Many successful advisors are very intentional about the information they share with prospective clients in advance of a first meeting.
But like most things, there is a 'good, better and best' when it comes to what you share.
Good.
Better.
Best.
The key to “best” is that you’re trying to help the prospective client learn something about themselves, rather than learn something about you.
As a prospective client, I expect you to share information about yourself. But I’m blown away if I feel I’ve learned something about myself or my spouse before we even meet. And in the process, I start to get a deeper understanding of what it will be like to work together.
But here’s where this process goes horribly wrong.
If you’re asking prospective clients to do anything in advance of a meeting, make sure it’s something that will add meaningful value for them. This isn’t about making things more efficient for you.
For example…
As the team at Absolute Engagement was developing our own suite of tools to help advisors create deeper connections with prospective clients, I reviewed many, many pre-meeting questionnaires.
As I went through that process, I understood entirely why the advisor wanted the prospect to answer the questions that were posed. I really did.
It’s obvious why you might want information on my investments and assets or whether I’m interested in talking about my estate or insurance. But as a prospective client those questionnaires left me cold.
And that’s a significant missed opportunity.
So as you think about what you are asking of your prospective clients before you meet, ask yourself this simple question.
Am I doing this to help myself or to help them?
Thanks for stopping by,
Julie