Client Acquisition: “Staying in Touch” Puts Prospects at Arm’s Length
When staying connected to prospective clients who are in your pipeline, have you ever used the phrases, “I’m just calling you to stay in touch”, or “I just wanted to check in with you”, or “It’s been awhile since we spoke, and I’m just touching base”?
For successful financial advisors, there are more effective and forward-looking phrases to use in your drip marketing campaigns. Drip marketing is a communication strategy that drips on prospective clients over a period of time. “Staying in touch” or “checking in” in the drip-marketing scheme of things are phrases that are boring and tiresome. Think drip irrigation, not water torture.
Is This the Impression That You Want to Give?
In the first place, “staying in touch” is more than just a phrase. It establishes a mindset in the thinking of the prospective client. It says to the prospective client something like this:
“Hi there. You’re just a name in my contact file. I really don’t have anything interesting to say, and I don’t know much about your needs and concerns. I haven’t really been thinking about you much really, other than to make a sale. You wouldn’t want to buy anything today, would you?.”
Ok, ok…this paraphrasing is a bit of hyperbole in order to prove a point. What’s a more constructive way to frame yourself?
Client-focused Insights
How about something like this?
“I’ve been thinking about our first meeting, where you indicated that one of your biggest concerns was how to get more organized financially. I thought that you might be interested in a similar situation that was experienced by one of my clients who, like you, is challenged with managing a complicated financial life (and who has given permission to share her story). Do you have five minutes now to discuss the solution that we built together?”
or…
“I know that it’s a big decision to change from the status quo, which is why I thought of you when I saw this white paper (case study, article, ebook, etc.) on the pros and cons of consolidating your brokerage accounts in one place. I’d also be glad to set up a time when we might discuss your additional questions on some of the hidden risks of having multiple brokerage accounts.”
Another way to think about this is that how you connect and communicate to prospective clients is a model for how you will connect and communicate with actual clients. Do you want to frame yourself as a pesky salesperson, or as a client-focused financial advisor who offers value on virtually every single interaction?
For additional observations and insights on client acquisition, please feel free to download the ClientWise Learning Tool below: