I recently had a conversation with a (self-referred) successful business owner who had talked with me a couple years earlier (before I was in the program) about investing, insurance, and financial planning in general. He expressed an interest in having me take a look at his finances. According to the process, I sent him a book and conducted a Phone Consultation, which went well, and he seemed very interested in having me complete their Financial Road Map®. I scheduled a tentative appointment for when he thought his wife might be available, and asked him to let me know if the time wasn't going to work for her. I also sent him the list of documents to bring when they come. A few days later, I got the following email: "I am not sure this is going to work out. My wife cannot meet at the time we proposed. She is leaving for DC that day. I am leaving the next day. It is going to be hard to get her down to your neck of the woods [45 minutes away] and I am not wanting to go down there either. I understand that you want us both to be there for the financial planning but she is not involved in the finances in our family and that is partially by design. I understand the values based investing part of what you do but I would like to know more about your strategy in investing and what your track record is. I have been working with a company to do some financial planning mostly insurance and things of that sort. (They always come to my office to meet otherwise I don’t think we would be doing any business) Let’s keep in touch and see where it goes." He apparently views me as a wealth manager, but is currently unaware of what we really do (fully-comprehensive financial services). How would you respond?

Article ID: 545
Last updated: 20 Nov, 2019

Some people get and some people don't get it. He doesn't want to come to your office and he doesn't want to bring his wife.

I would respond:

"No problem, _________. I appreciate that insurance and investment salespeople make 'house-calls.' That's not what we are and that's not what we do. If you are in the area with ________ (wife's name) in the future I think you will both find it valuable to complete your Financial Road Map® because ____________ (insert something personal and relevant). I appreciate how busy you both are which is why you might get so much value from having a relationship with a comprehensive financial organizer. The next step is the Financial Road Map®. Let me know what you'd like to do."

Put him on the monthly newsletter cycle.

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folder Referral Process/ Misc.
folder Financial Road Map® Misc.
folder Before Financial Road Map™ -> Cancellations
folder Before Financial Road Map™ -> Before Financial Road Map™ Misc.


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b In the last three business days, I had 11 Phone Consultations scheduled. Two were completed. Two were busy at work when I called and didn't want to complete the call, one didn't have the book, one canceled before the call, one canceled after no showing the call, two had forgotten and rescheduled and two more never answered when I called. To some extent this is normal. However, I am a little frustrated and disappointed. What can I do to be more effective in completing the Phone Consultations?
b I am scheduling a Financial Road Map® Old World New World™ meeting with a very busy client and the only way to do Financial Road Map® is at his place of work which I know is not the best. Would you tell them I only meet at my office and risk the chance of the client saying no?
b For a client who declined a Financial Road Map® interview two months ago, is it OK to send a book and newsletter, followed by an invitation to do the Financial Road Map® again?
b Can you clarify when to give a Values-Based Financial Planning™ book to an existing client? I set appointments with existing clients and do the Old World, New World introduction and then the Financial Road Map®. Should I always give the Values-Based Financial Planning™ book to the clients if they hire me?
b When making the calls to schedule Financial Road Map® interviews with current clients, I've received the same reply numerous times. The client will often say something to the effect that he/she needs to check scheduling with their spouse and will get back to me with a time that works for the two of them. I reply that it is fine and confirm when I can check back in. I then send an email to the client I spoke with to serve as a reminder. Is there anything else I should be doing? I imagine that pressing to set an appointment on the phone, with language like, “Let's set a time that works for you, you'll check with your spouse and we can reschedule if necessary” is too “salesy”?
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