WOW factor client seminars - cutting through decision conflict

So we're going to digress a little from the next step in our journey : which was planned to be centre of influence / referral source education sessions.

Why?

Well something else took our fancy today during a discussion about connecting with clients. Seems there are some pretty good sales engagement courses out there that delve into and explore client motivations and values.

That is PCEs passion. Understanding how a client makes a decision and what their motivators are - are indeed critical components in understanding how a client makes decisions and how you can positively influence them to make a decision that maximises the possibility of them reaching their goals.

But how about we aim higher?

How about thinking less about client manipulation and more about client manifestation in that you become the coach that mentors a client to make real and meaningful change in all areas of their life?

So few clients let alone professional advisers understand and I mean truly understand how to manifest peak performance. What if you had the secrets to the step by step process of how a client could plan, audit, action, review and adjust all the components of real and meaningful change?

It's possible.

And it works most brilliantly in tailored client and prospect events.

So just as we have discussed previously referral source "mixers" then a client mixer of your existing ideal clients and their ideal client friends works equally well if not better.

Content?

You need to present on peak performance on making real change and just what that requires and on self reflection, self assessment and on setting a standard for your clients to aspire to making a real positive impact on other people during their day.

You need to present on just what characteristics such leadership requires and how you can model that behaviour. You need to present on how daily stressors and how people react to those stressors takes them into substandard performance. Substandard performance at work, in relationships, in their finances.

You need to present on how your clients can defend and protect themselves against those stressors and how they can reignite positive energy.

And if you think well PCE that's a bit left of centre....think again. The daily stressors that stop peak performance, the habitual negative stories people tell themselves, the lack of time to think, reflect, express gratitude to self assess and to grow are at the core of why people have trouble making real meaningful change in their lives and causes decision conflict.

And no sales training course is going to change your ability to cut through that.

For our Australian friends : for more information on client engagement seminars that WOW and delivery of same: contact PCE.

Till next time.

6 Steps to Running a Networking Event

So in our last post we looked at how you can get refferals of the ideal client from an ideal referral source.

The idea at it's core was a meet and greet to determine which businesses have a similar raison d'etre to yours: that is a great client experience and true value and partnership and collaboration with clients. (stop reading now if you don't want that as an outcome!).

So who do you invite and how do you structure it?

Here are 6 steps that work!



1) Who to invite:

- existing referral contacts

- ask them to bring a peer

- ask them to bring key staff

Next layer of invitation:

- your local business networking group contacts : ask them to refer to the event their accountant / solicitor/ mortgage / general insurance broker

Next layer of invitation:

- any business contact who could add value in engaging on the night ie: they have a service that the attendees could utilise

Next layer of invitation:

- local businesses that you think could refer to you : check out websites to see if they offer in house services like yours

- then call them and see if they do lets say you make a discrete inquiry as if you were a potential client

Next layer of invitation:

- existing clients : who are their accountants etc? : ring your best 10 client and ask


2) Speaker: who are you going to get that will be free!!??

- local politician

- travel / lifestyle sourced from local business

Remember you are positioning yourself as a facilitator so getting a local memberof parliment is a great coup.

3) Invitation

- as per our previous post ......the key aim is "meet local businesses who face similar issues/challenges"......and secondary "our special guest(s)......."

4) Format

- no business pitch
- know who is coming
- strategically introduce people on the night
- let the evening flow

5) Location

- room / side room / adjoining area of bar/ local hotel - somewhere with atmosphere and sight and sound that does not drown you out but layers the senses


6) Follow up

- we can discuss that later in our next post

More Referrals From People You Like

One of the key ideas that will drive referral and revenue success for you in 2013 is:

- holding a centre of influence engagement session

In other words break bread with all of your referral sources.

Regardless of how successful the referral relationship has been over the history of the relationship you need to invite them.

Who do you invite:

- anyone who has the possibility of being able to refer to you clients who fit you ideal client profile in 2013

The format:

- this is a social engagement : think of it like the TV show "The Bachelor" or "The Bachelorette"

- here they all are in one place, all the referral sources you and your business have ever previous dealt with

- even better there are some new names and faces : people drawn from your client base : ie ask your clients who their accountant / solicitor is and invite them

Are you selling anything? No.

This is an event for like minded financial services professionals to get together over a drink and a few canapés for the reason of engagement, connection, collaboration, networking.

The pitch: "With the issues facing us this year FOFA, APES......we all face a busy year ahead....Stepping out from our own businesses to listen to how others are approaching their year in a social and relaxed setting provides a great opportunity to find that new idea or reinforce your thinking......"

Now, you might think "oh they won't go for that". But here's this thing. Wouldn't you like to work with referral sources who would unreservedly respond "Yes, I'll be there" to an opportunity to share a drink amongst peers?

So invite anyone who can refer in the perfect clients for you.

On the night you will not pitch who your ideal clients are, what you do, or anything about your business.

On the night you are the host so play the perfect host:

- introduce people (no name tags please)
- do your research and introduce people to others who may actually add value to their business eg the auditor to the SMSF accountant
- work the room
- but generally just ensure people are connecting

- you can formalise this by offering a set piece ie: OK people the next 15 minutes : talk to someone you don't know and find out about them : women leave men for dead here....women are more genuinely curious in situations like these.
- consider a speaker : travel, positive psychology, small business success story, sporting identity ......this may also be a draw card for your event.

