Break A Leg!
4 Keys To A Successful Presentation
1. Oganize Your Thoughts
* Be certain that you fully understand your audience. Do you really have a grasp on the reason each and every attendee is there?
* Remember that your presentation purpose is not only to educate, but to ENGAGE. Your goal must be to generate appointments . . .not solve their problems.
* Make sure your presentation follows a logical sequence and that the only conclusion is that participants must meet with you individually to consider solutions to their specific issues.
2. Connect With Your Audience
* Convey your compelling content with PASSION. It is not enough to be well-versed in the subject of your presentation. Your audience has to believe that you are passionate about the subject. Passion is often the key to seeing you as the expert.
* Plan and control the setting.
* Introduce yourself as the expert.
* Plan your time carefully to complete all material.
* Plan for questions that interrup your flow.
* Determine the best seating arrangement?
* Determine how you will handle a technology failure?
* Open decisively. Shock your audience with a quote, statement or statistic they didn't know.
* Be the expert. I said this earlier, but it is worth repeating. Tell your audience that YOU ARE THE EXPERT and then tell them that they are headed for an appointment with you.
3. Send Powerful Messages
* Free your language of sexism, racism, classism, and any other forms of offense.
* Use language correctly.
* Use FORCEFUL language.
* Speak clearly, distinctly and eloquently.
* Avoid unneccesary utterances like "um" and "uh."
* Vary the tone of your voice.
* Don't be rigid, but harness your body language.
4. Master The Finishing Touches
* Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse
* Defeat nervousness. Even though this may be the first time you have delivered the presentation, it is likely that you are more expert on the topic than anyone else in the room. Don't let anyone intimidate you with their questions or demeanor. YOU ARE THE EXPERT!
* Manage your audience. Postpone questions until the end of your presentation.
* Refer to participants by name.
* Ask questions only when you are certain of the answer.
* Close with a bang.
An Interesting Twist
Invite prospective client(s) to your seminar via webinar. (Make www.GoToMeeting.com an integral part of your practice.)
Provide lunch for your participant(s) by sending over a $10 Pizza Hut Pizza.
Present your seminar/webinar with a well-prepared PowerPoint presentation
Tell your participants that you have a book or white paper on _______ and you will deliver it when you get together after the presentation.
Follow up immediately via telephone to schedule one-on-one appointments to answer questions and get feedback.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Collaboration . . . Are you kidding!?!
This past week, I have been diligently following several LinkedIn conversations that started with questions like:
"If you're a trusted advisor who believes in collaboration and leveraging relationships to best serve your clients, how do you work with other advisors?"
What!?!
The conversation included statements like:
I believe we all have clients that can benefit from all our help. I"m here to help.
Client centric collaboration begins with team building. Shepherding is part of the function of seeing client's needs through to fruition.
...you're all doing what fewer than the top 10% are not, which is engaging in dialog. This is the first step in collaboration.
What!?!
How about asking the real question. I find it easiest to work with other advisors in driving business. However, my experience has been that we have a great conversation and then nothing happens. Or . . . I send a client to my new collaborative relationship and never get anything in return. Or . . . we conduct a seminar together, but it is all me who puts prospects in the seats.
It does not have to be this way. These relationships must begin with specific expectations about the reciprocal nature of the alliance. Lead sharing, work quality and technical support all play a role. Once we agree on these details, our next step is to determine how we will get started. Will we begin with:
A letter to our respective clients introducing the new relationship.
A seminar
A webinar
Demonstrating good faith and scheduling that first appointment with a client
Surveying each other's clients.
It really does not take much to see the value of strategic alliances. Once you are educated on each other's business and expertise, we become "reps" for each other. Referrals are yours to lose. The numbers are pretty simple. 1 qualified referral from each of 4 strategic alliances per quarter yield a very successful year.
"If you're a trusted advisor who believes in collaboration and leveraging relationships to best serve your clients, how do you work with other advisors?"
What!?!
The conversation included statements like:
I believe we all have clients that can benefit from all our help. I"m here to help.
Client centric collaboration begins with team building. Shepherding is part of the function of seeing client's needs through to fruition.
...you're all doing what fewer than the top 10% are not, which is engaging in dialog. This is the first step in collaboration.
What!?!
How about asking the real question. I find it easiest to work with other advisors in driving business. However, my experience has been that we have a great conversation and then nothing happens. Or . . . I send a client to my new collaborative relationship and never get anything in return. Or . . . we conduct a seminar together, but it is all me who puts prospects in the seats.
It does not have to be this way. These relationships must begin with specific expectations about the reciprocal nature of the alliance. Lead sharing, work quality and technical support all play a role. Once we agree on these details, our next step is to determine how we will get started. Will we begin with:
A letter to our respective clients introducing the new relationship.
A seminar
A webinar
Demonstrating good faith and scheduling that first appointment with a client
Surveying each other's clients.
It really does not take much to see the value of strategic alliances. Once you are educated on each other's business and expertise, we become "reps" for each other. Referrals are yours to lose. The numbers are pretty simple. 1 qualified referral from each of 4 strategic alliances per quarter yield a very successful year.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Better Strategic Alliances
Teaching Your Strategic Alliance How To Sell
The Problem
You just finished a great "networking" meeting with a potential Strategic Alliance. You are excited about the possibilities and really believe that this one is going to generate referrals!! You come back to your office and fire off an email to the new referral partner telling them how excited you are to be working with them. Now what? You wait . . . and wait . . . and wait, but the referrals never come. Sound familiar? How many times has this happened to you? The problem with strategic alliance marketing is three-fold:
Other advisors often don't know how to sell, or more importantly, how to refer you.
You have no rules!
You set up the new relationship to fail because you provide no tools or a clear definition of the next step..
Many strategic alliances that we meet with are excellent advisors that depend on their clients calling with more work or, hopefully, with a referral. They don't know how to actively seek new work and they clearly don't know how to build business development relationships with other advisors. They say things like, I get all of my clients from other advisors like you. How can I possibly refer you other advisor's clients? This is a smokescreen. They can refer you, but you have to teach them how the relationship works.
You must have rules. Let me suggest three spoken rules (I learned from a very wise advisor in upstate New York) for every strategic alliance relationship:
This must be a reciprocal relationship. If referrals only go one way, the relationship will not work.
This must be a trusting relationship. When you send me referrals, you must trust that I will do excellent work. I know I can expect the same from you.
This must be a learning relationship. If I have a questions for you (i.e. estate planning) you must be comfortable giving me a little of your time without expecting work in return every time.
