How to Master the Art of Selling Financial Services. Tom Hopkins
to work with someone who’s on the cutting edge of the industry. They want to be the first to know about new products that might benefit them and they’ll go out of their way to work with an advisor who has his or her fingers on the pulse of the financial world.
Improve Upon the Law of Averages
Even if you were born into an average family in which no one ever earned more than an average level of income, or if they never stepped out into the entrepreneurial world that doesn’t mean you can’t. You just have to choose to leave those old thought patterns behind and adopt new, more progressive, more rewarding ones. We’ve seen this in the movies where the average Joe or Joanne aspires to greatness beyond working in the mines, the mills, the manufacturing plants or whatever. They succeed because of their hard work and determination. They rise above the expectations others have for them by thinking differently, then acting upon those thoughts. You see thoughts really do become things.
I once heard the late great Earl Nightingale say, “You are and will become that which you think about most of the time.” Acting upon that single sentence, changing what I thought of myself, has made all the difference in my life. I was able to rise above the old me—little Tommy Hopkins who was not good in school, who was afraid to stand up and speak in front of the class, and was picked on for his small stature—to achieving a life I had previously thought an impossible dream.
I hope you have people in your life who are supportive of your career choice, but if you don’t, know that it’s possible to have whatever you want in life anyway. You just have to choose your own way. Then, act upon that choice. Mr. Nightingale was absolutely right. Action always follows thought. Think right. Act right and you’ll get the right results—every time.
Find new friends and associates who will support your dream of success as a financial planner, counselor or representative. That doesn’t mean ditch your old friends, though you may end up spending less time with them. It just means to stop allowing their choices and their expectations of you to limit what you do for yourself.
How do you do that?
Well, you can start with something as simple as affirmations. An affirmation is a positive declaration about something. It’s a statement of belief.
Here are some examples:
“I’m happy. I love my life. I’m always discovering fascinating new things to do.”
“I know that I have a wonderful future.”
“I work smart and deserve all the success I want.”
This process involves the use of self-talk. It’s the conversation you have with yourself. It’s always going on in your head whether you consciously realize it or not. These thoughts represent your core beliefs and they’re what made you what you are today. If you want to be someone different tomorrow, you need to start actively, consciously, talking differently to yourself. I know this sounds overly simple but it really is that easy. The hard part is that you have to decide what messages you want to give yourself and you must review them consistently until you catch yourself having those positive conversations in your head.
The more specific you are the better. Invest 15 minutes envisioning your perfect life and writing out its description in positive statements. The key is to make certain as you read each statement that it provides you with a clear picture of that life.
Our minds think in pictures, not words. For example, if someone says the word “car” to you, you may picture a Ford while the person standing next to you “sees” a Lexus in his or her mind’s eye. So, the more descriptive your words are the better your picture will be. And, the better, the clearer, and the more real your picture, the better your real life becomes.
The key to your success with affirmations is belief. You must believe in the power of affirmative statements for that power to enter your life. If you lack belief, say them anyway---regularly and sincerely. In a surprisingly short amount of time the proven positive results of your efforts will make a believer out of you.
Here are some sample affirmations you may want to use as they relate to your career:
“It’s amazing how easily I meet new people who need my services.”
“I’m terrific at remembering names. I remember a new person’s name right away.”
“I’m always excited to learn about the newest products I can offer my clients.”
“I keep in touch with my clients on a regular basis so they know I am here to serve.”
Keeping Up Appearances
Now that we’ve addressed what’s going on inside you, let’s take a moment to consider the exterior. I won’t dwell or ramble on here, but I feel the need to address the issue of your personal appearance as it relates to your image as a financial services advisor people will want to do business with.
Do yourself a favor. Get dressed as if you’re meeting a typical client and step in front of a full-length mirror. Look at yourself from head to toe. Adjust your posture if you feel the need to do so. Smile. Then, ask yourself this question: “Would I entrust something as important as my family’s financial future to the advice of this person?”
If you feel even the slightest sense of doubt creep into your mind, make a phone call immediately to a hair stylist, someone to give you a manicure, or someone to provide advice on a professional wardrobe. Shine your shoes. If you’re a man, learn how to iron your shirts so they look crisp. Learn how to tie a better knot in your tie. If you’re a woman, consider visiting the experts at the makeup counter in your local department store. You have to look as sharp as you are mentally.
You and I know that it’s your knowledge people really want, but if you don’t look like you have taken your own advice and appear financially successful, why would they? Appearances do count when working with the public.
The Groundwork
Okay, let’s get back to our blueprints. Before a structure can be built, the ground must be measured, tested for density, and in some cases worked over a bit to be level. The groundwork in selling includes a basic understanding of what I call the selling triangle. The triangle is not unlike a pyramid-one of the most sound structures man has ever created. Talk about standing the test of time! I’ll speak about all three sides shortly, but let’s begin with the beginning, the base.
Attitude, Enthusiasm and Goals
The foundation of your business includes your attitude, enthusiasm and goals. You see, you can have all the product knowledge in the world and excellent people skills, but if your attitude is sour and you’re not enthusiastic about what you’re doing, you might as well not bother getting out of bed in the morning. Your lack of enthusiasm will show. Worse, it’s contagious. If you’re not upbeat and excited about what you do for people, they won’t be either. If you don’t engage their emotions, they won’t do business with you.
As a comparison, think of a doctor with a poor bedside manner. He may be very knowledgeable and skilled, but if he doesn’t excel at making his patients feel they’ve made a good decision by seeing him, they’re not likely to return. They’ll find someone who makes them feel good about feeling good.
Your positive attitude is what you feel within and your enthusiastic manner is what people see on the outside. They should come not only from your belief in the service you provide but from the goals you have set and are working to achieve.
Let’s say you have a goal to do what every red-blooded American family wants to do—go to Disneyland. You’ve done the research and know how much you need to earn and save to achieve the goal by a pre-determined date in time. Your family is excited. You’re excited. You want to be the hero and achieve the goal. You know that providing