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One of the biggest mistakes you can make when trying to build trust with a new prospect is focusing on selling your “Client Value Promise” -- an outdated concept that no longer holds weight in today’s competitive market.
Here’s why: it’s not about you, it’s about them.
When you focus on your own beliefs, values, and goals, you're missing the mark.
Reality check: your prospects don’t care about what you believe. They’re not choosing you based on your personal values or goals.
They’re selecting you because they feel you understand them — their needs, problems, and concerns. That’s what trust-building is all about.
When you focus on impressing, proving, and selling yourself and your firm, you assume that your prospects will see you as totally different from any other advisor they’ve encountered before.
That’s a risky assumption. Thinking you can stand out this way among the 400,000+ other advisors out there is a mistake.
Human nature is designed to create an emotional connection when people say, “They get me, they understand me, and more importantly, they care about me.”
Notice the emphasis on “me,” not “you.”
This is the opposite of the traditional sales model many advisors grew up with -- the “know, like, trust” approach.
The old model assumed that your prospects first needed to get to know you, then like you, and only then would they choose you.
But here’s the thing: the “you” era is over.
Your prospects aren’t looking for a new friend. They really don’t want to get to know you — at least not pre-sale.
In fact, they don’t even have to like you to trust you and work with you.
How many of your doctors do you trust but don’t have any real interest in becoming their friend?
The old selling models, focused on pushing “you” to the prospect, are dying
Here’s why: they’re solution-based, not problem-centric, which forces you to prove your value.
They create sales momentum, which actually undermines trust.
They’re formulaic and predictable, which commoditizes you as an advisor and weakens your authority.
This shift from focusing on you to focusing entirely on them requires an open mind and a willingness to challenge your current sales thinking.
It’s time to stop focusing on “what you can offer” and start focusing on “what they need.”
When you truly understand their problems and concerns, trust follows naturally.
Learn how to build trust by shifting the conversation away from you, order your complimentary books and consultation below.
Related: Why Going for the Truth Beats Getting a “Yes” in Sales
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.