Finally, the "what happens next" is critically important. "Let's do an estate planning seminar sometime in September" is not a clear next step. There are a variety of tools to be successful with the next step.
Next Step
Tools For The Next Step
Your Strategic Alliance wants your help with marketing. Consider these ideas to help them make your new business development relationship stronger:
Provide them with a "leave-behind" branded with their logo that will inspire their clients to ask more questions. The leave-behind can be one of the most valuable strategic alliance weapons in your arsenal. Customized graphically with a checklist that is unique to them.
Suggest that they conduct a joint survey of clients, prospects and contacts to determine the unresolved issues which would inspire them to speak further with both of you. (Discussed in a previous issue of "Marketing Ideas." Call us for more info.)
Create and distribute a joint newsletter.
Conduct a joint educational event (Seminar or Webinar).
If you do the work, your new strategic alliances are far more willing to work WITH you. Providing tools like leave-behinds and surveys is your first step in getting them out of the comfort zones and into a joint business development mindset.
The Problem
You just finished a great "networking" meeting with a potential Strategic Alliance. You are excited about the possibilities and really believe that this one is going to generate referrals!! You come back to your office and fire off an email to the new referral partner telling them how excited you are to be working with them. Now what? You wait . . . and wait . . . and wait, but the referrals never come. Sound familiar? How many times has this happened to you? The problem with strategic alliance marketing is three-fold:
Other advisors often don't know how to sell, or more importantly, how to refer you.
You have no rules!
You set up the new relationship to fail because you provide no tools or a clear definition of the next step..
Many strategic alliances that we meet with are excellent advisors that depend on their clients calling with more work or, hopefully, with a referral. They don't know how to actively seek new work and they clearly don't know how to build business development relationships with other advisors. They say things like, I get all of my clients from other advisors like you. How can I possibly refer you other advisor's clients? This is a smokescreen. They can refer you, but you have to teach them how the relationship works.
You must have rules. Let me suggest three spoken rules (I learned from a very wise advisor in upstate New York) for every strategic alliance relationship:
This must be a reciprocal relationship. If referrals only go one way, the relationship will not work.
This must be a trusting relationship. When you send me referrals, you must trust that I will do excellent work. I know I can expect the same from you.
This must be a learning relationship. If I have a questions for you (i.e. estate planning) you must be comfortable giving me a little of your time without expecting work in return every time.
Finally, the "what happens next" is critically important. "Let's do an estate planning seminar sometime in September" is not a clear next step. There are a variety of tools to be successful with the next step.
Next Step
Tools For The Next Step
Your Strategic Alliance wants your help with marketing. Consider these ideas to help them make your new business development relationship stronger:
Provide them with a "leave-behind" branded with their logo that will inspire their clients to ask more questions. The leave-behind can be one of the most valuable strategic alliance weapons in your arsenal. Customized graphically with a checklist that is unique to them.
Suggest that they conduct a joint survey of clients, prospects and contacts to determine the unresolved issues which would inspire them to speak further with both of you. (Discussed in a previous issue of "Marketing Ideas." Call us for more info.)
Create and distribute a joint newsletter.
Conduct a joint educational event (Seminar or Webinar).
If you do the work, your new strategic alliances are far more willing to work WITH you. Providing tools like leave-behinds and surveys is your first step in getting them out of the comfort zones and into a joint business development mindset.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Business Development Systems Don't Have To Be Expensive
Marketing On A Budget!!
One of the complaints we hear frequently from advisors is the cost of implementing an effective marketing campaign to get in front of qualified clients. In this edition of "Marketing Ideas," we would like to share with you some of the tools that can be used at very little cost to generate qualified leads. In addition to building and implementing a systematized business development plan, with Expanding Horizons you have access to great ideas for attracting new business. Whether you work with indviduals or businesses, you and YOUR business will benefit from the creativity and experience of seasoned professionals across the country. Call me to learn more about Expanding Horizons business development coaching 303-335-0734.
Rick
Starting The Conversation
Business development success greatly depends on your ability to start the conversation with people you don't yet know. In the past, we have been told that cold calls were the most effective way to start the conversation. This might have been fine for the early part of our careers, but there is NO WAY this is going to happen today. So what now? Direct mail might get their attention, but it can be very expensive and will not start the dialogue. Hiring a marketing firm can work, but again, very expensive. How about hiring someone to smile and dial? Also potentially cost prohibitive and it is likely that they won't have the expertise in your business to get the prospect talking.
So what can we do and still control costs. As we have discussed in previous issues of "Marketing Ideas," using a survey to start the conversation can be very effective. The survey provides the prospect with a virtually "anonymous" tool to open up with their concerns and issues. Your survey process should follow this simple plan:
1. Intial email (Survey is coming)
2. Email with survey link
3. Clarification phone calls begin
4. Email to those who have not yet completed the survey
5. Survey analysis email to entire list
6. "I have been thinking about our conversation" appointment phone call
The conversation is now started and you are on your way!
Survey technology = $20/month (Survey Monkey, Constant Contact Survey, etc.)
Inexpensive ways to generate leads!
If you have been following Expanding Horizons for a while, you know we are big fans of LinkedIn. Used correctly, this business networking site can provide an endless stream of leads to feed your marketing machine. When you notice that one of your contacts is now linked to a prospective lead for you, simply call and ask their permission to contact the lead. When they say, "yes" you are on your way. Now you have two choices. You can pick up the phone and call or kick your survey process into gear using a tool like Constant Contact or InfusionSoft. Be sure to reference the referer to stay out of SPAM trouble.
Wait a minute! How do I get their email address? Take a look at www.Jigsaw.com. This great site could be described as "Give-A-Lead / Take-A-Lead." You enter the company name or a contact name and find them on the site. Give up 5 points and you now have an email address and direct phone number. You can spend a little to seed your account with250 points and you are on ready to begin.
www.LinkedIn.com = $0/month
www.Jigsaw.com= $0 to $25/month
Professionalism on a budget
No time to do it right!
Two of the great challenges with any marketing or business development plan is finding the time to keep the "system" working and maintaining a professional image. There are many tools out there that will generate automatic response emails. You send the first request for survey email and these systems trigger a series of emails based on a timeline. Constant Contact (www.ConstantContact.com) is a great example of an inexpensive way to manage this process. You will still have to produce the original emails, but once you have the system in place daily maintenance require just a few minuts.
