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A qualified inbound lead comes your way, stating their needs and what they’re looking for.
You interpret their forthrightness as an indication they’re interested in hiring you.
Give them what they want -- win new client… easy day.
So why is it that when you deliver your insights according to their specifications, they often don’t get back to you?
Many advisors fall into this trap of adapting to what their prospects want, instead of taking the bolder and higher ground, shifting the focus to what they need.
It’s a trap, because even in a situation where your prospect seems to know what they want, giving it to them often doesn’t “seal the deal” like you’d assume it would.
More often than not, it does the opposite.
Could it be that your internal eagerness to comply with your prospect’s apparent requirements, conveys a subservience which dissuades them from trusting you?
That’s a contrarian idea that flies in the face of what the profession teaches.
Conventional wisdom says that the customer is always right, and since you want their business, you should comply with what they’re looking for.
But ask yourself...
Is it appropriate for an expert to be subservient to the client who doesn’t have their knowledge or expertise, but who needs their help?
The short answer is “no”.
Fear of offending your prospect and of losing the opportunity, makes you relinquish your authority as the expert in the business relationship.
That’s a compounding problem for two reasons...
Exercising your authority is essential to making the relationship a success.
If you’re not free to follow your process for how you work, it’ll be difficult to challenge the client on what they need, versus what they want.
An authority is what the prospect is subconsciously looking for in the first place.
They’d love nothing more than for someone to take the reins and solve their problems.
The issue is, who they can trust?
Whoever projects the most authority, is who they’ll go with in the end.
Here’s the core idea I want you to consider...
You’re the doctor, your prospect is your patient.
The patient doesn’t tell the doctor what to prescribe as they’re the one with the problem, not the doctor.
If they want your help then they must follow your process, or the problem will not be solved.
You’re in charge, not them.
Most low-performing advisors will continue to adapt to their prospect’s market-driven expectations and commoditize themselves in the sales process.
But with this mindset shift put into practice, your prospects will willingly and happily adapt to you.
If you’re ready to learn how to exercise your authority in the sales process and build stronger, more effective relationships with your prospects, order your complimentary books and consultation below.
Related: Forget the Sales Games: Unlock Authentic Success Today
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.