Imagine that girl in fifth grade.
The one you really like, that special one. You’re having eye contact for a while now. Mostly at lunchbreak.
You want to talk to her, but you don’t know what to say.
But one day you finally got yourself together. You finally got the guts to walk up to her.
You are standing in front of her. And then you say:
“Hi, I’m ……., I am 16 years old, I have one sister, I live in Amsterdam and my dad is a teacher.”
Now the girl – who happened to like you too, and is really hoping that you are going to ask her out – is a bit dissapointed about your approach.
Why?
Because she doesn’t want to know all this information. What she does want to know is that one thing: does he like me?
She doesn’t want to hear about all the information about your family. That’s noise.
So what if you said something like this: “Hi, I like you”.
The girl would think: “YES, thank God, now I know!!”. Why? Because you are answering that one important question she has. She only wants to know if you also like her. What you probably unconsciously are doing when you say “I like you” is that you are influencing the girl. You appeal to her right brain.
Now, imagine yourself talking to your clients. Are you really saying the things that makes your client think “YES, thank God, now I know”?
Using your right brain to influence
You often get tips from me about using your right brain to advance client relationships. It’s the most powerful way to connect to people. Because the right brain is in charge of emotions and the gut feeling. When using the right brain you can even influence the client’s decision to go in business with you. Which often is the start of a great relationship.
What I hear from other financial planners is that they wonder if it’s ethical to influence your client’s decision. They rather leave it at informing their clients. Like the boy did when he approached the girl and said he lives in Amsterdam.
The truth is that your clients hate it if you are NOT trying to influence them. Even if it feels really unnatural to you to influence them.
They find it pleasant if you are trying to influence them and drive behaviour. There are 3 reasons for that:
1: Clients talk to you because they want to do business with you
Clients don’t come to you for small talk. They aren’t at your office to return to home. For example because you weren’t able to convince them or if you didn’t let them feel how painful their problem is.
Financial planning is not often something people consciously choose to do. They don’t know if it’s valuable to them.
Yet.
While you know it most definitly is valuable for your client. Financial planners often make the mistake to say things like “helping to achieve your goals in life” or “take care of your finances”.
When you say things like this, you are sending information. And already offering the solution.
But that’s not what people relate to. What they want is that you understand their problem.
2: Clients expect you to help them make the decision
What clients expect from you is that you as a financial planner do everything to convince them. So that they are all ready to make a decision. For example to do business with you. Or to invest in a financial plan.
Hesitation is something your clients really, really hate. It costs time, money and energy. But you must know that every client hesitates as long as he hasn’t decided yet. Some people are major doubters and others are not. But every client doubts.
So it’s obvious that clients need help when they need to make a decision. Because this hesitation won’t go away by itself. Smart financial planners know that. They see it as an important task to help their clients make a decision. By removing doubts and eliminating resistances.
The best way to make your clients decide is by influencing his right brain. Then he is pursuaded to do business with you. That’s not only pleasant for your client. Your client also wants this.
3: Clients want to be understood
Successful financial planners always do one thing very good.
They let their clients feel that they know what their clients want.
The financial planner knows their problem and has the perfect solution for that. That goes not only for financial planners but for every successful entrepeneur. Even if you sell wine, IT-services or run a holiday resort. Clients are attracted to you if they feel you understand their problem.
Don’t let your clients think
Feelings and emotions are part of your right brain. If you want to make your clients feel that you understand them, you have to appeal to this part of their brain. Convincing with facts, numbers and logica that makes your clients think, won’t work. Remember the boy in fifth grade.
So don’t make the mistake that many financial planners make: convincing your clients by only giving numbers, information, and rational explanations to your client’s left brain.
If you want to know more about how to connect with your clients, I’ll send you the 10 Triggers You Can Use To Really Connect with Your Clients. All you have to do is to answer this question:
What is your biggest problem to get your clients to act?
Please, leave your answer here below in the comment field. You’ll receive (within 24 hours) a personal email from me with the 10 Triggers You Can Use To Really Connect with Your Clients.
To your success,
Ronald Sier
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