The real key to all of this is discipline. Watch for our next issue of "Marketing Ideas" to gain some insight into building the discipline to keep a marketing and sales program producing results.
www.ConstantContact.com = $15 / month
One of the complaints we hear frequently from advisors is the cost of implementing an effective marketing campaign to get in front of qualified clients. In this edition of "Marketing Ideas," we would like to share with you some of the tools that can be used at very little cost to generate qualified leads. In addition to building and implementing a systematized business development plan, with Expanding Horizons you have access to great ideas for attracting new business. Whether you work with indviduals or businesses, you and YOUR business will benefit from the creativity and experience of seasoned professionals across the country. Call me to learn more about Expanding Horizons business development coaching 303-335-0734.
Rick
Starting The Conversation
Business development success greatly depends on your ability to start the conversation with people you don't yet know. In the past, we have been told that cold calls were the most effective way to start the conversation. This might have been fine for the early part of our careers, but there is NO WAY this is going to happen today. So what now? Direct mail might get their attention, but it can be very expensive and will not start the dialogue. Hiring a marketing firm can work, but again, very expensive. How about hiring someone to smile and dial? Also potentially cost prohibitive and it is likely that they won't have the expertise in your business to get the prospect talking.
So what can we do and still control costs. As we have discussed in previous issues of "Marketing Ideas," using a survey to start the conversation can be very effective. The survey provides the prospect with a virtually "anonymous" tool to open up with their concerns and issues. Your survey process should follow this simple plan:
1. Intial email (Survey is coming)
2. Email with survey link
3. Clarification phone calls begin
4. Email to those who have not yet completed the survey
5. Survey analysis email to entire list
6. "I have been thinking about our conversation" appointment phone call
The conversation is now started and you are on your way!
Survey technology = $20/month (Survey Monkey, Constant Contact Survey, etc.)
Inexpensive ways to generate leads!
If you have been following Expanding Horizons for a while, you know we are big fans of LinkedIn. Used correctly, this business networking site can provide an endless stream of leads to feed your marketing machine. When you notice that one of your contacts is now linked to a prospective lead for you, simply call and ask their permission to contact the lead. When they say, "yes" you are on your way. Now you have two choices. You can pick up the phone and call or kick your survey process into gear using a tool like Constant Contact or InfusionSoft. Be sure to reference the referer to stay out of SPAM trouble.
Wait a minute! How do I get their email address? Take a look at www.Jigsaw.com. This great site could be described as "Give-A-Lead / Take-A-Lead." You enter the company name or a contact name and find them on the site. Give up 5 points and you now have an email address and direct phone number. You can spend a little to seed your account with250 points and you are on ready to begin.
www.LinkedIn.com = $0/month
www.Jigsaw.com= $0 to $25/month
Professionalism on a budget
No time to do it right!
Two of the great challenges with any marketing or business development plan is finding the time to keep the "system" working and maintaining a professional image. There are many tools out there that will generate automatic response emails. You send the first request for survey email and these systems trigger a series of emails based on a timeline. Constant Contact (www.ConstantContact.com) is a great example of an inexpensive way to manage this process. You will still have to produce the original emails, but once you have the system in place daily maintenance require just a few minuts.
The real key to all of this is discipline. Watch for our next issue of "Marketing Ideas" to gain some insight into building the discipline to keep a marketing and sales program producing results.
www.ConstantContact.com = $15 / month
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Cleaning Up The Mess
The Story
Dan and Jane Snyder are clients. Last summer they moved Dan's parents to a senior independent living community near their home. It was tough to uproot them from their small community 2 hours away, but it was necessary as both parents were in declining health. Dan's mom passed away in late February and his Dad, while still living alone, is not doing well. Dan shared that he repeatedly had asked his dad to make a list of all things financial, but his dad had yet to start this very important project. Dan requested that I visit with his dad and see what I could do.
One Saturday morning I drove to the senior community for a scheduled visit with Dan's father. I knocked on his apartment door and waited. It took quite some time for him to get to the door as walking has become increasingly difficult. He invited me in and offered me a cup of coffee. A quick view around the apartment revealed that every flat surface (tables, countertops, chairs, etc.) were covered with unopened mail, paper, newspaper, magazines, etc. A slightly closer look showed return addresses from insurance companies, banks, lawyers, wire houses, etc. The first thought that ran through my mind was, "I wonder which of these envelopes contains an unanswered premium notice from an insurance company on a policy that has been in force for many years and is about to lapse."
I sat down with Dan's dad and we spent time talking about his wife, his current life and his hopes and dreams for his children. The conversation turned to financial matters and I learned that he had not filed a tax return for 3 years! He said that he would have no trouble maintaining his current lifestyle (covering his senior community living expenses), but he truly had no idea of the value of life insurance and his investments. Further questioning revealed that he had done little to no planning for minimizing the tax consequences on the transfer of this wealth to his children. Since his wife's passing, he had not made any changes to stock held (he wasn't even sure what stocks his wife owned in her long time stock club.). Beneficiaries and ownership of life insurance policies were never addressed. In short, when it was time for this wealth to transfer, the potential for complications was significant.
Next Step: The Fix
Dan's dad agreed to allow me to "quarterback" the fix. We plowed through the stacks of envelopes and paper disposing of the unimportant. My fears were well-founded. We found:
- Unpaid bills
- Bills for services that haven't been used in years (until recently he was paying these)
- Premium notices for insurance policies that had now lapsed for non-payment
- Trust paperwork awaiting signatures and funding
- And much more!
Once we understood everything that was there, we spent time completing the ignored tax returns. Can you imagine the difficulty in addressing this with the IRS if he was not around to help? We changed ownership and beneficiaries on life insurance and securities. We made decisions about insurance policies with sufficient cash value . . . and there were many. Dan's dad wanted this life insurance to serve as a legacy for his children and grandchildren. It was not about the cash value. We completed a list for all 4 children of the various assets in the estate and their location. We bought a file cabinet and organized all paperwork. We sat down with an estate planning attorney and began the process of tax minimization. We set up automatic bill pay with the bank. In short, we took away the burden of day-to-day financial management. He still felt in control of his financial life, but the tasks were far fewer.
You can use your imagination to understand where my revenue was on this case, but that was not the starting place. Genuine concern for Dan's dad and his children is where it all began. The potential gigantic pitfalls was the family's motivation. Who would want to distribute this wealth knowing that the IRS might be knocking on their door if so many things were not resolved?
