By Shirley Hanson
copyright 2007
Suppose there really were a "4 Diamond Award"
for heroic marketing. And imagine that the winner
this year turned out to be Financial Advisor Peter Paragon.
Here's how he earned each of his diamonds.
First Marketing Diamond - Commitment
Peter commits to a continuing marketing program to:
- Gather the information he needs,
- Generate a plan,
- Invest resources to carry out the plan, and
- Gain valuable information from the results.
Financial advisors, serious about growing their practices,
may invest as much as one-third of their time in
marketing. That's Peter's commitment. (Remember
his surname is Paragon!)
He made another equally serious pledge: to systemize all
his processes so that his marketing and financial planning
are simple to implement. By clearing as much as possible
from his schedule he can go full speed ahead with activities
that generate leads and financial planning clients.
Second Marketing Diamond - Consistency:
My favorite comparison equates exercise and weight loss.To
lose weight, you can add 2 flights of stairs to your normal
activity each day. That effort -- daily -- enables you
to shed about 12 pounds a year.
Consistent marketing, the equivalent of those
2 modest flights of stairs every day, can attract a steady
flow of new business.
Peter Paragon is ambitious, though, and expects to double
his production in two years. A tall order! So his marketing
goes beyond 2 flights of stairs to something more like training
for a decathlon.
He didn't become a successful advisor without marketing,
and he already had several tools in place. Some we re-evaluated
and took in more rewarding directions; others we found ways
to leverage for greater productivity. Then, we added new
high-gain tools to his existing marketing.
Through his marketing plan he commits to 10 separate
marketing activities. Of course, it's not all going
to happen at once. With consistent effort, though, he will
ramp up his marketing to be on course to double production.
Third Marketing Diamond – Connection
Peter knows that the vital ties he needs to put to work
for him are links with his Ideal Prospects. He
didn't take lightly the task of defining the prospects he
really wants to attract.
He knows exactly who they are and he is discovering where
to find them. He's done something else that gives him a
tremendous advantage. He listens to his 7 Advisory Groups
of from 5 to 7 clients, leavened with a few key prospects.
They tell him what they want and how they want it.
And it's not all about financial planning and asset management.
He is discovering vital details of other aspects of their
lives so that he can make more personal connections.
Fourth Marketing Diamond – Change
The biggest barrier to making a change is...yourself. Robert
Roskind in his book "The Spirit of Business" writes,
"The mind is the most powerful device for change
that exists. We can change our 'luck' or our financial
situation by altering our thoughts and feelings."
Peter Paragon draws on the power to change that is within
him. He is open to new ideas within and outside
the financial services field. What's more he is
open to fresh ways to leverage his current assets.
To double his practice in the next 2 years, he'll call on
a full marketing arsenal.
Congratulations, Peter, on your Four Diamonds awarded for
Change, Consistency, Commitment, and Connection.
Shirley Hanson specializes in helping financial advisors
breakthrough to a higher level of production. You
can contact her about financial
advisor marketing here or call Shirley at 215.753.2620.
