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Archive for Hot Tips and Resources – Page 2

3 Tips to Reel In More Clients From Sales Meetings

Posted by Kira Callahan º December 1, 2015 º Hot Tips and Resources | Kiras Blog º 0 comments

So you’ve generated enough interest and rapport to book the meeting, and now your prospect is sitting in front of you waiting to see what’s what.   You are in the driver’s seat.

Iss12Photo02In industry parlance, you are about to take them through a QP – a qualifying presentation – with two desired outcomes: one, you uncover enough potential business for them to be a welcome addition to your book and two, you persuade them that you’re the advisor for them, and that now is the time to take action.

This is a critical moment.  You are close to a lot of potential business, and yet this is when many advisors blow it by sliding into a rote delivery of company marketing.

Does this sound familiar?   Here’s what we’re going to cover today (you hand client Agenda).  I’ll tell you about myself and our company and how we serve our clients, and then we’ll go over your goals and concerns and decide how you want to proceed.  Then you walk them through a long-ish presentation, page by page (or slide by slide), with you doing all the talking.

And your closing rate sucks.

Setting up the meeting this way almost guarantees your prospect will tune out.  How much attention do you have when being educated ‘lecture style’?   In order to improve your closing rate, you must dramatically increase your Prospect’s level of emotional engagement.

Here are 3 strategies to get you there:

1. Create context. As adults, we take in new information in relation to what we already know.  We rate that information as valuable when we recognize it as immediately applicable to a need.  The more urgent the need, the more likely we are to act on the new information.

So in order for your prospect to listen avidly to the information in your QP, start your meeting by asking your prospect which of the financial goals they mentioned in your initial conversation feels most urgent.

With this one question, you’re accomplishing two things.  First, you’re getting your prospect emotionally involved in the conversation and second, you are setting up a powerful filter through which they will view the entire presentation.  Now you can fold their urgent goal into your agenda.

2. Tailor the QP.  Instead of a rote walk-through of all that content, keep in mind your prospect’s urgent goal and spend more time on the information personally relevant to them and less time on describing service areas they don’t currently care about.

3. Connect the dots. When you are taking them through a bullet point or illustration you know is important for their goals, don’t assume they understand the significance.  Instead, help them see the importance by connection the dots with a key message.  For example, if you are sharing that your firm ‘manages xx billions of dollars’ put it in context by saying What this means for you is that we are a top, respected firm and you can trust make sure you have enough money to maintain your lifestyle in retirement.   Wherever possible, use your QP material to show them  how working with you will lead directly to them getting what they want more quickly.

Of course nailing your QP and getting the business doesn’t happen without a little preparation and practice.

Use the hot buttons you uncovered during your prospecting conversation and set aside 15 minutes prior to your meeting to scan the QP and decide what bullet points you will highlight to get them excited about moving forward.

As you implement these strategies you’ll notice that you’re having more meaningful conversations, getting more emotional investment from your prospects, and you’re closing more business!

And remember… Speak from the heart. It’s good business.
KiraSignature

Roadmap to Getting the Sale – Start Strong!

Posted by Kira Callahan º November 24, 2015 º Hot Tips and Resources | Kiras Blog º 0 comments

Typically, when I ask my clients what their objective for a sales call is, they say it’s to ‘get a meeting’.  This is fine for an end goal but it’s not specific enough to help you structure the conversation in a way that will get you the meeting.

There are steps involved to quickly building a relationship.  You’re taking a prospect from unfamiliarity to enough comfort to meet with you and eventually, to trust you with their money and their future.  So to make that happen, break down your objectives for the call into 3 steps. 

11-25-15 pic twoThese steps are important whether you met at a networking event or through a referral or even through your warm market.  All of these situations require you to go on a little journey of emotions with your Prospect.   There is a ROADMAP, with steps along the way to get you there.  If you skip them or SKIMP on them, your closing rate goes down.   Take moment and think of someone you’re prospecting right now.  You’d had the initial contact but you haven’t won them over yet.  As we go through each of the stops on the Roadmap, think about that Prospect.  Got your name?

Okay!   Here are 3 stops on that relationship journey – there are more of course, but here’s what you need to start strong.  You MUST GENERATE CURIOSITY, BUILD RAPPORT, AND Build TRUST AND CREDIBILITY.

