to convert existing clients to your new offer successfully. Last month’s webinar An Amazing Client Review Service can be heard here. Research from across the globe tells us that clients really value a great ongoing service from their adviser. The same research says that what is currently delivered by most advisers is pretty bad. Find out how to create a simple yet amazing review service for your clients and watch your profits soar. Subscribe & Follow If you would like to subscribe to my blog and receive insights and tips in your inbox each week go to www.fpadvance.com or simply reply to this email by clicking here! You can also follow me on Twitter: @brettdavidson, you can ‘like’ my Facebook Page or come and hangout on Google+ or visit the FP Advance Google+ Page. Phew! Cheers, Brett Davidson Google