I was proud of what we did here. Dan's dad was no longer worried and overwhelmed. Dan and his siblings were no longer worried about the unknown. And by the way . . . the case did generate nice revenue. All four children became clients and the administrator for the senior living community is encouraging all independent living residents to speak with me. These facilities are not inexpensive and, as a result, most resident have cobbled together significant estates!
Marketing Idea
Our Generation and Our Parents
It occurred to me that this is not an unusual situation. My Mom is 90 years old and my friends have parents living close to the century mark. Modern medicine and science has given us the privledge of having our parents as part of our lives for many more years than past generations. The older population--persons 65 years or older--numbered 39.6 million in 2009 (the latest year for which data is available). They represented 12.9% of the U.S. population, about one in every eight Americans. By 2030, there will be about 72.1 million older persons, more than twice their number in 2000. People 65+ represented 12.4% of the population in the year 2000 but are expected to grow to be 19% of the population by 2030. These people need our help. In fact, their children, will likely need our help as well.
Tell this story in your marketing. Offer to help quarterback the "cleanup." Put together your team of a banker, attorney, financial advisor and CPA. Offer to assemble their information in your own "Estate Organizer." You will discover that this kind of support is welcome and provides you with an opportunity to dig in and understand the entire financial picture without being "that guy who wants toll sell me insurance and get my money." Then when you make a financial recommendation, it will be received with open arms.
There is a need. Fill it!!
The Story
Dan and Jane Snyder are clients. Last summer they moved Dan's parents to a senior independent living community near their home. It was tough to uproot them from their small community 2 hours away, but it was necessary as both parents were in declining health. Dan's mom passed away in late February and his Dad, while still living alone, is not doing well. Dan shared that he repeatedly had asked his dad to make a list of all things financial, but his dad had yet to start this very important project. Dan requested that I visit with his dad and see what I could do.
One Saturday morning I drove to the senior community for a scheduled visit with Dan's father. I knocked on his apartment door and waited. It took quite some time for him to get to the door as walking has become increasingly difficult. He invited me in and offered me a cup of coffee. A quick view around the apartment revealed that every flat surface (tables, countertops, chairs, etc.) were covered with unopened mail, paper, newspaper, magazines, etc. A slightly closer look showed return addresses from insurance companies, banks, lawyers, wire houses, etc. The first thought that ran through my mind was, "I wonder which of these envelopes contains an unanswered premium notice from an insurance company on a policy that has been in force for many years and is about to lapse."
I sat down with Dan's dad and we spent time talking about his wife, his current life and his hopes and dreams for his children. The conversation turned to financial matters and I learned that he had not filed a tax return for 3 years! He said that he would have no trouble maintaining his current lifestyle (covering his senior community living expenses), but he truly had no idea of the value of life insurance and his investments. Further questioning revealed that he had done little to no planning for minimizing the tax consequences on the transfer of this wealth to his children. Since his wife's passing, he had not made any changes to stock held (he wasn't even sure what stocks his wife owned in her long time stock club.). Beneficiaries and ownership of life insurance policies were never addressed. In short, when it was time for this wealth to transfer, the potential for complications was significant.
Next Step: The Fix
Dan's dad agreed to allow me to "quarterback" the fix. We plowed through the stacks of envelopes and paper disposing of the unimportant. My fears were well-founded. We found:
- Unpaid bills
- Bills for services that haven't been used in years (until recently he was paying these)
- Premium notices for insurance policies that had now lapsed for non-payment
- Trust paperwork awaiting signatures and funding
- And much more!
Once we understood everything that was there, we spent time completing the ignored tax returns. Can you imagine the difficulty in addressing this with the IRS if he was not around to help? We changed ownership and beneficiaries on life insurance and securities. We made decisions about insurance policies with sufficient cash value . . . and there were many. Dan's dad wanted this life insurance to serve as a legacy for his children and grandchildren. It was not about the cash value. We completed a list for all 4 children of the various assets in the estate and their location. We bought a file cabinet and organized all paperwork. We sat down with an estate planning attorney and began the process of tax minimization. We set up automatic bill pay with the bank. In short, we took away the burden of day-to-day financial management. He still felt in control of his financial life, but the tasks were far fewer.
You can use your imagination to understand where my revenue was on this case, but that was not the starting place. Genuine concern for Dan's dad and his children is where it all began. The potential gigantic pitfalls was the family's motivation. Who would want to distribute this wealth knowing that the IRS might be knocking on their door if so many things were not resolved?
I was proud of what we did here. Dan's dad was no longer worried and overwhelmed. Dan and his siblings were no longer worried about the unknown. And by the way . . . the case did generate nice revenue. All four children became clients and the administrator for the senior living community is encouraging all independent living residents to speak with me. These facilities are not inexpensive and, as a result, most resident have cobbled together significant estates!
Marketing Idea
Our Generation and Our Parents
It occurred to me that this is not an unusual situation. My Mom is 90 years old and my friends have parents living close to the century mark. Modern medicine and science has given us the privledge of having our parents as part of our lives for many more years than past generations. The older population--persons 65 years or older--numbered 39.6 million in 2009 (the latest year for which data is available). They represented 12.9% of the U.S. population, about one in every eight Americans. By 2030, there will be about 72.1 million older persons, more than twice their number in 2000. People 65+ represented 12.4% of the population in the year 2000 but are expected to grow to be 19% of the population by 2030. These people need our help. In fact, their children, will likely need our help as well.
Tell this story in your marketing. Offer to help quarterback the "cleanup." Put together your team of a banker, attorney, financial advisor and CPA. Offer to assemble their information in your own "Estate Organizer." You will discover that this kind of support is welcome and provides you with an opportunity to dig in and understand the entire financial picture without being "that guy who wants toll sell me insurance and get my money." Then when you make a financial recommendation, it will be received with open arms.
There is a need. Fill it!!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Over the last 13 years I have worked with advisors across North America to help them achieve their financial and business goals. I have learned a lot! I would like to invite you to join me for a webinar Thursday, March 18th at 10am Mountain Time (9am Pacific, 11am Central, Noon Eastern) or 1:00pm Mountain Time (Noon Pacific, 2pm Central, 3pm Eastern) where I will share with you what I have learned.
The past few months have been exciting times as I have re-launched my company, Expanding Horizons. We are not a membership organization that provides documents and materials. We work individually with clients and build a business development program around their businesses. The success my clients have experienced is very encouraging. My promise to you is that this will not be a sales presentation. Instead, I will show you the components that clients are using to achieve extraordinary success in some very difficult markets.