Now before you think – ‘Oh, I do all that’, take a moment and think about a sales conversation you had in the last week where you weren’t able to get a meeting.  Got it in mind?  As we discuss each of these points, think about your conversations with your Prospect.  Think about the beginning stages of that relationship journey.

Generate Curiosity. I’m going to talk like a Prospect now – if we meet and you haven’t grabbed my attention or made me curious in some way and you start talking about insurance, I’m gone.   Know your target audience and make sure your attention-grabbing opener addresses their needs.

Build Rapport.  If you generate some curiosity, but don’t bother to make a genuine connection with me before you start asking questions about my needs, I’ll take my curiosity to another Advisor.  Prepare a couple of rapport-building questions before the conversation, and practice being fully present while you listen to your prospect’s response.  Paraphrasing what they said and asking follow-up questions, will make them feel valued and help to create a strong connection.

Build Trust and Credibility.  If you do generate curiosity and your prospect finds you charming, that’s still a long way from feeling in their gut that you’re the guy or gal to trust with their financial information and their future.  Have 2 – 3 strong credibility facts ready to weave into the conversation – including something about the stability of your firm, and something about your own expertise.

How are people responding to you during sales calls?   Take a moment and think about your ROAD-MAP – your typical approach to a sales conversation, and make a note about which of these stops on the ROADMAP you could be spending more time on.

Once you start thinking about your Sales Conversations in terms of the emotional journey your Prospect goes on, you can adjust your approach to make sure they get what they need to move forward with you – and you’ll close more business.

And remember… Speak from the heart. It’s good business.
KiraSignature

Back to Basics – To Make the Sale, Address This Subliminal Need

Posted by Kira Callahan º November 17, 2015 º Hot Tips and Resources | Kiras Blog º 0 comments

As you’re out there prospecting, it’s easy to slip into ineffective habits and get lazy with addressing the most fundamental need your prospect has – trust!

You are a financial advisor.  Never forget that when you are prospecting you are asking people to trust you with their money and their future.  Of course they’ll have questions and doubts.  Of course they take this seriously.  This is serious business!

Being able to communicate trust and credibility is a core strength every advisor needs to build.

Does your prospect believe you’re the one that can guide them to success?  Do you?  If you’re a newer advisor, being able to instill that confidence in your prospect is key to getting your practice off the ground.  For more seasoned advisors, being able to clearly differentiate your approach from your competitors will help them choose you.

Let’s start with newer advisors.  Here are three strategies to build trust and credibility: 

Lean on your company.  Identify one or two rock-solid facts about your institution’s record in managing money.  In particular, longevity and stability facts will help your prospect feel safe.

Lean on your team.  Not prepared to answer specific questions about investments or critical illness coverage or estate planning?  That’s okay.  No one is an expert in everything.  Instead, speak with confidence and let your prospect know that you work with top experts in that area to bring them the best advice and strategies.

Lean on your personal convictions – your ‘Why’.  You may be new, but if, for instance, you got into financial planning because someone close to you suffered a devastating loss or struggled unnecessarily for years and you’re on a mission to make sure that doesn’t happen to others, say so!  People will trust you because they trust your motivations.

Iss10Photo02

For more seasoned advisors – as you know, it’s a competitive field!  Every advisor wants to bring on more high net worth clients, and those prospects get approached on an ongoing basis.  If you think saying ‘I have a unique process where we first uncover your needs…’ is actually unique, you are mistaken.  Having coached over 5,000 financial professionals, I can assure you that every advisor and institution has ‘an x-step process that starts with uncovering your goals and needs…’

Here are three strategies for more seasoned advisors to quickly build trust and credibility (smart newer advisors will also take this in!):

Leverage your experience beyond just saying how many years you’ve been in the business.  Instead, go for the jugular in your communications – for example, you can say:  ‘I’ve been helping families build wealth and protect what they care about most for over 16 years and here’s what I know for sure…’  then share 2- 3 of the most common mistakes you’ve seen ill-advised clients make, and how you fix them.  Your prospect will sit up and take notice because they want to avoid those traps!

Share your core values.  For example:  ‘The three core values that drive everything I do are Excellence, Transparency and Integrity.’   Then briefly describe an example of how one of them shows up daily in your work to the benefit of your clients.  Be as specific as you can.

Differentiate with your service commitments.  Example:  ‘It’s common in this industry for an advisor to hunt down business and once they’ve gotten the sale, forget about their clients.  I don’t believe in that.  I provide world-class service to a select number of clients so that no matter what financial question or need comes up, they know they can call me first and we’ll sort it out.’

Whether conscious or unconscious, financial decisions touch the survival instinct in humans.  The more skilled you are at communicating credibility and trust, the more your practice will thrive.

And remember… Speak from the heart. It’s good business.
KiraSignature

You Won’t Get the Sale Without This

Posted by Kira Callahan º November 10, 2015 º Hot Tips and Resources | Kiras Blog º 0 comments

Are you overcoming their real objections? If not, you won’t get the sale!

One of the trickiest parts of a sales conversation to navigate can be the objections. You’re motoring along, everything seems to be going well, and suddenly you’re met with resistance.

Resistance manifests in more than one way. If it was as simple as someone verbalizing ‘Sounds good but what will this cost me?’, overcoming the objection would be simple. But often resistance is unspoken.

Here are some different styles to be on the look-out for:

Silence. You feel like you’re doing all the work. The prospect has clammed up while you keep adding in facts to try and prove yourself.

Short answers. Their tone of voice and body language are telegraphing doubt or skepticism, but they don’t articulate that. Instead, you get ‘Yup’, ‘Right’, ‘No, no, I get it’.

Chipper agreement. Your Prospect’s words don’t match the energy they’re putting out. They say things like ‘Absolutely!’ ‘Good point.’ ‘You’ve given me a lot to think about’. They seem to be agreeing, but they put you off when you suggest a next step.

In each of these cases you’ve come upon a hidden objection and if you don’t unearth it there will be no sale. Let’s crawl inside your Prospect’s mind and look at a few of the most common objections that they won’t say out loud!

Don't give up signs

Their inside thoughts:

‘I’m not comfortable with you.’ Your Prospect seems attentive when you’re talking about the nuts and bolts of your plan, but remains aloof. This probably means that you haven’t spent enough time building genuine rapport. They don’t trust that you actually care about them; they think you just want the sale.

‘Maybe someday, but not today.’ They get the logic of what you’re saying but it doesn’t feel urgent. They come off as indifferent. This means you haven’t created a compelling reason for them to act now.

‘I can do better.’ The Prospect’s eyes light up when you present a good strategy, but they don’t want to move forward. They may doubt your level of expertise.

‘I have an axe to grind.’ They seem irritated and impatient during your meeting and you can’t figure out why. They may be holding onto resentment from your earlier communication or from a bad experience someone they know has had with you or your firm.

Each of these unspoken objections is a barrier to your getting the sale. To move forward, you have to bring the hidden objection out into the light so you can deal with it. But because of political correctness or not wanting to hurt your feelings, they are unlikely to verbalize what’s going on without some encouragement.

When you take the lead you position yourself as confident, professional and welcoming.

It starts by simply asking: ‘ I sense some hesitation. What are your concerns about this?’

Then listen respectfully and validate what you hear. Be sure and check your own defensiveness at the door. Remember, uncovering their real objection is a win. Even if it isn’t pleasant, you are having the real conversation. You are far closer to the sale now than when their concern was underground.

When you uncover the real reason for their resistance and respond with warmth and professionalism, you will earn their trust and respect…and more often, the sale!

And remember… Speak from the heart. It’s good business.
KiraSignature

Your Clients Love Hot Apple Cider Too!

Posted by Kira Callahan º November 3, 2015 º Hot Tips and Resources | Kiras Blog º 0 comments

Ahhh, the joys of Autumn! 

Iss8Photo02So much of the financial industry is transaction-based.  We use ATM’s, we shop and bank online and with the emergence of fintech companies,  clients can get investment advice with the click of a mouse.  The fact that a human Advisor instead of a computer is initiating the transactions is not enough to build loyalty.

But the good news is that in spite of all this technology, we all long for connection.  You can be head and shoulders above the crowd in the eyes of your clients by consistently providing a personal touch.   Don’t for a second allow yourself to believe that this is trivial or of minimal importance to the success of your business.   In fact, it is the opposite.

When a client feels emotionally connected to you and your team, they are far more likely to stay with you through a downturn in the markets, to forgive an error you’ve made or to ignore the overtures of other Advisors looking to lure them away.  And since you know just how much effort goes into winning a great new client for your business, it quickly becomes obvious that building emotional connection should be an integral part of your business planning process.

Thinking seasonally is a great way to start.  First, decide how you want your clients to feel when they think about coming in for a meeting or opening your newsletter.   Does it feel like fun or like a drag?  We are all children at heart.  What happy memories of each season do you have that are universal and that you could bring to your clients?

A couple of examples: 

  • We’re well into Autumn.  As the weather turns cool and the leaves change, you can invoke a comfortable, cozy feeling in your meetings by adding hot apple cider to your in-office menu.  Buy a packet of cinnamon sticks to last the season so you can add one to each mug.  Have a plate of ginger cookies on your desk.  In your seasonal newsletter, share a favourite fall story from your own childhood and include some pictures when you can.
  • Sit with your team and plan ahead on your calendar for these seasonal touches.  We are all at our best when we’re relaxed and at ease.  When you create the ideal environment for that to happen, you will find more people saying yes to your requests for financial reviews, and enjoying the process when they get there.

Over time these efforts  – in combination with your financial expertise – will build a powerful emotional connection with your clients, and a loyal, thriving practice.

And remember… Speak from the heart.  It’s good business.
KiraSignature

Are you even ready for HNW clients?

Posted by Kira Callahan º October 6, 2015 º Hot Tips and Resources | Kiras Blog º 0 comments

Hello Advisors!

I like to do some of my creative writing in coffee shops. Getting away from my home office offers a fresh perspective and lots of opportunity for people-watching.

Everyone has a story. It’s fun to imagine what those stories are as I glance around the café. And without being able to help it, my brain is cataloguing each person’s general social strata. Student, homeless person, mom-preneur, retired friends, busy professional, ambitious up-and-comer, lost soul… on it goes. Where do I fall into the general scheme of things? What story am I projecting?

Who you are is more important than who you seem to be, and a mark of maturity is in being truly comfortable in your own skin. I remember a baffling conversation I had with my father when I was 13. Actually, I don’t remember the context, just this one comment: Everyone is always in sales whether they’re in sales or not. Get used to it. This was way before the birth of the internet, social media, etc… I didn’t understand at all what that meant, but remember feeling lousy. Like somehow being myself wasn’t okay. Like he had just explained to me some horrible reality that I’d been happily ignorant of. Looking back, it would’ve been more helpful at that awkward age to just support me in becoming my own person, confident and comfortable in my own skin.

Nevertheless, Dad was right. As business owners, being oblivious to the impression we make can be a hindrance to success. People do judge in an instant.

Here I am well into my 40’s. It’s taken a while to sort out these seemingly contradictory truths, but I’ve come to my own core philosophies:  Absolutely Job One is to be fully, vibrantly authentically YOU. And while you’re sorting that out, screw what anyone else thinks. You cannot bring your best to the world unless you embrace who you really are. Then, YES. Become aware of the impression you’re making on the world. Understand that how people respond and react to you has a direct effect on the success of your business.

As Advisors who want to attract high-net-worth clients, knowing this truth and making appropriate adjustments will help you win the business you want.  Ask yourself:  Am I even ready for HNW Clients? That is the title of this week’s article. Enjoy.

And remember… Speak from the heart.  It’s good business.

 

Are you even ready for HNW clients?

by Kira Callahan

I remember a camping trip about 30 years ago with our big extended family. One of my favourite cousins was Jamie. He was quick-witted and cocky, and the things he said were so outrageous they never would’ve been allowed under our roof. But he had this twinkle in his eye when he said them which always made me laugh. My Aunt – who had been graced with Jamie, two other boys and no daughters, had a way of bringing him back down to earth with a shot of reality.

On this trip, Jamie was striding around the campsite going on about how he was going to get the perfect girl; rhyming off a ridiculous list of attributes when my aunt yelled out ‘What makes you think she’d want you? What are you offering?’ That shut him up for a while.

