Why Advisors Should Never Use the Words “Follow-Up”

- Facebook
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Reddit
- Flipboard
APV

Leave a Comment

Membership required

Membership is now required to use this feature. To learn more:

Advisor Perspectives welcomes guest contributions. The views presented here do not necessarily represent those of Advisor Perspectives.

When a potential client ends your initial conversation with, “I’ll think about it,” you will be disappointed that they didn’t commit.

You tell yourself: “At least they didn’t say no, there’s still hope.” Then you add them to your “follow-up” list.

A week of anticipation goes by. You call them and say: “Hi, hope you’re well, I’m just giving you a call to follow-up on our initial conversation…”

But what you hear next sends an ice cold shiver down your spine: “We haven’t made a decision, but will let you know when we do.”

That’s the last thing you want to hear.

It's tempting to cling to hope. But deep down, you knew it was over before you called them.

What’s going on here?

Why can’t they just tell you the truth up front? Why string you along giving you hope they might work with you?

Why is this such a familiar pattern for advisors?

To fully explain this scenario, I would need to share a lot with you about mindset shifting, re-engineering your sales process, trust-building, and so on.

But for this article, I’ll give you one powerful and easy solution for your next “follow-up” call. You will get to the truth, rather than the typical “shut down” response.

Never use the phrase “follow-up” in your conversations or your emails ever again.

It’s a stereotypical “sales” phrase that only salespeople use.

When you say: “Hi, I’m just ‘following-up…” it sends the message that you care about making the sale more than solving their problem.

Say this instead:

Hi, I’m just giving you a call to see if you have any ‘feedback’ on our initial conversation, as I’d like to hear about what’s still on your mind about your financial concerns and if they are still a priority for you to solve once and for all.

Sign me up to receive email newsletters from Advisor Perspectives

That makes it all about them and not about your goal of acquiring a new paying client.

The word “feedback” elicits the truth of what they are thinking, and it avoids triggering the “wall of silence” from them.

When they feel comfortable sharing what’s really on their mind, you can address their concerns and create trust.

Once you’ve done this, then say: “Would you be open to scheduling another conversation, so we can get more clarity of how to get control of your retirement planning?”

If you deliver this with authenticity and sincerity, without a hidden agenda to “make the sale,” they will ask you to move things forward on their own.

Ari Galper is the world’s number one authority on trust-based selling and is the most sought-after sales conversion expert for Financial Advisors. His newest book, “Unlock The Sales Game”, has become an instant best-seller among Financial Advisers worldwide – you can get a Free copy of Ari’s book here and, when you click the “YES” button in the order form, you’ll also receive a complimentary client growth consultation with Ari or one of his trust-based consultants. Ari has been featured in CEO Magazine, Forbes, INC Magazine and the Australian Financial Review. He is considered a contrarian in the Financial Services industry and in his book, everything you learned about selling will be turned upside down. No more chasing, no pressure, no closing.