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In our “no pick up” world of smartphones, many advisors are feeling like they constantly hit a brick wall around prospecting. In prior columns, I’ve emphasized the need for increased face-to-face marketing.
I will do a series on “the best marketing ideas” for today’s climate of texting, social media, smartphones, low contacts, etc. Old ideas (i.e. dial more and you’ll get more appointments) are not working so well.
Related: How to create a practice with little (or no) natural market
These new ideas will help you to really meet more people and be in a “favorable” situation to approach them about an appointment. This is the first one because it’s one of my favorites. Many years ago it was shared by a highly experienced and successful advisor and in today’s climate, I think it’s a winner.
In addition to directly asking for introductions, another (more fun) idea is to create breakfast meetings that kill two birds with one stone. What every advisor wants to do is “clone” their best clients AND have a strong center of influence (COI) relationship with another professional whose practice complements your own. This idea can do that.
How it works
Ask 4 or 5 favorite clients within your target market to come to a breakfast meeting where you’ll have an interesting speaker. That speaker is NOT you. He or she is a center of influence in your world with whom you want to reinforce your relationship.
Each of your clients has to bring a professional friend you don’t know. So now you have, maximum, 12 people at breakfast: your 5 clients, their 5 friends you don’t know, your COI who is the speaker and yourself.
Having the breakfast meeting at a nice hotel that offers a breakfast buffet is the easiest and most economical. Have everyone eat FIRST. Then, when each person is only sitting with a final cup of coffee, the center of influence professional speaks. But only for 20 minutes.
Now you’ve got a huge win-win situation. One, you gave your COI an opportunity to meet 10 new solid people. Getting future introductions from him/her will be easier after this event, I’m sure. Two, your clients have been given good information, a free meal and a professional networking opportunity that is more exclusive than a huge meeting.
And third, you now have 5 new introductions.
If you can set up one of these breakfasts every two to four weeks, you’ll keep duplicating your best clients and get stronger referrals from your best centers of influence. Just make sure your COI speaker has a good topic and is a good speaker.
More columns by Gail. B. Goodman:
What’s working, what’s not: an 11-point checklist
Approaching your natural market: Helpful tips to get you started
Prospects not listening to voice mail? Arrange a phone date
DNC prospecting: What to do when you can’t call people at home
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The best marketing ideas for now: Part 1
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