REFERRALS OR PERSONAL INTRODUCTIONS? THERE’S A BIG DIFFERENCE

A ‘referral’ is like a lead. It’s a name. It is typically bare, impersonal, and unqualified. Referrals rarely convert to clients – even more rarely, quality clients. Not just because of the lack of relationship with the referred but also because a cold situation feels like selling.

In contrast, a warm personal introduction from a best client is an endorsement wherein your client is explicitly standing behind the value, authenticity and character of the person being introduced… you. It’s an entirely different dynamic. A personal introduction grants you ease and entry. It is based on the established trusting relationship that not only already exists between you and your client but also your client and your client’s friend.

A personal introduction is at its inception a relationship – comfortable and easy – because you are endorsed and trusted.

Referrals don’t even come close to these introductions.

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NIX THE REFERRALS

It’s always been said that the best way to grow your financial advisory business is through client referrals. However, we all know that getting client referrals is no easy task.

Our research among Financial Advisors shows that activity – getting referrals on an ongoing basis – is, for the great majority, the number one business challenge. The fact is that most of us – unless we are truly gifted in this area – don’t have the ability to gracefully go from the sale to the referral. We’re afraid, we don’t want to be pushy, we don’t want to put off the client. And we’re just too worried about closing the business. Does this sound familiar?

So what’s the solution to this conundrum? It’s learning how to get warm, qualified introductions – the anthesis of referrals. A warm, qualified introduction is when one of your best clients – the kind of client you would love to duplicate – introduces you to one of their qualified close friends, family members or business associates. Someone like them. What makes the introduction truly warm is that it’s done with permission and inclusion.

Here’s the major difference:

Referrals come from a traditional sales based approach where the primary goal is transactional, to make the sale. You provide financial advice to close a sale, to make money and hopefully, to get a referral. But if you don’t get a referral, that sale won’t help increase your activity or future sales.Marketing - Nix The Referrals

Warm, qualified introductions are the result of practicing a service based approach where the primary goal is… warm, qualified introductions. These introductions keep your pipeline consistently filled with qualified potential clients, successfully addressing the number one Financial Advisor challenge… new, qualified activity. When you have more activity more implementation follows. As such, having a full pipeline creates tremendous opportunity to grow your income, revenue and business valuation.

Social Capital And The Most Important Story You Will Ever Tell…

As a Financial Advisor, you may not be aware of the most important asset you have available to you.  It’s Social Capital.

The way to understand Social Capital is by thinking about your relationships with your best quality clients.  They trust you with their financial assets.  But do they trust you enough to bring you into their circle by warmly introducing you to the quality people they know, people who are just like them?                                                                                                                      

That’s Social Capital. It leverages your relationships with your best quality clients into warm, personally introduced and endorsed appointments with their quality friends and colleagues.

Social Capital introductions bear no resemblance to standard referrals.  These are high quality introductions from your best quality clients, your best Centers Of Influence. 

So, how do you acquire Social Capital?

The most important marketing story you will ever tell... It’s driven by having a compelling  Remarkable  Marketing Story  (see post – The Bad News. Your Marketing Story May Suck!) that subtly addresses your clients’ Worldview of Financial Advisors and the Financial Industry –  that they are Darth Vader’s working for the Evil Empire.  (see Darth Vader post)

A compelling  Remarkable Marketing Story is what  moves your best quality clients to share your story with their quality circle of friends and colleagues.  It opens the door to consistent high quality personal introductions and high quality appointments on an ongoing basis.