Please reply to this email and let me know what time works best for you. I will reply with your login and dial-in login information. I look forward to getting caught up with you.
All my best to you and your family.
March 18th
10:00am – 11:00am Mountain Time
(9am Pacific, 11am Central, Noon Eastern)
February 18th
1:00pm – 2:00pm Mountain Time
(8am Pacific, 10am Central, 11am Eastern)
So that I might ensure that we have a chance to talk, I have limited each of these calls to just 10 participants.
Thanks in advance for joining me. I am looking forward to hearing from you.
The past few months have been exciting times as I have re-launched my company, Expanding Horizons. We are not a membership organization that provides documents and materials. We work individually with clients and build a business development program around their businesses. The success my clients have experienced is very encouraging. My promise to you is that this will not be a sales presentation. Instead, I will show you the components that clients are using to achieve extraordinary success in some very difficult markets.
Please reply to this email and let me know what time works best for you. I will reply with your login and dial-in login information. I look forward to getting caught up with you.
All my best to you and your family.
March 18th
10:00am – 11:00am Mountain Time
(9am Pacific, 11am Central, Noon Eastern)
February 18th
1:00pm – 2:00pm Mountain Time
(8am Pacific, 10am Central, 11am Eastern)
So that I might ensure that we have a chance to talk, I have limited each of these calls to just 10 participants.
Thanks in advance for joining me. I am looking forward to hearing from you.
Friday, February 12, 2010
THE SEVENTEEN QUALITIES OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL ADVISORS
Having worked with so many advisors over the years, I decided to see if I could sit down and identify the attributes of success. Success for me meant that these advisors were happy with their work. They earned a good living and others saw them as role models. With this in mind, I would like to share with you what I think I have learned about these salient behaviors
1. People don’t need to be told of your INTEGRITY if you really demonstrate it.
2. Always be HONEST, even if it hurts a little. This includes giving credit where credit is due. If someone else wrote the material, don’t call it your own. Plagiarism is dishonesty.
3. Convey your message with PASSION. Real PASSION!
4. Truly BELIEVE in the things you say to prospective clients. If you believe that a solution is right for them, they will believe it as well. If you can’t convey this message successfully and with passion, there is little chance they will adopt your recommendations.
5. It is not about companies and products. It is not about your business logo or the alphabet soup after your name. It is not about your website. IT IS ABOUT YOU! Do they trust you? Do they believe IN you?
6. All things being equal, people do business with people they know and like. All things not being equal, price will not be your disqualifier if they believe you are like them. BE LIKE THEM.
7. Listen hard. Paraphrase and give it back to them. Demonstrate you truly understand. Don’t pretend to listen . . . LISTEN.
8. Understand their heart. People listen with their head, they make decisions to buy from their heart.
9. Set clear and agreed upon expectations. Never get mad at someone for doing something you didn’t tell them they couldn’t do. If you get a “think it over,” it is your fault for not being clear that a decision would be made. NO MUTUAL MYSTIFICATION.
10. Never stop learning. Make some time every day to learn.
11. Set goals and objectives. Doing better than last year is not a goal. If you don’t have a goal, how will you know when you get there?
12. PLAN. Every day should not be a surprise. Real businesses have written plans.
13. KNOW WHERE YOU ARE. Measure your progress daily. Use tools that help you understand how you are doing relative to your goals.
14. Step out of your comfort zone. You cannot grow if you remain in that comfortable place. Go out and try something new for a while.
15. Get some accountability. We can’t do this alone, so find a third party who can be objective and tell you the things you don’t want to hear.
16. Have fun! Albert Schweitzer said “Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.”
17. Remove negative influences from your life.
Some of these behaviors you already embrace. Others will need to be acquired. Don’t be overwhelmed. Working on them one at a time over the course of the year will get you there.
Over the coming weeks, we will take a look at each of the 17 providing detail and exercises to help you embrace these qualities.
Having worked with so many advisors over the years, I decided to see if I could sit down and identify the attributes of success. Success for me meant that these advisors were happy with their work. They earned a good living and others saw them as role models. With this in mind, I would like to share with you what I think I have learned about these salient behaviors
1. People don’t need to be told of your INTEGRITY if you really demonstrate it.
2. Always be HONEST, even if it hurts a little. This includes giving credit where credit is due. If someone else wrote the material, don’t call it your own. Plagiarism is dishonesty.
3. Convey your message with PASSION. Real PASSION!
4. Truly BELIEVE in the things you say to prospective clients. If you believe that a solution is right for them, they will believe it as well. If you can’t convey this message successfully and with passion, there is little chance they will adopt your recommendations.
5. It is not about companies and products. It is not about your business logo or the alphabet soup after your name. It is not about your website. IT IS ABOUT YOU! Do they trust you? Do they believe IN you?
6. All things being equal, people do business with people they know and like. All things not being equal, price will not be your disqualifier if they believe you are like them. BE LIKE THEM.
7. Listen hard. Paraphrase and give it back to them. Demonstrate you truly understand. Don’t pretend to listen . . . LISTEN.
8. Understand their heart. People listen with their head, they make decisions to buy from their heart.
9. Set clear and agreed upon expectations. Never get mad at someone for doing something you didn’t tell them they couldn’t do. If you get a “think it over,” it is your fault for not being clear that a decision would be made. NO MUTUAL MYSTIFICATION.
10. Never stop learning. Make some time every day to learn.
11. Set goals and objectives. Doing better than last year is not a goal. If you don’t have a goal, how will you know when you get there?
12. PLAN. Every day should not be a surprise. Real businesses have written plans.
13. KNOW WHERE YOU ARE. Measure your progress daily. Use tools that help you understand how you are doing relative to your goals.
14. Step out of your comfort zone. You cannot grow if you remain in that comfortable place. Go out and try something new for a while.
15. Get some accountability. We can’t do this alone, so find a third party who can be objective and tell you the things you don’t want to hear.
16. Have fun! Albert Schweitzer said “Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.”
17. Remove negative influences from your life.
Some of these behaviors you already embrace. Others will need to be acquired. Don’t be overwhelmed. Working on them one at a time over the course of the year will get you there.
Over the coming weeks, we will take a look at each of the 17 providing detail and exercises to help you embrace these qualities.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Advisor Survey
I promised you I would share with you the results of this brief questionnaire. Additionally, I have included some commentary in the hope that you might make better use of this information:
1.My business for 2009 was:
41.9% of those surveyed said their business was “somewhat below expectations.” 25.8% said business was “far below expectations.” This means that approximately 2/3 of those surveyed did not achieve their objectives for 2009.