High Net Worth clients. Ahhh, the dream.  A full practice of smart, fun, appreciative, wealthy clients who refer an endless stream of additional business in your direction.  We all want them, but are you actually ready to serve them?  Have you taken a look at how you are operating your business to see if, in fact, these ideal creatures would be attracted to working with you?

If you’re serious about up-leveling your business to play in this arena, of course you will be adding accreditations to your CV to serve their more complex needs, but that’s just part of it. You’ve got to develop a ‘wealthy eye’.

In my Aunt’s blunt words, what makes you think these HNW clients would want you?  What are you offering?  Translated to your practice, what is the experience of working with you? Does it feel  Luxurious? Or thoroughly average?

Here’s an exercise to start training your eye:

Take an hour and ‘be’ your client. Looking through your smart phone camera lens, aka your client’s eyes, snap shots of your working environment. What do they see from the moment they walk up to the front door, how they’re received in reception, the walk down the hall, the kitchen they pass, the meeting room you put them in and/or your office. Sit in their chair. What do you see? What in the surroundings communicates prosperity and what doesn’t?  What do you offer them? This is your client’s experience of working with you.

Wealthy and affluent clients can afford quality. They expect the best and will simply leave if they don’t get it. Each time you want to recalibrate your practice to serve a more affluent clientele, review your space, your own appearance, your team’s communication skills and your processes to make sure they are in alignment with the clients you want to attract.

Along with your professional expertise and your commitment to excellence, ensuring that you deliver a world-class experience  will signal to HNW clients that you are indeed ready to play at their level.

 

What Prospects Really Pay For

Posted by Rochelle Brisson º September 29, 2015 º Hot Tips and Resources | Kiras Blog º 0 comments

Hello Advisors!

Yesterday I had the great pleasure of teaching a half-day workshop on booth marketing to 41 advisors, all committing to soaking up every strategy they could to make their next fall fair, golf tournament or wedding show a huge success.  I took them through a step-by-step process on how to prep for an event, build dynamic visuals that attract visitors to your booth, genuinely connect with people, and book lots of appointments from the follow-up calls.  There were questions flying, group discussion, creative brainstorming, laughter, writing, problem-solving and more.  A whole lotta learning going on!

Iss3Photo1My hat is off to you as you read this – because as a fellow entrepreneur, you know that if you’re in business, you’re also enrolled in the University of Life!  Every time I turn around there’s a new skillset essential to growing my business.  Phew!   My brain has stretch marks!  I know it’s the same for you.  That’s why it’s so important to surround yourself with positive, like-minded people who get it and who will support you along the road to success.  Don’t bother sharing your struggles with people who will pull you down.

Jack Canfield and Tony Robbins were speaking at the same event, and backstage Jack asked Tony:  ‘Tony, we teach basically the same things – why is it that I’m a millionaire and you’re a billionaire?’  Tony replied ‘who are you hangin’ out with?’  Take a look around at who you’re spending time with and wean yourself off of the ‘Haters’ and ‘Debbie-Downers’.  Instead, tell someone great that they inspire you and invite them out for coffee.  Raise the vibration of your social group and make sure you show up that way yourself!

Even though there’s a never-ending learning curve, take comfort in knowing that no matter what sales situation you’re in, when you know What Prospects Really Pay For, you can easily get to the sale.  That’s today’s article.  Enjoy.

And remember, Speak from the Heart.  It’s good business.

KiraSignature

 

What Prospects Really Pay For

By Kira Callahan

Iss3Photo2

Here’s a hard truth Advisors don’t like to hear:  Prospects won’t pay for financial planning.  Maybe a few will here and there, but generally, hardly anyone will be excited enough by the thought of good financial planning to take action to get it.

Since that’s the case, stop trying to sell it to them!

Instead, sell them what they will pay for:  a better life.  That’s right.  The positive outcome that results from your financial planning skills.  A better life means different things to different people, but we all have fundamental human needs.  The more skilled you are at weaving them into your conversations with prospects, the better your closing rate will be.

People will pay for the following:

  • More money
  • More time
  • Better health
  • Better relationships
  • Freedom
  • Peace of mind

And if you can show that the process to getting these outcomes will be easy and convenient, even better!

