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When advisors meet with a new prospect, they typically start with a fit/no-fit mindset and approach, saying something to the effect of: “Let’s see if we’re a fit or not”.
It sounds perfectly reasonable.
“If we’re a fit, great. If not, no problem.”
Being a “fit” typically implies there should social chemistry between the advisor and their prospect.
Of course, they’ve probably heard the exact same “fit/no-fit” approach from the other advisors they’ve spoken with – because that approach has been so over used and is now commoditized.
It’s time to call out the elephant in the room.
You’re not there to make friends, you’re there to create trust by diagnosing their issues.
You build a relationship after the sale, not before.
If you try to do it before, they’ll see right through it.
This is the point where many advisors struggle with the notion of “selling”.
The profession grew up in the 80’s and 90’s with the notion of the “know, like, then trust” model, as the standard selling process.
The ”know and like” components are what makes up the relationship-building piece of the process.
That worked fine for decades, until the profession became commoditized a few years ago -- and now your prospects know the moment you try to turn on the “know and like” (relationship) sales component.
There’s a reason why doctors don’t do coffee with their patients.
They know if they mix social context with business context, they can’t retain their authority to be able to tell their patients the truth about their situation, without risking the “relationship”.
Your job is to diagnose your “patient” (prospect) and prescribe a treatment plan, without dispensing any “medicine”.
Mechanics operate in a similar way.
They don’t need to get along with you to fix your car.
The problem-centric approach of doctors and mechanics pre-positions them as trusted authorities.
Trust is built-in to their process and the only “fit” that even enters the conversation, is whether the solution fits the problem.
This allows them to dispense with the elaborate relationship-building most advisors believe they need to display to create trust.
Personality or rapport is no longer a core factor in this equation – but bedside manner and
no-hidden agenda empathy is.
It’s time to shift your approach to a doctor-patient model, where you’re pre-positioned as the expert your prospect should trust – order your complimentary book and consultation below to discover how to make the shift.
Related: Sales Momentum – Avoid It Like the Plague
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.