How do I approach the planning idea vs. the investment idea? I get referrals from our credit union employees, and many of these people do not want or need “planning” services. Most of them aren’t prepared to do a Financial Road Map®, and many times the other spouse is not there. But some of the seemingly small investors have other assets, and could benefit from the whole process. Any suggestions as to how to handle that?

Article ID: 39

Last updated: 20 Nov, 2019

You might ask them, “Are you just looking for a quick-fix product to meet your immediate need or would you like to schedule an appointment to start the ball rolling for comprehensive financial planning?” If they are not sure, you can give them a copy of the Values Based Financial Planning™ book, explaining that this is the process you follow for financial planning, encourage them to read it, agree on a reasonable amount of time for them to read or at least start reading Values Based Financial Planning™, and schedule a phone appointment to discuss what they would like to do next.

You might want to create some standards for who you do comprehensive planning with and who you just sell products to meet needs. I can appreciate that you may not want to do full Financial Plan with Credit Union members who only have $50. The offer I described is best made after you have some basic information as to whether or not they have a higher probability of meeting your Ideal Client Profile (ICP). There is a place on our website to help you create your Ideal Client Profile. Use the search engine on our website for “Ideal Client Profile.”

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When you send the Values Based Financial Planning™ book, I have always included my card with the note signed by the client... I thought I heard in the last call that you don't include your card. Can you please advise me on the process?

I frequently find myself in group social and business settings (for instance, a group around a table), in which all of us in the shared space are introducing ourselves, invariably stating what we do and for whom. Since this is a group setting and not a one-on-one, there is no opportunity at that moment for the M.I.S.C conversation, just a, "sound bite," to strangers. Assume that there is no "host" with a pre-scripted introduction, just me, a group of people who generally do not know each other, and 30 - 120 seconds in the spotlight. Note: I've tried the, "I help people achieve their goals", but without the opportunity for the follow-up, "tell me the big goals in your life", it falls flat. So, what do I say? [I know this is NOT the BAI approach, but it is real life, many times social, sometimes business.

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

In the Financial Road Map Interview™, the Pre-Commitment script is just slightly different from the Referral Phone Appointment script. Is their any preference to use one script or the other in either of these instances?

Do you suggest I send out the Values Based Financial Planning™ book to potential contacts with the most important chapters earmarked and have them read these before our Old World New World™ one-on-one conversation?

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