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Cold calling may still work for many advisors but for most female advisors it is often the path to failure.
While this activity has served a valuable purpose in the financial services industry, perhaps it’s time to move on.
Cold calling is such a linear activity; with no room to truly multi-task, such a repetitive act often drives women to suicidal boredom and does little to leverage their natural strengths as communicators and relationship builders.
So if not cold calling how do you build new leads and a successful business? You must get social and creative.
Beth moved across the country to start a new life and career as a financial advisor.
Leaving Boston behind for a fresh start in Los Angeles was essential to her peace of mind, but she also left behind all her contacts and lifelong networks, leaving her with an empty database. She literally was starting from scratch.
Determined to succeed she reached out for some serious coaching which helped to launch her path to success.
1) Her Message
We first developed her focus and compelling message that became the foundation to all of her conversations and marketing efforts. The response she received calling centers of influence simply reinforced she was on the right path.
2) Her Strategy
With a focus on women we developed a two-tiered seminar strategy. One event (my Savvy Women Invest on Purpose) would be her “branding” event one that every woman should attend once. While her second event would be more of a workshop and a bit more technical. These two events both geared towards women would be her primary marketing tool.
3) Her “Calling Card”
Next with event dates scheduled for the next 6 months she created a marketing post card, on the front, beautifully designed to appeal to women she shared her event title, tag line plus contact info, a sort of professional “calling card”. On the backside she listed the dates of all her events along with location and RSVP process. This one card would become her most valuable marketing tool.The plan was to start walking into businesses preferably ones owned by women; small boutiques, salons, bakeries, law and CPA firms as well as women owned businesses found on Google. While this is not exactly a new and novel idea we wanted to do something that would make the process unique and more noticeable especially with the gatekeeper, which leads us to our next steps.
4) Her Cookies
She found a local bakery where she could order some cookies made into women’s shoes, decorated in the same colors as her new “calling card”. Each week she would pick up her order of “Calling Cookies” and make it a point to distribute to women owned businesses in the area. She knew if she didn’t get out there and deliver these she may end up eating them, not only was that a waste of money, but would not be good for her “bottom line”.
5) Her Process
When she walked into the businesses, if she felt the opportunity was there she would leave the nicely wrapped cookie with a few of the “Calling Cards” for the owner, the uniqueness of the cookies would trigger warm conversation with the receptionist or manager and the advisor would leave with the contact information so she could follow up the next day calling as the lady with the cookies.
Most women love to keep moving, enjoy being creative and would prefer to speak to people face to face rather than being a blank face over the phone.
By posting a standard order each week at the bakery it provides consistent motivation to make sure she meets enough new women to share her cookies but more importantly to build new relationships, add new contacts while marketing her events and branding herself as the women’s advisor in her community. Making it fun, creative and social makes all the difference for women.