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Having your prospect commit to a paid client relationship at the end of your first meeting requires decisiveness.
Decisiveness on their part, not yours.
Ironically, many advisors allow their prospects to avoid being decisive.
After an extensive sales process of multiple meetings (discovery meeting, financial planning meeting, etc), when you finally ask where they stand with their decision, it’s common to hear: “I’d like to think about it.”
There goes hours or weeks of uncompensated value invested upfront out the door, never to be seen again.
Of course, the last thing you want to ever do is apply pressure to get commitment.
But there’s a flipside...
If you’re too casual, relaxed and focused on relationship-building, your prospect can interpret that as a lack of seriousness about the gravity of their situation.
Too much “easy does it”, and allowing them to take their time, de-prioritizes you in their mind.
In today’s environment, self-promotion is frowned on and “authenticity” has become the socially acceptable way to sell.
The belief is that authenticity means being open, understanding, willing to give value upfront.
That belief is misguided for three reasons:
- Generosity without commitment, usually goes unrewarded
- They assume your authentic, they want more than that, instead they want a bold truth-teller
- You don’t have to prove yourself by the value you provide upfront, instead you need to be willing to go down the “iceberg”, below the surface of what they’re sharing with you, getting to the truth of whether they’re serious about committing to solving their issues (that does not require you dispensing information to them)
If you have correctly and thoroughly diagnosed your prospect’s issues (at least five levels deep), then you don’t have to be casual and “hands off” in your approach.
When you go see a doctor, you assume they’re authentic.
When your prospect meets with you, they assume you are authentic. (Unless you give them a reason to think you’re not.)
Being authentic in that respect, will not garner the trust you need to onboard them as a new client in that first meeting.
They have a problem and you’re there to solve it – and they need to see you as authoritative before they’ll allow that to happen.
It’s called being a Trusted Authority.
Trusted Authorities are truth-tellers focused on helping their prospects see the truth about their own situation.
A Trusted Authority doesn’t rely on emotional and relational comfort to get their prospects to like them. (That should happen after they’re a paying client.)
If you feel your prospects are avoiding committing to solving their issues with you, then it might be time for you to shift your mindset, away from the industry-accepted conditioning that you know is no longer effective.
Order your complimentary and consultation below to learn how to shift your mindset from Trusted Advisor to Trusted Authority (there is a big difference between the two).
Ari Galper is the world’s number one authority on trust-based selling and is the most sought-after high-net worth/lead generation expert for financial advisors. His newest book, “Trust In A Split Second” has become an instant best-seller among financial advisors worldwide – you can get a Free copy of Ari’s book here and, when you click the “YES” button in the order form, you’ll also receive a complimentary “plug up the holes” lead generation consultation. Ari has been featured in CEO Magazine, Forbes, INC Magazine and the Financial Review. He is considered a contrarian in the financial services industry and in his many books, everything you learned about selling will be turned upside down. No more chasing, no pressure, no closing.
Related: Getting New Clients Through Social Relationships: A Declining Model?