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"If we don't connect in the first meeting, we don't have a chance at helping new clients. There's a simple strategy we use to connect with people we've never met, whether it's in person, on the phone, or video call.
My name is Dave Zoller, and I run Streamline Financial the advisory firm, If you're also an advisor, be sure to subscribe because I put out a new video every week for advisors on growth strategies, practice mgmt, and client communication. Really, we're at quite a disadvantage since March of 2020 where we had to move everything virtually.
Not being in the same room with someone really does take away from the ability to connect. But there's a simple thing you can do to really build a strong relationship. It all has to do with the question you ask. It's not about the credentials behind our name, how big our firm is, or even how knowledgeable we are.
The person you are talking to will feel a connection when they feel that you really care for them and their situation. Now there is a specific question we ask to show that we do care. But you actually have to care. You can't fake this. Asking the question WITHOUT genuinely being interested in that person talking with you, won't work.
So you have to make sure you're fully present with a mindest of giving and not taking. So here's the framework and the question. We used to ask this very early on in the meeting but we've actually found that it's better to do it at the end of the meeting because it ends the meeting on a positive note. Remember that saying of, they might not remember what you said. but they will remember how they feel.
Well, this just gives us a greater chance at this. So what we're doing is finding out "What's most important" to this new prospective client. In the meeting, they may have mentioned financial goals and maybe dreams they have, of which need money and planning to achieve. But just talking about goals does not get to the real motivation behind what they are planning for.
In order to connect, we need to know the why behind the goal. The emotional element behind the financial goal."
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