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The idea of doing an immediate deep dive of your prospect’s issues at the start of your first meeting, without the typical chit-chat rapport building, is unfathomable for most advisors who grew up with the “know, like and trust” sales mindset.
The formula was always: Know + Like = Trust = New Client.
How’s that working for you?
Probably not the same as it used to.
The issue is, when you attempt to build a relationship with your prospects, it can be awkward to switch gears into a discussion of their deepest problems that justify committing to taking action on them, with you.
The problem with the mixing of social and business norms in a single conversation, is it can cause them to view you as a peer and not as an authority.
Doctors don’t chit chat with their patients for a reason.
Doing traditional rapport building can lead to multiple meetings and long sales cycles -- as you try to “feel out” if they like you enough to hire you.
Here’s the truth, your prospect doesn’t need a friend and isn’t looking for one.
They need someone to be honest and to tell them the truth, as painful as it might be, about the seriousness of their situation.
Real relationships take time to build and are best developed after they’re a client, not before.
The reality is, you don’t need them to like you, they just need to trust that you’re the one to solve their problem.
This kind of trust is not related to how friendly and personable you are.
It’s a business-based trust, based on how much clarity you provide them about their issues.
Your goal is to become a “trusted authority” in their eyes.
To do this, you must replace all relationship-building activities with trust-building principles instead:
Be the doctor with bedside manner – not the pharmacist
In the initial meeting, adopt the demeanor of a doctor diagnosing their patient with empathy and bedside manner. Maintain the professional boundary between you and them, so they see you as the authority to prescribe the action they need to take to solve their problem.
Stay problem-centric in your approach
Don’t describe how you’re going to solve their problems. Focus on getting to the bottom of the real reasons why they’ve come to see you. Don’t assume what they want, is what they need.
Shifting your mindset from relationship-building to trust-building is a game-changer.
Your whole sales cycle can be collapsed into one single trust-based conversation, when you become the trusted authority to them.
To learn how to become a trusted authority, order your complimentary book and consultation below.
Related: Advisors: Be the Doctor, Not the Pharmacist – How to Elevate Your Role
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.