That may be plenty, depending on the level 3 answers that preceded it.

You should have the Mastery Series™ with the scripts for the Financial Road Map Interview™. The Old World New World™ conversation deals specifically with this issue. That script will answer your question and give you the dialogue for what informaion you need to include in these conversations with your existing clients. Secondly, sometimes doing something new seems or feels awkward. That’s just how it is. The only way past that is to do it until it no longer feels awkward. It only feels awkward for them if you feel awkward doing it. If you don’t have the Mastery Series™, talk to your Accountability Coach.

Pause longer, and lower your voice before you repeat the “to you” part of the question.

One of the main benefits of the Values Conversation™ is making the personal connection you describe. I suggest that you follow the process with these people and see what happens. I believe that you will find that it both accomplishes the personal connection you describe and helps them shift from being in the weeds about their divorce and takes them to a more positive emotional place where they can be more resourceful and think about their future.

1. Cover one Values Staircase™ completely, the one from the person you believe to be less dominant from the Phone Consultation™. 2. To the person with the revealed staircase, the less dominant person, explain "When we spoke on the phone you told me What’s Important To You is…." Recap their staircase. Once you are at the top stair completed during the Phone Consultation™ you have so far, pick up with "What's Important About... the last answer... To You?" 3. Go deeper into level 3 all the way to the top of the staircase. 4. Pre-Commitment™ as usual. 5. Switch to the other person and do the same thing.

Why would a person who thinks money isn’t important meet with a FINANCIAL Advisor? So, what is important to you? Move up the staircase from there, but be aware that this person may not be a good fit to have a Financial Advisor.

1. Listen to your recordings 2. You may be repeating their answers too many times before you ask next question. 3. You may be summarizing all of the previous answers before you ask What’s Important About…To You? Only ask What’s Important About…To You for the last answer without summary of previous answers.

I just write in the margin until I get to the top of the Financial Road Map®. However, you could continue on a separate piece of paper that you position at the top of the Values Staircase™ and then actually tape that piece of paper to the top of the staircase so it flows well. I think the way you handled it is fine. Most Values Conversations™ are completed within the steps, so don’t sweat the things that only happen occasionally.

Very unlikely. A good recap should be quite compelling as they are looking at their entire Financial Road Map™ (Financial Road Map) as the foundation for every progress meeting. You might also have them read their values from the Financial Road Map™ out loud because them saying their values instead of you will be more compelling and emotional. It’s okay to ask something like, “what are you thinking and feeling as you read your values aloud?” “Does that still ring true for you?”

You cannot let the spouse speak during this time. You should be faster at stopping him/her from speaking than he/she is at speaking. It’s up to you to interrupt at the appropriate time to keep the meeting on time and still keep the meeting conversational. You say things like, “I really appreciate how much you are sharing, but we agreed to keep this meeting to an hour today…” Or “in the 35 minutes we have left we have a lot to cover, so…” Or "I appreciate all the information you're sharing with me, but at this rate we'll never get done in the hour. Follow the script and do what you're supposed to do when we teach you to do it. When you listen to your recordings you may find that the client isn’t really the problem. It may be you who is asking unnecessary questions that create long discussions about things that are not relevant to helping them decide if they want to hire you and whether or not you want to be hired. Know where you are in the Financial Road Map Interview™, so...

This is a question from someone who is using our referral process and had the Values Conversation™ with one spouse on the phone prior to the Financial Road Map Interview™ Start over. Begin with the spouse who was not on the phone. Then take the second spouse through the Values Conversation™ again. This time their spouse gets to hear their answers and that’s a very good thing.

If she was alone I would just use what she said on the phone, perhaps recapping what she said and then picking up with her last answer and moving further up into level 3. If she was with a spouse or partner, I would start with a blank Financial Road Map®, work with her partner first, and then start at the beginning of her Values Conversation™ so her partner could here her answers in her words.

Keep in mind that one of the key benefits of the Financial Road Map® is for you to discover how people really are and determine whether or not you want to invite them to join your Ideal Client Community. Do you want to have people in your Ideal Client Community who are like herding cats? Remember, Values Based Financial Planning™ is not a sales process for you to convince everyone you meet to become client. Values Based Financial Planning™ is a filtering process for you to build your Ideal Client Community. Imagine what it will be like in 4 years or less when you have your Ideal Client Community generating all the Predictable Minimum Annual Recurring Revenue you need to be living your Ideal Life? Module 2: Introduction to FRM Pg. 15-17

Bill Bachrach has a phrase that’s relevant, “Trust cannot be established where judgment exists.” When you think about it, judgmental words have always raises a comparative analysis. If you say, “good answer,” that implies that there are “bad answers.” Conversely, if you say something with a negative connotation, it necessarily implies that a positive alternative must exist. Either way, you stymie your Clients’ thought process by injecting doubt or concern. The simple answer to this problem is not to use judgmental terms or phrases. Remember, it’s all about providing the best possible environment for your Clients so “the truth can descend” as Max Dixon would say.

There is no “financial independence stage” built into the Financial Road Map Interview™. Everyone has goals related to their money. I have no idea why you would assume that a Financial Road Map® would be more applicable for less successful people rather than more successful people. Successful people and retirees love the Financial Road Map®. You ask clients what their goals are that require money and planning to achieve and they tell you. People who are already retired and living off their assets will often have a goal of being financially independent forever. They have many other goals as well. The exact same 3 questions for building out a goal apply. When you are actually doing Financial Road Maps® (versus just starting to practice) you will discover this for yourself.

The reason for this is to allow the “less dominant” person to go first so they are not influenced at all by their “more dominant” partner answers during the Values Staircase™. You will discover that many people with whom you conduct Financial Road Map Interviews™ with have never had this kind of conversation before either professionally or with their partner/spouse. Allowing the “less dominant” person to go first could possibly lead to a new discovery for both partners.

1. Cover one Values Staircase™ completely, the one from the person you believe to be less dominant from the Phone Consultation™. 2. To the person who is less dominant, explain "When we spoke on the phone you told me What’s Important About To You is…." Recap their Values Staircase™. Once you are at the top stair completed during the Phone Consultation™ you have so far, pick up with "What's Important About… the last answer… To You?" 3. Go deeper into level 3 all the way to the top of the staircase. 4. Pre-Commitment™ as usual. 5. Switch to the other person and do the same thing. The important aspect to remember is to have the correct Way of Being™ when reviewing the Values Staircases™ done during the Phone Appointment. This will allow the client to get back to the right state of mind for completing their Values Staircase™ and get to Level 3 responses.

As soon as they start talking, you stop talking, at any time in any conversation you are having with a prospect or client. When this new conversation has concluded begin Pre-Commitment again... from the beginning.

My guess is that you moved to quickly to write down "feeding my dog." He was probably half joking and after the pause after he said "feeding my dog" was about to give you the real answer. When you wrote down "feeding my dog" and asked "What's Important About feeding your dog to you?" he probably continued to answer with responses about the dog to just mess with you. Two things to consider about this situation: 1. What if he was messing with you and you couldn't tell? 2. What if he was serious and you didn't respond with something to move him out of his ridiculous multiple response flow about the dog? To point #1 above: part of asking good questions is developing a reasonable level of "people reading" skill. We aren't teaching to blindly march through the process and ignore all the signals people send you, besides their words, when they communicate with you. To point #2: Remember, the formula: tell the truth, succinctly and directly, in a way that's all about them. eg: "I don't...

"Nope. I'm just a really good Financial Advisor who will help you align your most important goals with your most important goals."