Seven seconds. Did you know that within seven seconds of meeting you people have already made up their minds about you? That’s astounding but true. Our world seems to be getting even more opinionated so we wouldn’t be surprised if that number is actually less than seven. In fact, sometimes people form an opinion about you before you even open your mouth!
What does this tell you about how you establish relationships as a financial advisor?
First impressions matter a lot! When is the last time you imagined that you were a prospect walking into your own office? What’s the first thing you notice? Are you creating the atmosphere that reflects who you are and how you serve your clients? Do you immediately feel welcome or do you feel as though you’re interrupting a busy office? Does the office décor, environment, smells and sounds reflect the successful image you wish to portray?
First impressions draw people in or turn people away. When your success depends on your ability to build and maintain relationships, the goal is always to draw people in. You have the opportunity to not only create an amazing first impression but also to create a memorable experience that energizes your clients to want to tell others about you. The client experience that you create in your practice is directly connected to the first level of your success with client referrals.
The first level of client referrals is creating enthusiasm. If clients are not enthusiastic about you, they won’t be excited to share you with others. The lack of enthusiasm prevents you from staying top of mind. You’re simply not important enough to talk about with others. An important question to ask yourself then is, how do I create enthusiasm in my clients?
Creating enthusiasm begins internally with you. Your level of enthusiasm is contagious especially when you’re meeting one-to-one with a client. The level of enthusiasm in your office is also contagious and directly connected to first impressions. Clients become enthusiastic when their needs are being met, when they feel heard and understood, when you earn their respect and when they give you their trust. You can build enthusiasm by connecting on a deeper level with your clients and by engaging them in fun, energetic experiences that help them see you as more than their advisor.
Always remember that there is no guarantee that an enthusiastic client will be a referring client. You can’t expect there to be an automatic transition from enthusiasm to referring. If that were the case, all of those awesome clients who adore you would be referring you like crazy and that just never seems to happen without a process. That said, having enthusiastic clients does equate to having clients who are willing to refer you. And that willingness is paramount to increasing your client referral success.
The big question then becomes, how do you convert enthusiastic clients into referring clients?
Stay tuned for another blog addressing this very issue.
If you feel stuck never hesitate to call us. At Productivity Uncorked, we help advisors gain control of their time and build profitable referral processes to uncork their full potential.