Trending
When most advisors sit down with a new prospect, the focus often turns to whether they’re a “fit” or not.
The typical question is: “Let’s see if we’re a fit or not.”
It sounds harmless enough, right?
But here’s the thing: This approach is outdated and doesn’t work as well as you might think.
Why?
Because prospects have already been told the same thing by every other advisor they’ve spoken to.
And when they hear it from you, it feels like more of the same.
Instead of “are we a fit?”, what if you shifted the conversation to something more meaningful?
Something that shows you truly understand their situation?
The real question isn’t about whether you “fit” or not – it’s about whether you understand their deeper concerns and are able to solve the hidden problems they might not even know they have yet.
Prospects don’t care about your qualifications or whether you “get along.”
What they care about is if you understand the true nature of their problem.
Here’s something you might not want to hear: Your role isn’t to make friends.
It’s to diagnose their issues with precision and offer clarity on how to solve them.
Let’s be honest: most advisors still try to create relationships first, thinking they need to be liked before they can provide value.
But that’s not the case.
The reality is, your prospects don’t need another “friend” – they need a trusted advisor who can see the bigger picture, someone who understands what’s really going on beneath the surface.
That’s where the trust comes in.
When you focus on truly understanding the problem – without any pressure to sell or impress – you position yourself as an authority.
Not as a friend, but as someone they can rely on to help them make the right decisions.
Think about it: If you were a doctor, would you start with small talk?
No, you’d start with asking the right questions to understand the true nature of the patient’s condition.
You wouldn’t waste time trying to build rapport before addressing the issue at hand.
You’d dive straight into the diagnosis.
The same goes for you as an advisor.
It’s not about fitting into their social circle – it’s about fitting into their problem and offering a solution they can’t ignore.
When you shift the conversation from “fit” to understanding their problem, you create trust in a way that’s genuine and powerful.
And when you provide clarity, when you show them that you understand their unique situation better than anyone else, trust follows naturally.
This isn’t about being liked, it’s about being the person they can count on to guide them to the right solution.
The next time you’re in a meeting with a prospect, skip the small talk and start with understanding.
Don’t worry about whether you’re a fit – focus on uncovering what’s really going on.
That’s where the real connection happens.
That’s where trust is built.
When you make this shift in your approach, you’ll not only stand out from the competition, but you’ll also create a lasting connection based on real value.
To learn more about how to make this shift and start building deeper trust with your prospects, order the complimentary books and consultation below.
Related: Stop Closing in Your Sales Process
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.