The aim:


- watch people in the room
- who are the genuinely nice people?
- who is having a good time?
- who interacts well and seems to thrive in the situation?
- who did you get on well with?
- who would you have no hesitation in inviting them back?

And answering those questions will mean you have just found the referrals sources that you should be working with this year.....and most likely the ones that you will have most success at adding value to as well.

Ideas for your 2013 business planning

So we've provided you the template for a calendar of events to input into your 2013 business planning.

There's even a short YouTube posting:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbbQzW-flB4

Apologies for the angle we filmed that on!!!

But what are the events that you might consider?

Here's a few that we'll investigate individually for you over the following weeks but as a starter.

Ideas For 2013

1) Accountant / COI engagement : thank you event or kick start to new referral sources / or the year : take on a more social angle but highlighting the importance of the relationship and collaboration


2) Accountant / COI education session : use a business succession lawyer and educate on small business issues and case studies / add a claims case study : now you've got them thinking!

3) Client night: value add with speakers / topics that your top clients will find engaging : ask them to bring a friend : tie it into building their networks as well

4) Client communications : create an integrated communication campaign : incorporating all modes of communication: direct mail / flyers / social media : yes you might start listening via social networks : answer topical issues : create awareness : fulfil a need

5) Engage your trusted providers/suppliers for collaboration on client opportunity identification ie: work on files together and get the best outcome for your clients : that may not always be your number one provider so you have to trust whomever you collaborate with to give you honest assessments! Examples: look at specific subsets eg: SMSF and design ways to get more of these clients etc etc.

6) Use tele-underwriting and save up to 4 hours per application (get a day back a week!)
Look at group insurance opportunities in your client base

7) Look at adding a direct insurance offer on your website

8) Meet and spend time with your suppliers/product providers : do they run in house sessions where you can meet, engage and interact with your providers : do they have special events to engage : the more they know about your business the more creative suggestions and help you will / should get.......so share your 2013 vision and watch people line up to make it a reality for you.

We'll investigate each of these for you over the coming weeks.

Business Plan Template : A Guide to Pro-Active Client Engagement

So the end of the year is nigh and if you are really serious about making 2013 a success, then it is highly likely that you have already thought about your key client engagement plans for next year and quite possibly planned out the first three months of 2013.

No?

What are you waiting for??!!!

Imagine ending 2012 knowing exactly what the next twelve months looked like from a client engagement point of view in regard to a series of set plays.

Activity and responsiveness are of course key, but having a structured plan to support your day to day, business as usual activity can provide a clarity and preparation that your competitors just have not got around to doing.

The attached template is not an answer to your client engagement dreams but what it is, is a simple yet powerful tool to illustrate just how well planned your year is, or conversely highlights that your client engagement planning is not up to scratch.

So in 2013 give yourself, your team and your clients the gift of leadership, pro-activity and positive client experiences that will should you be disciplined enough to follow through deliver success in 2013.

You can access the template from the attached link.

Pay $0 for your next financial planning client lead and pay 1x$1 for your next financial planning client base

How'd you like to pay $0 in marketing costs for your next financial planning or insurance lead? That's right, no telemarketing costs incurred marketing to your existing client base or leads that you've paid for or clients that you've purchased.

Speaking of books of clients that you've purchased, just how much did you pay? A multiple of 2 times? 3 times? Surely not 3.5 times? In this market?

How'd you like to pay a multiple of 1 times for your next client base if not less?

This is the reality that financial planning and insurance professionals are creating for themselves by asking the right questions.

It is the people that they are posing these questions to that delivers this reality.

They are conversing with and engaging their existing client base.

Pay $0 for your next financial planning or insurance lead

Pick your top 25 clients and ask:

1) Who do they work for?
2) What community or social groups do they belong to?
3) Who do they employ?
4) Who are the related to?


Let's start with who do they work for or who do they employ.

If they are employers themselves - what about that pay packet they pay staff - (that their staff rely upon) - it can be taken away from that staff member in an instant should that person be unable to work due to illness or an accident away from the workplace. Is that something they as an employer thinks is in the interest of the well being of their staff and is a positive outcome? Of course not.

If they are employed. Contact that employer. Offer that employer a free statement of advice (financial plan/insurance recommendation). Why? So they can experience the service and outcomes that one of their staff has experienced. And upon experiencing the positive outcomes and process - should that not be something of value they could expose the remainder of their staff to?

Pay a multiple of $1 times for your next client base

Pick your top 25 clients and ask:

1) Who do they obtain accounting and business advice services from?


Contact the accountant and yes offer that accountant a free statement of advice (financial plan/insurance recommendation). Why? So they can experience the service and outcomes that one of their clients has experienced.

Maybe they won't buy in to that process that easily. No problem. Send them a sample statement of advice. Make sure it's one that aligns with the accountants niche (if they have one). Highlight in a cover letter / presentation the cross referral opportunities.

If you have constructed your statement of advice in the way we here at PCE have talked about (in our previous posts) then it's most probable they have not seen a document like it in the way it speaks and communicates to the client.

One business we know did just this.

A request came back from the accountant to takeup the free statement of advice. But it was not for the accountant. It was for the accountants mother.

Following the perparation of the statement of advice the recommendations were accepted and implemented. Within a short period of time (6 months) the accountant referred with such regularity that the main adviser based themselves out of the accountants office 2 days a week (7.30am until 5am) engaging with staff and clients.

That adviser now owns 50% of the accountancy practice (bought at 0.90 times).

All that by asking their top clients who did their tax.