When someone asks you that question, what do you say? This is a watershed moment for you. You may be talking to your next client… which it costs nothing to find, since you are already talking to them… or you may be chasing that person away.
If you say anything to do with… wealth management… financial advice… investing… etc. What will that person likely do? RUN! They have just identified you as a person who sells investments. That may not be the way you look at yourself, but that’s what they see.
So, how can you turn that moment into a client? The first step is to have a kick butt elevator speech. Something that gets them saying:
- How does that work?
- Would that that work for me?
A third characteristic would be for whatever you say to be brand new to them… something no other advisor has ever said to them. Otherwise, they may think, “Oh yeah, my guy covered that, or does that for me.”
You can create a terrific elevator speech with a little thought and creativity. Here’s some things to keep in mind:
- Keep it less than 30 seconds
- Is it something that only you can claim… or are claiming?
- Is it something that none of your competitors are saying?
- Does it address something that keeps your client up at night:
- Greed
- Fear
- Frustration
- Is it extremely specific? Specificity creates trust. Is it something that your prospect feels they could check out for accuracy if they wanted to? Rarely will people go through the effort of checking out a claim that seems like it could be easily verified if as true.
- Is it brief and repeatable? If it is not repeatable, it is worthless… the whole point here is to get this message circulating virally.
- And here’s the test: Is it something that gets them to say, “Tell me more… how do you do that?” Test this out. Actually, start using it. If people are asking you for more information without any further prompting… You’ve hit the jackpot.
What are some example ideas to get you started:
What is your value proposition? —What do your clients like or find most valuable about working with you?
What is something that grabs their attention—Quote a fact that surprises them. One that some of my advisors use is, “Did you know that Social Security kills more that 12,000 people a year? I protect people from that happening.” Do you think the person they are talking to asks another follow up question? You bet they do!
Credibility booster—Claim something that none of your competitors do. It could be a credential… a case you’ve worked on… an extraordinary result that you’ve accomplished for a client.
Something that rhymes—There has been an incredible amount of research done in the last few years that validates the power of rhyming on people’s belief systems. Strange but true. “If the glove don’t fit… you gotta acquit”.
A joke—It draws people in and creates likability. The trick is finding the joke that works to describe your business. There are tons of “money and investing” jokes online. Find one that works for you.
Still stumped? Here’s a guide to creating your own Killer Elevator speech… courtesy of 5Q Group.