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Grant Hicks, CIM
Learn how financial advisors get the most out of their video calls
Speaking to financial advisors during Covid-19, there seem to be two types
of advisors. Financial advisors who are not doing any online activities and
waiting for Covid-19 to end and not prospecting. Then there are financial
advisors who are excited about the new networking and communications they
are delivering to clients and prospects and the opportunities it brings.
Powerful technology
Financial advisors have said to me “ online video calls are the most
productive meetings they have ever had with clients and prospects” They
cite the reasons is they are more prepared than ever before, have a
professional presentation and process and clients and prospects are more
open to talk and answer questions, especially if they have been stuck at
home. Meetings end on time, people seem to be better at making decisions
and more engaged in advanced planning conversations. So what’s the downside
to the client or prospect? Nothing, unless you like driving downtown,
paying for parking waiting in reception, and longer meetings. The downside
for financial advisors is you need to meet prospects typically to engage
them, get to see if this is the right fit for your practice, and build the
relationship. Some elite advisors I have spoken with are saying that more
than 50% of their meetings in the future will be online.
How can you meet more people?
First off consider small groups. I offer the financial advisors I coach to
do a virtual marketing session for their centers of influence, accountants
lawyers, etc, and bring their network together online in a virtual
luncheon. ( you can consider using a food delivery service such as skip the
dishes for your luncheon) The financial advisor has the “network of
professionals online meeting” and talks about their upcoming webinars, where
their COI’s can invite clients by forwarding the email that the financial
advisor sends them. They also discuss doing joint webinars with accountants
on government tax changes. This way they are doing fusion marketing ( which
I talk about in my “Guerrilla Marketing For Financial Advisors” book ) by
doubling their database of prospects. The accountant sends it out to his or
her database and so does the advisor. Imagine if your COI’s sent your
webinar to invite out to their databases?
Check your phone
Look at how many contacts are on your cell phone? Most financial advisors
have hundreds of contacts on their phone. Start by inviting people you know
to your webinar. Invite clients, prospects, family, friends groups, and
more. Time to get creative. For example, I put a post in LinkedIn groups I
am a member of to broaden my reach. I ask people to add my webinar to the
newsletters they send out. Then everyone you know ask them a favor” Can I
ask if you could forward my webinar invite to one friend, family member, or
colleague who would benefit from hearing about “ a go-forward plan for the
next 12 months”? Now you take everyone you know and half of them would
forward your invite if you teach them how to. Imagine if you had anonymous
people, from your clients sign up for your webinar? Your job is getting
your unique offers and message out and booking follow-up appointments to
help people with their wealth and planning advice, not just get people to a
webinar. Teach people that they don't have a comprehensive goals-based plan
for their future. Let them know they don't have a 12-month go-forward plan
in writing to get them through this pandemic with confidence.
An excuse for activity
Once you book your webinar, it is a great excuse for activity. You need to
think like a “Guerrilla marketer” which is investing time energy and
imagination, to grow your database. Who else could you invite? How can you
post content ( like this article ) with calls to action to join your
webinar? Your clients and COI’s are willing to help you if you ask them.
They may come up with ideas that you never thought of. Instead of going
online and reading more blogs about how to grow your business, ask your
clients.
A great time to do an online feedback forum by video with your clients
I also do an online feedback forum for the financial advisors I coach. The
whole process is in my book. Simply invite some of your best clients to an
online video meeting and ask for feedback on everything you are doing and
planning on doing to deliver more value and grow your practice. I always
got my best ideas from my clients. I had clients who were open because we
were always asking for feedback. Ask your clients what they think about
webinars? Would they join? Would they share it with family and friends?
Would they introduce it to other people? If you want to learn how you can
get the most out of video calls and webinars, ask your clients. That is
what the most successful financial advisors do.
What elite advisors are doing with video calling
____ Ideas to help you with prospects. Do you have compelling offers for
prospects? Elite advisors use a proven script to make appointments with
prospects on video calls. Do you have a script to use to deliver these
offers online? Practice your script and process online with a friend or
colleague before calling or setting up a video conference with ideal
prospects. Meeting them online through professional-quality video will
speak volumes compared to their financial advisor who is doing email and
phone.
____ Elite advisors have a professionally designed presentation material
such as PowerPoint or other ( approved by compliance of course) to share
with ideal clients and prospects. A proven process for engaging prospects.
Video conferences should have a video of you, share screen function for
discussion points and noise-canceling audio for the ideal client
experience.
____ Elite advisors have a communication plan for their ideal clients.
Because the world has changed, financial advisors have asked me how often
should I call my clients. Tell your clients you have a communication plan.
“ our client communication protocol/plan to our (ideal) clients is to call
again and set up a video call in one month, in three to four months do an
online video meeting and update you, and in one year do full planning and
goals meeting update. Of course, we are to talk here anytime, how does that
sound to you?”
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