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Many advisors still operate under the traditional “know, like & trust” selling model.
Their first goal with a new prospect is to build a relationship with them, create a mutual appreciation for each other, in the hope, they will decide to come on board.
This model forces you into a very long sales cycle, multiple meetings, sometimes multiple lunches, with the hope you will become better “friends”.
There is a very poignant distinction between relationship-building and trust-building.
Real relationships take a long time to create, and it’s exactly what you should be doing with your current book of clients.
But it’s not what you should be doing with prospects in your sales process.
Trust can be created in one single meeting or zoom conversation, if you let go of the notion that you need your prospect to like you first.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t be your warm self, I’m saying, it’s ok to “let go” of laying on the over-friendliness that can sometimes come across as, inauthentic.
Important: Your prospects are not looking for another friend.
In fact, they don’t even have to like you to work with you.
Just think of all the professionals you trust – your doctor, your dentist, your plumber, your lawyer for example.
This might strike you as a radical idea as it goes against everything you’ve been taught by the traditional sales gurus.
Here are 4 key points to building the kind of trust that leads to you being seen by your potential client as the right advisor for them:
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Go deep on their issues
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Don’t offer any solutions or advice on the first meeting (stop trying to prove yourself)
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Use a road map – a visual aid that lays out your onboarding process from start to finish (the simpler the better)
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Put the ball in their court, so they take full ownership of their problems and they feel ready to take action on them
The beauty with simplifying your pre-sale process be removing the relationship component, is that it removes one obvious layer that can trigger them to feel you’re just being friendly, in an attempt to win them as a paying client.
Related: The More Meetings You Have, the Less Clients You’ll Get
Get your Free copy of Ari’s best-selling book "Trust In A Split Second!" 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 book, “Trust In A Split Second!” has become an instant best-seller among financial advisors worldwide.