Bruce Wright Chairman,
The Wright Company
FINANCIAL SERVICES NEWS
Five Tips For Successfully Attracting "A" Level Clients
SIMI VALLEY, CA - In the financial services industry, the information
age, combined with a wave of new technology, has caused a rate of change
that is unprecedented. The world is quickly becoming more competitive
and consumers are becoming more sophisticated and are demanding more
service for less money. There are fewer lines of distinction between
the services offered by attorneys, accountants, stockbrokers, financial
planners, insurance agents, bankers, real estate agents, and trust
companies and many professionals are feeling overwhelmed by the
intrusion of new competitors.
So, in today's market, how does the financial services professional
differentiate himself or herself from the competition and become a
magnet for new business? I offer five tips for successfully attracting
"A" level clients.
Tip #1 - Avoid Being A "Stalk" Broker
I once met a financial consultant
with a major international brokerage firm. This consultant was becoming
frustrated with his marketing efforts. He was using a contact
management system, the same system that he had been using for years, but
it was no longer producing results. He would send out mail pieces to a
target list of clients and would have his staff follow-up with phone
calls. He found he was working harder for less money, and constantly
chasing business. He rarely received incoming new business calls. I
offered this professional the following analogy. "Have you ever been
personally pursued by someone who was attracted to you, but you weren't
interested in them? At first, you were probably flattered by the
attention. But, as time went on, you became more and more uncomfortable
with the situation and began feeling stalked. You started avoiding
this person's calls and any contact." I suggested that it is the same
in business. That in order to attract "A" level clients, you must
pre-position yourself as a magnet for new business and avoid being a
"stalk" broker.
Tip #2 - Know Your Market
The financial services professional should put
himself or herself in the position of the client. Imagine yourself as
having $100 million in cash assets. Would you be interested in
professionals whose approach is asset gathering? Probably not. The
successful financial services professional understands this and seeks
ways to behave differently from his or her competitors.
Tip #3 - Don't Prospect
You should not prospect "A" level business, but
make yourself attractive to and worthy of "A" level business. It is
best to start by discovering your own strengths and weaknesses and then
align yourself with others who compliment your expertise and are also
working with "A" level clients. Increase your own personal profile by
writing articles, participating in panel discussions, and/or creating a
compelling booklet, audio or video highlighting how clients benefit from
your expertise.
Tip #4 - Position Yourself
I believe that personal positioning is key.
It is critical that you develop an engaging message that is different
from your competition. The financial services professional should
genuinely care about the client. Position yourself by developing a
vision for the client's philosophical and emotional issues. Demonstrate
that you are thinking deeply about the client's well-being. I recommend
that you ask questions that a client will think about such as "what is
your perfect calendar?" and "what stands in the way of living that
perfect calendar?" You must move out of a "salesman" role and into that
of a "goal identifier and fulfiller." This personal positioning will
assure that you are memorable and leave a lasting impression.
Tip # 5 - Develop A Sound Marketing Strategy
Finally, I must emphasize
the importance of a sound marketing strategy. Create a plan for
yourself to accomplish your goals that includes the development of
strong personal collateral materials. Develop a biography. Create a
written statement of your skills and assets. Create and maintain a
schedule for your own career development. Make sure that other
professionals see you as an essential part of their team in servicing,
retaining, and attracting their "A" level clients.
Bruce Wright's strategies have been successfully implemented by
thousands of financial services professionals across the country. His
newly released book, The Wright Exit Strategy Wealth; How To Create
It, Keep It and Use It, is being endorsed by industry leaders and
wealthy consumers, alike, as the first true guide to Advanced Macro
Wealth Management and Macro Strategic Planning. Additional
information on Bruce Wright and The Wright Company may be found at
www.thewrightco.com or by calling 1-800-997-2664.
4/98
|
|