How does this translate into your sales conversations?  Think about it.  Someone could try selling you a block of sessions with a personal trainer.  Or based on a few questions to understand what makes you tick, they could sell you outcomes like:

  • Lose 10 pounds and have a lot more dates on Saturday night OR
  • Increase your cardio and muscle mass so you can run with the elite crowd from work

Which would you be more motivated to sign up and show up for?

The same thing is true for your financial planning services.  Find out what’s important to them and then use language to sell that.  Your skills are just a vehicle to get there.

Grab Your Client By the Heart: 3 Tips to making a stronger emotional connection with your clients

Posted by Rochelle Brisson º September 22, 2015 º Hot Tips and Resources | Kiras Blog º 0 comments

Hello Advisors!

The sun is back today as I write this and I am reveling in it! The air is fresh and warm, but with fall scents in it too. Autumn is a favourite time of year, so I am looking forward to it while enjoying the last sweet days of summer.

My clients are stepping into high gear, looking to make some big plays in their business and it’s a great joy to help them get there. I’m working with a seasoned insurance expert on her messaging to launch a wonderful communication product she’s bringing to her industry. So exciting to see her send it out into the world!  A wealth management client is working with me to refine his approach to a particular niche of professionals and create a detailed referral process. And I’m coaching a wonderful young advisor to transition his practice from a general book to serving HNW clients only.  He’s quadrupled his income since last year.

Each Advisor has a different focus but there are foundational concepts common to all three –Take note! If you want to crack open a whole new level of business, a solid financial plan is not enough.  You’ve got to reach your prospects and clients on an emotional level!  Today’s article Grab Your Client By the Heart takes that idea from concept into specific ‘How-To’s!

I’m making big plays to keep growing in my business as well. I’m developing a Wealthy Advisor Program, and also a webinar series to help bring these important skills – and the success that comes with their mastery – to more of you.  Stay tuned for more information.  Your Mission:   Be bold this week!

And remember… Speak from the heart.  It’s good business.

 

Grab Your Client By the Heart

 3 Tips to making a stronger emotional connection with your clients
by Kira Callahan

‘I may not remember what you said, but I’ll always remember how you made me feel.’ George Bernard Shaw really knew what he was talking about!

When you think about all the compliance and small-print documents you and your clients have to wade through, all the numbers and industry-speak, it’s easy to let the important personal touches in serving your clients slide. But it’s these touches that create a sense of comfort and trust, and a lasting loyalty that is the foundation of a truly successful practice.

When your clients have a friend or family member in need of some financial assistance, do you want them to say ‘Well, call around. Someone might get you a better rate of return.’ Or would you prefer them to say thing like ‘We trust Adam with our financial future. He’s always thinking ahead and he really cares.’ Or ‘Linda’s like part of the family! She knows all of us, and she really goes the extra mile. We trust her implicitly.’ These strong feelings come from the personal touches far more than from a great financial plan.

Here are 3 Tips to making a stronger emotional connection with your clients:

1. Personalize. Every conversation and email is an opportunity to deepen your connection. Asking ‘How’s the family’ doesn’t count as personal. It’s too general to have any impact. Instead, take good notes and review them before your next conversation. Being able to ask: ‘Did Sarah get into the med school she wanted?’ will show that you genuinely care.

2. Share a bit of yourself. Next time you’re sending out a newsletter or some seasonal correspondence, take a couple lines and tell them a little about what is happening with your own family. Whether you’ve had a wonderful vacation adventure or your kids are in the science fair or you’re caring for elders, when you reveal what’s going on in your world, you break down the barriers between you, and you become  more real and approachable to them.

3. Make the work Fun!  For many people, financial planning is stressful. It brings up all kinds of worries and vulnerabilities. This is one reason so many people avoid it! Find ways to bring some lightness and humour into your processes. Break up the ‘heavy-lifting’ parts of your meetings with a treat. Surprise them by tucking a hilarious (and relevant) photo quote into the packet of financial documents they have to review and sign.

When you are planning your client communication strategy, be sure to include ‘Emotional Connection’ as a sub-heading and work these 3 tips into your process. Grab ‘em by the heart and their loyalty and business will follow.

3 Sales Conversation Tips that’ll get you top grades with your Prospects and Clients!

Posted by Rochelle Brisson º September 21, 2015 º Hot Tips and Resources | Kiras Blog º 0 comments

Hello Advisors!

