What Are You Selling, Today?

Instant gratification is everywhere.  Everything is at our fingertips to make decisions on the spot.  Whether it’s the Amazon effect on our purchasing behavior or whether it’s the fact that we have answers to all our most pressing questions via the device in our pocket.  As a society most everything we do can be done in an instant. 

As financial advisors this can create expectations for prospecting that are unrealistic.  We expect our prospects to instantly understand our value, we expect them to instantly understand the care we will show them, and we expect them to instantly realize our process is exactly what they need to address their financial situation.  When they don’t instantly buy-in, we often times push to help them understand all we have to offer. 

What could we do differently?  I think it boils down to what we are trying to sell them…today.  At the beginning the goal is to create likeability and trust.  All we are trying to do is to sell them on the idea that we would be good people to meet with regarding their situation.  Nothing else.  Once that has been established then we sell them on the process.  A proven process, that once we have their “stuff” we can walk them through to address their most pressing questions.   Earning the right to take them through the process, then gives us the opportunity to sell them on the idea that you are thorough, independent, competent, etc.  These stepping stones then allow us to sell them on the solutions to the problems outlined in their plan. 

Remember our business is a series of sales that come together to establish a long-term relationship with our clients vs one of instant gratification and short term thinking.