Commentary
To ensure that this experience is not repeated in 2010, I would urge all of you to complete a thorough analysis of last year’s business. Consider your marketing efforts in detail. Review your business successes and failures. Review all client and strategic alliance relationships. Most importantly, do this from a quantitative perspective. This is always the first step Expanding Horizons takes with its clients. Historians say that without understanding the past, we are doomed to repeat its failures. The exercise of review, if done correctly, will help set direction for you in the coming year.
2. Please indicate the percentage of your 2009 new business in each category (nearest 10%):
a. Life Insurance
b. Assets Under Management
c. Qualified Plans
d. Executive Benefits
e. Planning Fees
f. Other
46.9% of those surveyed found that more than 50% of their business came from life insurance. 66.7% of those surveyed found that assets under management account for less than 30% of their business. Just 22% indicated that more than 50% of business came from gathered assets. Qualified Plans, Executive Benefits and Planning Fees represented less than 10% of revenue for approximately ¾ of those responding.
Commentary
Without exception, life insurance and gathered assets played a major role in the business of the vast majority of advisors I spoke with. Those advisors that focused heavily on the life insurance business demonstrated little regret that they had not placed more emphasis on assets under management. However, the advisor that said they drove business through asset gathering often said they wished they had not “dropped the ball” on the life insurance side of their efforts. One conversation with an advisor yielded a very interesting perspective. He said that he always believed that assets under management was the easiest way to build a steady income stream. He indicated that what he failed to realize was that this approach hurt his business during difficult times because he spent too much time calming clients and far too little time driving new business.
3. Please indicate which of the following were part of your marketing plan in 2009 (Check all that apply):
a. Marketing to existing clients
b. Cold marketing
c. Strategic Alliance Marketing
d. Formal Referral Generation Program
e. Networking
f. Social Media
g. Email Marketing
h. Newsletter
i. Seminars
j. Personal Website Lead Generation
100% of those surveyed said that marketing to existing clients was part of their 2009 business development effort. 84.4% identified Strategic Alliance Marketing as a component of their 2009 plan A few conversations here yielded a “fuzzy understanding” of the detailed elements of these two areas of marketing. Some said they saw client reviews as a means of driving business. Others indicated that periodic meetings with CPA’s and Attorneys Were important to their business. Specific plans and their impact on business Were much harder to identify. 46.9% of those surveyed participated in some kind of networking. 40.6% said that cold marketing played a role in their business. 37.5% identified a newsletter as part of their marketing effort. 34.4% conducted seminars to drive new opportunities. Just 28.1% had a formal referral generation program. Less than 22% of respondents considered social media, email marketing and personal website lead generation to have played a role in their business for 2009
Commentary
The feedback here should not be surprising, but still leaves you wondering why so few advisors have built disciplined marketing plans. Marketing to existing clients should mean identified opportunities with their client base. Additionally, there must be a clearly defined campaign to drive appointments and produce results. Strategic alliances are a much tougher issue. “Hope” which permeates most strategic alliance contact is insufficient to drive business. Again, put a marketing plan in place and execute that plan. Networking probably falls in the same category. What was most striking among these numbers can be found in two different areas. First, it is astounding that only 28.1% of advisors actually believe they have a formal referral generation program. I have always believed that advisors that conquer this element of their marketing program will quickly discover how much easier the rest becomes. Conversations with survey participants yielded an unwavering belief in the importance of referral generation, yet less than 1 in 3 advisors actually take this seriously in their marketing approach. Finally, the playing field is changing. Understanding social media, email and web marketing is critically important to the advisor that intends to market in this next decade.
4. Have you completed formal business goal setting for 2010?
50% of survey participants said that had not completed any formal goal setting for the coming year. Since I did not further clarify the term “formal goal setting,” it is likely that some of those that answered in the affirmative have identified an overall number they would like to achieve, but have done little to break expectations down further.
Commentary
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. To make 2010 a better year than “below expectations,” it all begins with clearly defined goals. When most people consider goals, they start with the annual sales goal. While that is good, it is not enough. The most successful businesses set daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual goals. There must be goals within each component of the marketing plan. Goal setting serves as markers in the road that allow you to make adjustments to achieve the ultimate objective. Failure to do so makes your business very much hit or miss.
5. Please indicate which of the following are part of your marketing plan in 2010:
a. Marketing to existing clients
b. Cold marketing
c. Strategic Alliance Marketing
d. Formal Referral Generation Program
e. Networking
f. Social Media
g. Email Marketing
h. Newsletter
i. Seminars
j. Personal Website Lead Generation
As with question 3, the vast majority, more than 95% said they would market to existing clients (96.9%) and strategic alliances (93.8%). Networking (65.6%), seminars (59.4%) and joint marketing with another advisor (56.3%) were seen as business driving activities. Newsletters and cold marketing were popular with about 1/3 of respondents. It is interesting to note that social media (25.0%), email marketing (34.4%) and personal website lead generation (21.9%) were of minimal interest to advisors as business driving opportunities.
Commentary
What was that definition of insanity? Oh yes, doing the same thing and expecting a different result. Discussions with advisors have led us to the conclusion that most approach marketing with a “this is how I have always done it” mentality. While I would not argue with the choice of activities, it might be wise to ask, “Why do I choose this marketing approach and what can I do to make it more effective?” Someone told me once that they rarely choose what might be the most effective prospecting activities because “they might take us out of our comfort zone.” This may or may not be the case with most advisors, but it is indeed something to consider.
6. Do you keep a formal “pipeline” for projecting future business?
58.6% of survey respondents said they do keep a pipeline for managing their business. Telephone conversations reveal that there are a variety of pipeline tools in use including:
• CRM solutions which include a pipeline (ACT!, Goldmine, etc.)
• Microsoft Excel spreadsheets
• A list of prospects on a sheet of paper
Commentary
A pipeline should be constructed to allow you to make your business more
predictable. In so doing you are able to identify whether you are on track with your goals and reasonably estimate your income. The problem with so many
pipelines is that we are so good at lying to ourselves. I put prospects in the
pipeline who are unlikely to close, but I believe I have a shot. I give
prospects greater value for our pipeline than they should reasonably have. In
short, we are the problem with our pipelines. An effective pipeline must
include at least 3 variables to give the prospect a reality check. Additionally, it is important to have an objective third party help you conduct a reality check
on your pipeline each and every week. Cast off what will never happen and
apply conservative estimates to prospects that remains.
