Had a Referral Conversation™ and the client provided great feedback on the process, the positive impact of having their Financial Road Map® etc. I addressed the question … “They already have an advisor”, I clarified this is not a solicitation, it is a gift and I explained the introduction process in detail. As I start to finish I asked if they have any questions about the process, they responded “No, it is clear." Again when I asked the question who’s first, they responded, “We don’t have a list of people to give you at the moment. We will keep it in mind; we don’t have a large circle of acquaintances.” What would you say?

Article ID: 219

Last updated: 20 Nov, 2019

We have to start somewhere, there has to be at least one person you can think of off the top of your head to introduce Values Based Financial Planning™ to. If we only send one book to one friend today who will it be?

If they still are not participating, I would say something like, “I’m going to excuse myself and go to the men’s room. While I’m gone you two talk it over. You both have cell phones with names of people you think highly enough to put them on speed dial in your cell phone. ONE of them has to be someone who would get values.

We just need to break the ice with one person or couple today.

When I get back we can either talk about whom the lucky person is we send presents to or we can talk about the real reason you don’t want to introduce Values Based Financial Planning™ to.
The bottom line is that it’s your job to make an assessment to whatever is necessary for them to “get it.” Whatever that is, do it!

You have to “crack the referral code” with every one of your Ideal Clients.
Not participating is not an option.

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Referral Conversation™ -> Ideal Clients Reluctant Giving Referrals

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I am in self referral land, and I've had a few occasions when I've been treated like a salesperson (I've already got an investment guy, you're a money guy, etc.). What is your compelling response to that?

Below is a correspondence between a client (Rafal) and the advisor. After Rafal had his Financial Road Map® and Action Plan completed he wanted to refer his friend “Slawek” . He wrote a note on the cover of the Values Based Financial Planning™ book, we were just waiting for Rafal to provide his address and let us know it was ok to send the book because he had not spoken to his friend. We received the response that he did not want to go ahead with it- Please read the correspondence below. Coincidentally, this was the second time this week that this has happened. We are hoping for some feedback to let us know how to handle this more effectively. Client: Hi, I did talk to Sławek, but unfortunately he is not interested in getting any information related to financial services. He is already working with a financial planner that he is quite happy with. Regards, Rafal Trusted Advisor: Hi Rafal, It is perfectly ok that Slawek has a current Financial Planner. To clarify my offer was not to become his Financial Planner, rather the offer was to give him the following gifts: 1. Values Based Financial Planning™ Book 2. 8 issues of our Values Based Quality of Life Newsletters™ 3. Complementary 20 minute Phone Consultation 4. Create his Financial Road Map® As we discussed, I believe everyone deserves to have a Financial Road Map® and know that Values Based Financial Planning™ exists. The purpose of the gifts is to provide value to Slawek and share your experience when we created your Financial Road Map® The benefits you mentioned were “…Very important, make better decisions, more focused, more relaxed about the future, start exercising, keeping healthy.” It sounds like Slawek thinks the offer is to be his advisor. We are providing the gifts to share some ideas that could favorably impact his quality of life regardless of who his advisor is. He mentioned he is happy, my job is to make people happier. Sincerely, Trusted Advisor Client: Hi, Yes, I understand what you have to offer. Sławek is simply not open to this and there is not much that I can do. Regards, Rafal

The Referral Conversations™ imply that my current Ideal (or near Ideal) clients have previously received a copy of the Values-Based Financial Planning™ book. None of them have.

I was just hired this week to work with a former professional (European, not NBA) basketball player. He does not have a lot of money, however he referred me to 3 current NBA players and a current college basketball coach of a major NCAA school. All 4 would qualify as Ideal Clients. All of them make between $1-6M / year income. One of the players is a veteran and has earned about $100M over the course of his career. My client is willing to help me meet these people. I spoke with my Accountability Coach about how best to pursue these referrals, and he suggested that I submit this question to you. Any recommendations?

I have been feeling and expressing more conviction in my Referral Conversations™ with those who have provided referrals in the past, and either less conviction or sometimes skipping the conversation altogether with those who have not. Other than "perfect the conversation, and do the conversation the same way, every time, similar to the analogy of great athletes perfecting their swings and repeating it the same way every time", do you have any other suggestions?

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