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You’ve probably been taught by your mentors and peers that if a prospect likes you, the sale is pretty much a “done deal”.
That premise is predicated on the notion that likeability equals trust – based on the “know, like and trust” traditional sales model.
But what if likeability and trust are completely different?
Attempting to create “chemistry” in your first meeting with your prospect, hoping they’re going to like you, as they would a friend or peer, can easily backfire on you, creating the impression you seem to be “putting on the charm” to make the sale.
You’ll know this is true if you hear at the end of your meeting: “Thank you, but I need to think about it.”
This often happens because you haven’t delved deeply enough into their root issues, what I call going “down the iceberg”.
You might have addressed their initial concerns but missed uncovering the deeper ones, underlying issues that drive their decision-making.
If you don’t fully grasp the totality of their problems, they will doubt your expertise and credibility, eroding any trust between the both of you.
Without going beneath the surface of the issues they gave you (above the iceberg), you risk losing prospects to other advisors who engage them on a more emotional level.
To do this, you need to move beyond basic fact finding.
Instead ask: “If it’s ok with you, can you take a step back for a moment and share with me your biggest financial concerns that you feel you want to resolve as soon as possible.”
Doing this helps them open up to you and to see the “cost of inaction” if they don’t commit to resolving their issues with you, now.
A great way to go deeper down the iceberg is by asking, “Is this a priority for you now, or would you prefer to revisit this in the future?”
This gives them the option to choose their timeline without feeling pressured, showing that you respect their decision-making process.
It creates a sense of autonomy for them, making them feel more comfortable and inclined to move forward with you, by the mere fact, you actually asked that question!
If you want to keep the conversation alive and avoid the pitfalls of surface-level interactions, you need to focus on understanding the full impact of their issues.
When prospects see you as someone who deeply understands their problems -- not just the symptoms -- they’ll be more likely to stay engaged and to be decisive with you.
If you’re ready to shift your thinking to making the sale in only one single conversation, without endless follow-up, order your complimentary book and consultation below.
Related: Is Your Sales Road Map Ready for Success?
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.