7. How much will you invest in your business development in 2010?
43.8% of those surveyed said they planned on spending more than $10,000 on their business development effort in 2010. 25.0% indicated that they would spend between $5000 and $10,000. It is important to note here that several of the advisors I spoke with thought of their marketing budget more in terms of a percentage of revenue. There seemed to be a consensus of opinion that marketing spending should be somewhere between 1.5% and 3% of sales.
Commentary
I believe that marketing spending must fall in line with the rest of your plan. While it is wise to establish a budget early on, many advisors spend this money on marketing ideas they find throughout the year. The next great system. An ad that will make your phone ring off the hook. A “proven” seminar. I am of the opinion that anything you do can have an impact on your business with the right forethought and planning. Some may say, “How can I plan for our marketing effort if I don’t understand how much I have available to spend?” There is no argument here, except to ask, “How can you decide how to spend your marketing dollars if you don’t have the roadmap for sales?” You will discover that the planning I have described to this point will always make your marketing dollars more wisely spent.
8. In a few sentences, please tell us about your marketing failures over the past few years (These are a representative sample of comments):
Economy is bad so difficult to get an appointment with business owners. Not so
much "failures" as the economic conditions.
Getting qualified leads from CPAs, and attorneys
Starts with me. Enough said.
I hired a guy to do marketing for me with e-relationships, got nothing. He altered it and sent out emails from a list I purchased and then followedd up on those that
opened up the email, got nothing. He got a real job.........
Too much getting ready to get ready. Subscribing to programs that I don't really
use or get any results from using them.
Not enough support! Need a coach!
Tried to be too many things to too many different prospective clients, lack of
focus.
Did not keep life insurance pipeline full; working now to rebuild it
Not following up on plans. No real marketing program!
Persistency and consistency. Staying the course is our biggest downfall.
No specific plan. no extra staff added to run the program, failure to follow up!
Cold calling
Getting referrals has not been to successful. Working with CPAs has not been productive. Surprisingly cold calling is exceeding our expectations
Too low of profile in self promotion.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
There is a belief among those surveyed that 2009 was a difficult year, but 2010 can be successful with the right marketing components in place. With this in mind, I would like to suggest the following process to ensure success:
1. Review the past year. Develop a strong understanding of successes and failures. Analyze existing client and new client business. Quantify your behavior.
2. Establish realistic goals and stretch goals
3. Hone your message and be sure that you are able to convey it with real passion.
4. Define your sales process.
5. Construct a four pronged marketing plan. It is not enough to say I will drive referrals or build stronger strategic alliance relationships. Put a plan and numbers behind your chosen marketing activities.
6. Implement a pipeline that actually helps you accurately predict business and adjust behaviors accordingly.
7. Get some accountability . . . a coach.
8. Eliminate the words “hope” and “wish” from your vocabulary. When you build a plan based on numbers and real process, you will find that your goals are achievable.
There are no magic “systems” to buy that will take you where you want to go. You must create a plan and work the plan. If you would like to talk more about this survey or how you might better implement this approach in your own practice, please give me a call.
Rick Schwartz
Expanding Horizons
303-335-0734
1.My business for 2009 was:
41.9% of those surveyed said their business was “somewhat below expectations.” 25.8% said business was “far below expectations.” This means that approximately 2/3 of those surveyed did not achieve their objectives for 2009.
Commentary
To ensure that this experience is not repeated in 2010, I would urge all of you to complete a thorough analysis of last year’s business. Consider your marketing efforts in detail. Review your business successes and failures. Review all client and strategic alliance relationships. Most importantly, do this from a quantitative perspective. This is always the first step Expanding Horizons takes with its clients. Historians say that without understanding the past, we are doomed to repeat its failures. The exercise of review, if done correctly, will help set direction for you in the coming year.
2. Please indicate the percentage of your 2009 new business in each category (nearest 10%):
a. Life Insurance
b. Assets Under Management
c. Qualified Plans
d. Executive Benefits
e. Planning Fees
f. Other
46.9% of those surveyed found that more than 50% of their business came from life insurance. 66.7% of those surveyed found that assets under management account for less than 30% of their business. Just 22% indicated that more than 50% of business came from gathered assets. Qualified Plans, Executive Benefits and Planning Fees represented less than 10% of revenue for approximately ¾ of those responding.
Commentary
Without exception, life insurance and gathered assets played a major role in the business of the vast majority of advisors I spoke with. Those advisors that focused heavily on the life insurance business demonstrated little regret that they had not placed more emphasis on assets under management. However, the advisor that said they drove business through asset gathering often said they wished they had not “dropped the ball” on the life insurance side of their efforts. One conversation with an advisor yielded a very interesting perspective. He said that he always believed that assets under management was the easiest way to build a steady income stream. He indicated that what he failed to realize was that this approach hurt his business during difficult times because he spent too much time calming clients and far too little time driving new business.
3. Please indicate which of the following were part of your marketing plan in 2009 (Check all that apply):
a. Marketing to existing clients
b. Cold marketing
c. Strategic Alliance Marketing
d. Formal Referral Generation Program
e. Networking
f. Social Media
g. Email Marketing
h. Newsletter
i. Seminars
j. Personal Website Lead Generation
100% of those surveyed said that marketing to existing clients was part of their 2009 business development effort. 84.4% identified Strategic Alliance Marketing as a component of their 2009 plan A few conversations here yielded a “fuzzy understanding” of the detailed elements of these two areas of marketing. Some said they saw client reviews as a means of driving business. Others indicated that periodic meetings with CPA’s and Attorneys Were important to their business. Specific plans and their impact on business Were much harder to identify. 46.9% of those surveyed participated in some kind of networking. 40.6% said that cold marketing played a role in their business. 37.5% identified a newsletter as part of their marketing effort. 34.4% conducted seminars to drive new opportunities. Just 28.1% had a formal referral generation program. Less than 22% of respondents considered social media, email marketing and personal website lead generation to have played a role in their business for 2009
Commentary
The feedback here should not be surprising, but still leaves you wondering why so few advisors have built disciplined marketing plans. Marketing to existing clients should mean identified opportunities with their client base. Additionally, there must be a clearly defined campaign to drive appointments and produce results. Strategic alliances are a much tougher issue. “Hope” which permeates most strategic alliance contact is insufficient to drive business. Again, put a marketing plan in place and execute that plan. Networking probably falls in the same category. What was most striking among these numbers can be found in two different areas. First, it is astounding that only 28.1% of advisors actually believe they have a formal referral generation program. I have always believed that advisors that conquer this element of their marketing program will quickly discover how much easier the rest becomes. Conversations with survey participants yielded an unwavering belief in the importance of referral generation, yet less than 1 in 3 advisors actually take this seriously in their marketing approach. Finally, the playing field is changing. Understanding social media, email and web marketing is critically important to the advisor that intends to market in this next decade.
