We work with some of the most respected financial advisories and institutions in America, and there are TWO things that are more important than anything when it comes to closing and retaining business; ๐ง๐ฅ๐จ๐ฆ๐ง and ๐๐๐ฆ๐.
Itโs important to understand the seven most critical things your firm should be doing to earn and exude trust. We call these the ๐ณ ๐ง๐ฟ๐๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐.
#1: ๐จ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐โ๐ ๐บ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ถ๐บ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฐ๐น๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐. While your service might be a commodity, each client is going to be motivated differently. Know which nuances are most important to them and why.
#2: ๐๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐๐ข๐ช ๐๐ผ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐จ๐ง๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ. This is a little harderโฆbut itโs ๐ธ๐ฉ๐บ youโre in business. The reality is that some people and some organizations can execute better than others. Whatever it is that youโre doing, ask yourself the simple questionโฆ๐๐ด ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ด ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ข๐ฃ๐ด๐ฐ๐ญ๐ถ๐ต๐ฆ ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ด๐ต ๐ ๐ค๐ข๐ฏ ๐ฅ๐ฐ?
#3: ๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ๐โ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ด๐ผ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ผ ๐ฑ๐ผ. If you say youโre going to deliver a proposal on Tuesday at 9โฆdeliver it on Tuesday at 9. One of the largest flaws we see (at all levels) is people will too cavalierly fall short of promises. Even small ones are noticed and matter.
#4: ๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐๐ป๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐น๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐. We like to use the phrase, โTreat everyone like theyโre a nervous 5th graderโ. Your clients, and your staff members, are busyโฆbetween hundreds of emails a day and a lot of spinning plates, itโs hard to keep track of your process. So, the clearer you can communicate your plans and timelines the more at ease they will become.
#5: ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ฎ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐. Everyone loves when they get unexpected, thoughtful guidance. Taking the time to offer assistance with items on the periphery of what youโre getting paid to do goes a long way.
#6: ๐๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐๐๐ฒ๐ป๐. People love consistency. You will instantly separate yourself from 90% of the competition if your clients know they can always count on you.
#7: ๐๐ฒ ๐ต๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐. This is one of THE most powerful things in life and in business. We always say that our firmโs secret weapon is our honesty. It helps us internally, it helps us when weโre negotiating, and it helps a lot if we make a mistake.
Follow our ๐ณ ๐๐ง๐ช๐จ๐ฉ ๐พ๐ค๐ข๐ข๐๐ฃ๐๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐จ with your firm, talk about it with staff members and clients, and I promise that you will stand out from competitors as a businessโฆand as a staff member, youโll stand out among your peers.
About theย Author: John grew up in Schenectady, NY & received a scholarship to Norwich Academy. He began his broadcast management career at WOR, learning spoken word marketing from the best in the business with a specialty in financial and long form. John managed broadcast sales for some of the best known sports teams in the world, at the most legendary stations. However his true passion is in the world of direct response advertising to baby boomers and their parents. In this space he has worked with some of the best brands in America. John lives in Boston with his wife, Melissa who is also a broadcast executive, and French Bulldogs Lou and Sal.