“Where relationships matter, so too, do conversations.” Dean Harder
High performers attract and retain the right clients. Dean Harder is a Covenant Group client and a high performing financial advisor. Dean has grown his revenue significantly in the time we have worked together. He has also reduced the number of days he works from 230 a year to 160.
Buying is a series of micro-decisions. Each of those decision points involve a conversation. These micro-decisions may occur in one meeting or over a series of meetings. Most advisors are familiar with what they have to do to attract and retain the right clients. High performing advisors understand the difference between familiarity and mastery.
Dean Harder is a good example. Dean’s ideal client is a pre-retiree who wants to retire in the next five to twelve years. Typically, Dean meets a prospective client through an introduction from an existing client. The first conversation the prospective client has about what Dean does is with an evangelist who sings Dean’s praise. The best form of marketing is still Word of Mouth.
Dean’s clients establish his Social Proof. As a result, when Dean meets a prospective client for the first time, he can easily apply the Two Principles of Influence: 1. Focus on the other person. Make them the center of the experience; and 2. Earn the right to proceed. Buying is a series of micro-decisions. You let the other person set the pace.
The Buying Cycle or Sales Process involves the sequencing of Attract, Engage and Commit.
In the initial meeting, Dean utilizes The Covenant Group Client Attraction Conversation. Dean asks questions that focus on what is important to the other person(s). He uses stories, metaphors and illustrations to highlight the risks or losses to which pre-retirees are exposed.
You first Attract people into a conversation by focusing on their goals and aspirations. You create interest by highlighting risks or losses to which they might be exposed. People are first motivated to avoid loss.
They Engage in conversation(s) to learn how you can make a difference.
They feel compelled to work with you to help them achieve their goals.
They Commit to further conversation(s) and ultimately, to becoming your clients.
The sequencing of Attract, Engage & Compel/Commit occurs in each conversation.
When you master the framework of Attract, Engage & Compel/Commit, you are able to:
• Sell more of the same people
• Sell more to the same people
• Transact faster
The Covenant Group developed our Conversational Selling curriculum to enable you to master sales conversations. We can help you double your revenue by mastering the conversations you have with people who fit your Ideal Client Profile.
To learn more, contact us at tcg@covenantgroup.com.
