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Most advisors still cling to the idea of the “perfect lead” who walks in is ready to say “yes”.
When prospects aren’t converting, it’s not you to blame -- you just weren’t talking to the right person, you say to yourself.
To protect your time and ego, you double down and spend extra money on “higher-quality” leads and add to your list of qualifying questions -- avoiding anyone who doesn’t fit your definition of ideal.
You tell yourself that if you just find the right person, who checks the right boxes, at the right time, onboarding clients will be a breeze.
Man advisors have gotten so good at this filtering process, the industry now averages an abysmal 20% conversion rate for every prospect they speak with -- even after all the screening.
Does that sound like a highly efficient sales system, or a clear sign of an outdated approach?
The truth is, many advisors are long overdue for a wake-up call.
In your search for the perfect prospect, you’ve likely let countless potential clients slip through your fingers.
For decades, you’ve been taught to qualify prospects in your initial meeting by gathering facts upfront, to determine whether they’re worth pursuing.
It seems straightforward: ask questions to determine if you’re a match, provide answers based on their replies, and let your expertise do the rest.
What’s wrong with that?
This approach only works in an environment that isn’t commoditized.
That world no longer exists.
In today’s economy, leading with qualification creates a huge blind spot, and serves as a bottleneck that prevents your business from growing.
While you think you’re qualifying them, in their mind, they’re being interrogated by you.
This unintended feeling pushes even the most compatible candidates away, since they get the sense you’re not really listening -- and only searching for facts to “sell” them down the line.
Imagine walking into a doctor’s office, and the physician starts off with a barrage of questions before letting you explain your symptoms or express your emotional worries and concerns.
You’d feel like a file being processed, instead of a patient being cared for.
That’s exactly how your prospects feel when you jump the gun and focus on qualifying too soon.
Reality Check: Your prospects aren’t looking to squeeze themselves into the preconceived assumptions you believe make them a good fit.
They’re seeking to find someone they can trust to solve their problem.
This doesn’t mean you can’t ask questions.
It simply means that fact-finding and qualifying questions come after you’ve established a foundation of trust.
In a commoditized world, your ability to build trust with prospects is the one advantage that can truly set you apart.
Since potential clients can only experience the impact of your expertise after becoming a client, the only thing they can reliably judge pre-sale, is how you treat them during the sales process.
When you shift your focus from qualification to a trust-based approach, you’re no longer trying to 'figure them out' or force them into a box of your own making.
It’s the absence of assumptions that allow you to step into their world with humility and empathy.
Your mission is to uncover the real challenges they’re facing, and guide them toward clarity they can’t achieve on their own.
What that happens, trust is built, and the conversation immediately shifts.
In a split-second, your prospects finally stop their search for an advisor, and say to themselves, “he/she is the one -- they understand me.”
With the decision already made, they’ll naturally lean in and ask for your help, eager to discover how they can take the next step with you.
If you want to learn how to build instant trust with potential clients and thrive far beyond industry averages, get your complimentary books and consultation below.
Related: Trust Over Techniques: Transform Your Sales Approach
Get Ari’s 6 best-selling books for FREE here and you’ll also receive a Complimentary Sales and Lead Generation Consultation (value $995.00). Ari Galper is the world’s number one authority on trust-based selling and is the most sought-after high-net-worth new client acquisition expert for financial advisors. His latest books "Are You Chasing Ghosts", "Trusted Authority" and "Trust In A Split Second" have become instant best-sellers among financial advisors worldwide, get your free books here.