4. Have you completed formal business goal setting for 2010?
50% of survey participants said that had not completed any formal goal setting for the coming year. Since I did not further clarify the term “formal goal setting,” it is likely that some of those that answered in the affirmative have identified an overall number they would like to achieve, but have done little to break expectations down further.
Commentary
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. To make 2010 a better year than “below expectations,” it all begins with clearly defined goals. When most people consider goals, they start with the annual sales goal. While that is good, it is not enough. The most successful businesses set daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual goals. There must be goals within each component of the marketing plan. Goal setting serves as markers in the road that allow you to make adjustments to achieve the ultimate objective. Failure to do so makes your business very much hit or miss.
5. Please indicate which of the following are part of your marketing plan in 2010:
a. Marketing to existing clients
b. Cold marketing
c. Strategic Alliance Marketing
d. Formal Referral Generation Program
e. Networking
f. Social Media
g. Email Marketing
h. Newsletter
i. Seminars
j. Personal Website Lead Generation
As with question 3, the vast majority, more than 95% said they would market to existing clients (96.9%) and strategic alliances (93.8%). Networking (65.6%), seminars (59.4%) and joint marketing with another advisor (56.3%) were seen as business driving activities. Newsletters and cold marketing were popular with about 1/3 of respondents. It is interesting to note that social media (25.0%), email marketing (34.4%) and personal website lead generation (21.9%) were of minimal interest to advisors as business driving opportunities.
Commentary
What was that definition of insanity? Oh yes, doing the same thing and expecting a different result. Discussions with advisors have led us to the conclusion that most approach marketing with a “this is how I have always done it” mentality. While I would not argue with the choice of activities, it might be wise to ask, “Why do I choose this marketing approach and what can I do to make it more effective?” Someone told me once that they rarely choose what might be the most effective prospecting activities because “they might take us out of our comfort zone.” This may or may not be the case with most advisors, but it is indeed something to consider.
6. Do you keep a formal “pipeline” for projecting future business?
58.6% of survey respondents said they do keep a pipeline for managing their business. Telephone conversations reveal that there are a variety of pipeline tools in use including:
• CRM solutions which include a pipeline (ACT!, Goldmine, etc.)
• Microsoft Excel spreadsheets
• A list of prospects on a sheet of paper
Commentary
A pipeline should be constructed to allow you to make your business more
predictable. In so doing you are able to identify whether you are on track with your goals and reasonably estimate your income. The problem with so many
pipelines is that we are so good at lying to ourselves. I put prospects in the
pipeline who are unlikely to close, but I believe I have a shot. I give
prospects greater value for our pipeline than they should reasonably have. In
short, we are the problem with our pipelines. An effective pipeline must
include at least 3 variables to give the prospect a reality check. Additionally, it is important to have an objective third party help you conduct a reality check
on your pipeline each and every week. Cast off what will never happen and
apply conservative estimates to prospects that remains.
7. How much will you invest in your business development in 2010?
43.8% of those surveyed said they planned on spending more than $10,000 on their business development effort in 2010. 25.0% indicated that they would spend between $5000 and $10,000. It is important to note here that several of the advisors I spoke with thought of their marketing budget more in terms of a percentage of revenue. There seemed to be a consensus of opinion that marketing spending should be somewhere between 1.5% and 3% of sales.
Commentary
I believe that marketing spending must fall in line with the rest of your plan. While it is wise to establish a budget early on, many advisors spend this money on marketing ideas they find throughout the year. The next great system. An ad that will make your phone ring off the hook. A “proven” seminar. I am of the opinion that anything you do can have an impact on your business with the right forethought and planning. Some may say, “How can I plan for our marketing effort if I don’t understand how much I have available to spend?” There is no argument here, except to ask, “How can you decide how to spend your marketing dollars if you don’t have the roadmap for sales?” You will discover that the planning I have described to this point will always make your marketing dollars more wisely spent.
8. In a few sentences, please tell us about your marketing failures over the past few years (These are a representative sample of comments):
Economy is bad so difficult to get an appointment with business owners. Not so
much "failures" as the economic conditions.
Getting qualified leads from CPAs, and attorneys
Starts with me. Enough said.
I hired a guy to do marketing for me with e-relationships, got nothing. He altered it and sent out emails from a list I purchased and then followedd up on those that
opened up the email, got nothing. He got a real job.........
Too much getting ready to get ready. Subscribing to programs that I don't really
use or get any results from using them.
Not enough support! Need a coach!
Tried to be too many things to too many different prospective clients, lack of
focus.
Did not keep life insurance pipeline full; working now to rebuild it
Not following up on plans. No real marketing program!
Persistency and consistency. Staying the course is our biggest downfall.
No specific plan. no extra staff added to run the program, failure to follow up!
Cold calling
Getting referrals has not been to successful. Working with CPAs has not been productive. Surprisingly cold calling is exceeding our expectations
Too low of profile in self promotion.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
There is a belief among those surveyed that 2009 was a difficult year, but 2010 can be successful with the right marketing components in place. With this in mind, I would like to suggest the following process to ensure success:
1. Review the past year. Develop a strong understanding of successes and failures. Analyze existing client and new client business. Quantify your behavior.
2. Establish realistic goals and stretch goals
3. Hone your message and be sure that you are able to convey it with real passion.
4. Define your sales process.
5. Construct a four pronged marketing plan. It is not enough to say I will drive referrals or build stronger strategic alliance relationships. Put a plan and numbers behind your chosen marketing activities.
6. Implement a pipeline that actually helps you accurately predict business and adjust behaviors accordingly.
7. Get some accountability . . . a coach.
8. Eliminate the words “hope” and “wish” from your vocabulary. When you build a plan based on numbers and real process, you will find that your goals are achievable.
There are no magic “systems” to buy that will take you where you want to go. You must create a plan and work the plan. If you would like to talk more about this survey or how you might better implement this approach in your own practice, please give me a call.
Rick Schwartz
Expanding Horizons
303-335-0734
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