How do I politely control a client who talks too much or goes off on tangents?

Article ID: 95

Last updated: 20 Nov, 2019

Bring them back on track by saying something like, “In the _____ minutes we have left during the Values Conversation™, we have some important things to discuss. Let’s pick up with… “Or we agreed to an hour for our meeting today which should be plenty of time. In order to respect your time, let’s talk about …”

« Can I do a Financial Road Map® in a group setting?

There are many forms that my clients must fill out. They are... »

Others in this category

I am a new advisor starting from scratch as an independent advisor with Lincoln. I have lived in my home town of Pinehurst, North Carolina for 41 years. I can easily ask 150-250 families to help me practice my Financial Roadmap Interview™. But they won't have their financial documents with them. As you say, it's like going to the dentist without your teeth. Is this approach still okay?

When doing Financial Road Maps® for existing clients, I know they are not going to be going forward when I get to the Commitment to Hire™ because I know what they have in assets. Is it important to still proceed as if I didn’t know? And, should I be doing Financial Road Maps® on these people.

I want to keep accurate numbers and had a question about just what qualifies as Ideal Client Acquisition Time. I'm involved in Self Referrals. If I am talking to someone and during the conversation, I realize that they don't have the resources to become an Ideal Client, would it qualify for Ideal Client Acquisition time if I would then offer to send the book, potential Financial Road Map®, etc. I'm struggling with not counting that as Ideal Client Acquisition time vs. counting it because "everyone deserves a Financial Road Map®". Your thoughts, please.

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?

I am having trouble with clients who seem to have no goals. So they are trying to answer questions they seem to have no idea about. I was thinking of creating a slide show similar to the one you did with us. "i.e. if you can see it you can be it" I myself found that truly inspirational and for me was then far easier to think big and open up properly. I was thinking of doing it before the values conversation to really get them in the right frame of mine about creating their ideal life. What are your thoughts?

» More articles