Client Attraction Action

Archive for November, 2008

Financial Advisor Marketing: Little Marketing Steps, Big Difference

This blog is by Bob Hanson.

I look to Bill Gates - one of the most extraordinary business people ever - for inspiration

My favorite quote from Gates goes something like this: “We tend to over-estimate what can be done in the short-term (under a year), but underestimate what we can do in the long-term (18 months or more).

One of our key strategies to get more prospects, clients, and income over the long-term is to figure out the LITTLE things that made a BIG Marketing difference and try to make sure they are used over time.

To qualify as “little,” I’ve included only strategies that take less than 15 minutes to do, but could have a major impact on your fees and income.

Four Little Marketing Tactics
That Can Make A Huge Difference

I. Strategic or Warm Introductions

By warm we mean from a referral, a connection, a center of influence, etc. While cold calling is inefficient and generally frustrating, a welcome call with a purpose can yield tremendous results.

There are really two steps here. First, initiate that contact to set up a warm introduction. Then, go ahead and make that call.

II. 15 Minutes Today Saves You 12-1/2 Hours A Year

Take a great marketing tactic that worked once, or requires manual effort, and systemize it so that it happens on an ongoing basis.

You could, for example, train an assistant to spend 15 minutes a week on something you normally do to carry out this marketing tactic, and over 50 weeks (2 weeks out for vacation) this can save you 12-1/2 hours a year.

More important than hours saved, though, is the ongoing marketing effort that’s getting done.

III. Review Your Headlines

Simply, a headline is an ad for an ad. That’s why it’s vital to wring every ounce of power that you can from those few words.

A headline appears on all of your marketing documents. It’s there at the top of every page on your website, it’s the title of your new article or seminar, it’s the subject line of an email, and there it is as the first line of a letter.

Turning a boring headline into something of great interest, curiosity, or benefit for your prospects can literally increase readership or prospect attention by 200 percent, or much more.

IV. One Thank-You Call

Expressing gratitude feels wonderful and wins friends. Besides, it can also be a powerful long-term relationship-building strategy.

We invite you to discover more articles like this at

http://www.marketingplanfinancialadvisor.com/

November 26th, 2008

Financial Advisor Marketing: Your Rocket Pitch

How To Rocket Results With Your 3-Minute Rocket Pitch

Recently, our son wrote about his experience at a networking event at Babson University where he and 19 other business people pitched their products and services in “Rocket Pitch” format - that’s 3 minutes and you’re done.

And that got us thinking about the value of being ready with a three minute speech for your financial advisory practice.

You may have a 30-second Unique Selling Proposition (USP) – your “elevator speech.” And you have longer presentations that you can call on.

So Why a “Rocket Pitch?”

It’s a useful tool in your prospecting toolkit. It can move a face-to-face encounter to the next step (whether at a networking event, in a friendly discussion while you’re waiting in line, or during a chance meeting).

Its advantages, though, go far beyond face-to-face conversations. You can:

— Adapt it to incite interest on a website.

— Use it to produce a brochure that really works.

— Call on a “Rocket Pitch” to stir a response from your sales letter.

Stirring Interest Face-To-Face

The idea of a USP is to engage your listener or reader. He may make a mental note and come back to you when he’s ready for what you do. Or she may ask a question then and there: “That’s interesting. How do you do that?”

So let’s assume that your USP does its job. Your answer to the polite “What do you do?” question jolts your listener to life.

With eyes alight she says, “Tell me more.”

Are you prepared? Or does the opportunity vanish?

So just what goes into an energizing 3-minute pitch?

5 Elements For A Productive “Rocket Pitch”

1. Start by summarizing the big problem you solve.

Briefly, introduce your solution. Your USP may have accomplished those two tasks. If not, start off with the BIG problem your Ideal Prospects have and hint at the solution.

It’s not time for details . . . just a broad stroke.

2. Follow up with an example that your listener can relate to.

3. Ask an engaging question.

One minute gone. And your listener may comment or ask a question in turn. For the remaining 2 minutes . . .

4. Go into the who, what, when, where, why, and how of your story. Be prepared with about 5 main points in a headline fashion. Back any general statements with specifics (or be as exact as Compliance allows).

5. Also, introduce yourself and a reason why you are an indispensable part of the solution.

Practice until you are prepared. Delete any jargon or technical talk that snaps your conversational flow. Simple words work best – drop any buzzwords that need explanation.

Breathe Life Into A Limp Website

Here’s another way to use your 3-minute “Rocket Pitch.” Adapt it for the homepage on your website. Most financial advisor homepages are bland, boring me-too stuff.

Avoid the “plain vanilla” approach. Suppose, instead, site visitors get a quick, gripping down-to-earth intro to what you’re about and who you can help.

You’re not just another retirement planner, for example. You know how much the retired or about-to-be retired hate to pay unnecessary taxes. Let them know how you can help them reduce taxes.

Give specific examples.

It could be, for instance, what they can do with their IRA to pay less in taxes. Or how to reduce the tax on their Social Security benefits.

Then, paint a picture of what they will be able to do with the money they save. Perhaps, it’s their dream to rent a villa in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Maybe, it’s playing at each of the world’s top 10 golf courses.

Turn Your Brochure Into A Winner

Take your headline (You do have one?) and develop the meat of your brochure from your “Rocket Pitch.”

Or how about in your sales letter? A concise, focused, lively message can boost results.

We invite you to get more articles like this in our free report at
http://www.marketingplanfinancialadvisor.com

November 12th, 2008