You have stiff competition as a financial advisor. Prospecting for new clients is your ticket to success.
You know how to recognize the big financial advisors. They know everyone at the networking meetings. Their appointment calendar is booked for the next 6 weeks. They have seemingly effortless success in their career. As a financial advisor, prospecting is the only way you can reach that same level of success.
Prospecting isn’t as scary as it sounds. Once you get used to it, it’s just part of the job. Real estate agents, mortgage brokers, and insurance agents all do it. You can too.
Figure out what makes you stand out
What can you offer that other financial planners can’t? Your service might be essentially the same, but your first step in standing out and attracting new clients if figuring out what sets you apart.
You may have a unique approach or specialize in a particular population. Maybe you have a great introductory offer. Perhaps you offer a five-star customer service experience. Take some time and explore how you can stand apart; it’s the first step in creating the demand for your services.
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Perfect your pitch
At any networking event or cocktail party, someone will eventually ask you what you do for a living. Can you answer this question in one or two interesting sentences? If not, then it’s time to work on your elevator pitch. Since you already know what makes you stand out, all you have to do is put it into a small package.
Do what you do best
We’ll amend that slightly to read, do what you do best generate new clients. If you are new to the business, you may not yet have a source of leads. Once you know what makes you stand out, and you’ve perfected your pitch, get to work marketing in a way that you feel most comfortable.
Emails, cold calls, and social media marketing are all good ways to get started. You’ll need to approach your financial advisor prospecting strategy from more than one angle, but starting with your strengths will help build your confidence.
Ask for referrals
Don’t, however, ask just anyone for referrals. Figure out who your five favorite clients are and ask them for referrals. Bear in mind, your five favorite clients may not be the ones with the biggest accounts or the most connections. That’s okay; you’re looking for quality here. A few clients you love – even if they are small accounts – are easily worth one big account that you don’t enjoy because they suck up your time and energy. If you are new to the field and don’t have many clients yet, ask for referrals from your favorite business acquaintances.
Get involved
Get yourself into your community and you’ll get your business name into the community. There are dozens of ways you can involve yourself. Sponsor a little league baseball team or a neighborhood 5K race. Participate in your neighborhood association meetings and events. Host a fundraiser for your favorite (carefully chosen) city council member. Even better, teach short finance classes in the community. The people who attend may become future clients.
Be the expert
Understandably, people don’t want to hire just any financial advisor; they want an expert. That means you have to be the expert. Fortunately, that’s easier than you might think. Write a weekly or monthly article for your local paper or neighborhood magazine. Publish long articles on your website’s blog. If you aren’t sure what to write, start with in-depth answers to the most common questions you get. Once you establish a catalog of material, you become the expert in the public eye.
Stop prospecting
This isn’t as far-fetched as it sounds. Take a yoga class, join a running club, volunteer at the zoo, or play in an adult soccer league. Whatever you choose, get out and do something you enjoy that takes your mind away from work. Your mind has a chance to refresh when you take a break. Plus, you might meet new clients in the time you spend recharging and refreshing.
Want to take your financial advisor lead generation to the next level? Schedule a free demo of our lead management software and turn leads into customers with less work!