A former client referred a guy (call him Bill) to me a couple weeks ago. Bill and I spoke on the phone and scheduled an appointment at my office, at which I intended to complete a Financial Road Map® for him. Bill arrived without the documents I asked him to bring. He had actually completed a Financial Road Map® many years ago but was not working with that advisor. As I started through the script, he was reluctant to proceed. I told him that I wasn`t interested in wasting his time and that we could end the appointment. He said he wanted to ask questions of me first and then we could later complete his Financial Road Map® - presumably if I answered his questions well enough. If I was at the point in my Values-Based Financial Planning™ journey that I was only accepting Ideal Clients, I probably would have not even started the meeting because he failed to bring his documents. However, prior to that time I need Survival Clients. So how do I handle the `I have questions for you before we get to the Roadmap stuff`?

Article ID: 504

Last updated: 20 Nov, 2019

I appreciate your dilemma, however we only teach you to follow the process that we teach. During your Evaluation period we advise you to complete as many Financial Road Maps as you can. Try not to get too hung up on those people who don't want to participate in the Financial Road Map® and focus on those who do. As far as dealing with someone like Bill, consider the following:

"We have a process that has proven to be effective to help us both make a good decision about whether or not we should do business together. I think you will find that the process answers most of your questions. If you still have questions after we build your Financial Road Map® I'll be happy to answer them. Will that work for you?"

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