Speaking From the Heart of Business has been on hiatus, but I’m back!  You can expect relevant, actionable intel every week on rocking your sales conversations and building a practice you love.

We are mid-way through September already!  In the blink of an eye summer has passed.   Instead of it being a lazy, cottage-style time for me, I’ve been a busy bee; working with wonderful clients, developing new content to help you build your practice and really stretching myself as a business owner.  But there was still lots of time for fun.  I got out on many wonderful rides with the cycling groups I belong to and had a chance to explore the GTA on two wheels – what a pretty region!

But now we’re all getting back to work in earnest.   Do you feel fresh and rested and filled with good intentions like September days of old?   This month, make a choice to not get sucked back into daily minutiae.  Before the demands pile up too high, take out your calendar and carve out some time to work on your business, not just in it!   Dedicating that time will  change the trajectory of your business – for real!   I did just this in August as I got out of town to attend a business-building retreat with the Mighty Mavericks.   For two intense days we dug deep!  It was such a privilege to push each other to grow!  I’m all fired up for Q4!  This is us after a long day of planning and brainstorming.  We took some time out to just run around and get the blood pumping.  All part of the fun!

Vol2Iss1Photo01Kira on a ride out to Oshawa with the Toronto Bicycle Group

Vol2Iss1Photo02Some much-needed physical activity after a day of brainstorming and business-building.
Go Mighty Mavericks!

Two or three days away to work on your business may seem like a bit indulgent right after summer, so…no problem.  I’ve got you covered!  Check out today’s intel: 3 Sales Conversation Tips that’ll get you top grades with your Prospects and Clients!  Pick just one of them, get serious about implementing it, and watch your sales conversations improve!

And remember, Speak from the heart.  It’s good business.

KiraSignature

 

3 Sales Conversation Tips

that’ll get you top grades with your Prospects and Clients!

Take advantage of that same Back-to-School feeling kids are going through by brushing up on your Sales Conversation Skills.

We all have conversational habits and patterns that we default to when talking to Prospects.  If you never pull back and take a look at them, you keep reacting the same way and you’re setting yourself up for the same old results.

When it comes to prospecting, many of us are like teenagers dragging their feet to a class they don’t want to attend. None of us enjoys must-do tasks that we’re not that good at.  But lurking in there somewhere, back-to-school season always brings a hope of better things, and fresh commitment:  ‘Wow, if I actually apply this stuff, I’ll be amazing!’
Here are 3 tips to get you started:

  1. Don’t tell them what you do. That’s right!  When you’re introducing yourself at a networking function, save your title for later because let’s face it – nobody cares!  Instead,  grab their attention with a description that zeroes in on a solution to one of their biggest pains or aspirations.  Example:  I help business owners restructure for maximum tax efficiency.   This is far more likely to capture attention than:  I’m a financial advisor.   Talk about what they need, not what you do.
  2. Ask good questions.  If you’re doing all the talking, you’re doing all the work!  This also puts your Prospect in the position to sit back and ‘watch you dance’, while you try to prove yourself.  Yuck!  Instead, asking a good open question to give them centre stage means that you can relax.  As you listen attentively, they’ll feel valued and see you as the wisest person in the room!
  1. Empathize first. When you’re hit with an objection, Job #1 is not to rebut with your solution.  Remember that your Prospect has an emotional investment in their objection.  So Job #1 is to diffuse that emotion first with some empathy.  Then and only then, will they be open to hearing your solution.

To get some real traction and results, pick just one of these tips and focus on bringing it into your sales conversations over the next couple of weeks. Enjoy the results!

Hot Tip: Use Creative Repetition to Get Through

Posted by Kira Callahan º March 10, 2014 º Hot Tips and Resources º 0 comments
benefit-image

Use Creative Repetition to Get Through

When networking and making sales calls, remember that your prospect has many things vying for their attention.  The first time you explain the benefit of working with you, they will probably only partially take it in.

Be prepared to repeat this a few times during the conversation.  Get clear on their need, express the benefits; address an objection, remind them of the benefits; summarize the conversation, remind them of the benefits and then make your offer!

Repetition of your key messages will help make them stick so that it’s you they’re thinking of when they want to move forward.

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