AdviserVoiceHow to connect and communicate with clients? https://www.adviservoice.com.au/2014/01/connect-communicate-clients/ Financial planner information & financial planner education/CPD - AdviserVoice Thu, 11 Jun 2026 21:30:14 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 How to connect and communicate with clients? https://www.adviservoice.com.au/2014/01/connect-communicate-clients/ https://www.adviservoice.com.au/2014/01/connect-communicate-clients/#respond Mon, 20 Jan 2014 20:55:45 +0000 https://adviservoice.com.au/?p=27617 Connecting and communicating with clients.

Connecting and communicating with clients.

Typically when financial advisers talk to their clients, they talk in numbers and statistics, have pie charts, numerous PowerPoint slides and talk in industry jargon all very rational and left brain focused.

Left brained focused people are those that constantly seek more information making it very hard for them to make a decision. 80% of people buy with their emotions and reason with logic later.

Whilst the left brain people want the information and can’t make a decision, right brain focused people want to see the whole picture, get a feel for what it could be like and makes decisions easier then allowing the left brain to go ahead and plan. Once you can understand the importance of this point; of communicating to the right brain first, you will appreciate the power of story telling and why so many successful advisers are using this strategy all over the world.

Sharing facts and figures is always going to be important given this profession but when an adviser talks only about that and doesn’t engage with the context, the bigger picture for the client, they risk losing that potential client all together. I have witnessed presentations from advisers where they roll out their 50 slide PowerPoint and talk about every slide not once relating back to the client so that they can see how all this information sits in their world; “what does it have to do with me?” Is what many clients are left thinking. The right side of the brain wants to know how all the information that was shared, fits into their situation.

Help your clients see in their own minds what all this information means to them. Allowing your clients to create their own image in their minds is more powerful than any picture you could draw. You need to be tapping into the emotional right brain all the time to get the clients to see how this will help them in their quest for their future. Keep asking, “How do you feel about this?” because emotion precedes logic. Clients buy with their emotions and reason with logic later.

A great way to start engaging with a client’s right brain more is to use metaphors in presentations. A metaphor is a word picture that gives language power by involving our senses in the experience. For example, you may have a client who is a boat enthusiast. By using boating as your metaphor you will connect more with the right side of the brain. “Jack, we need to be selective when investing and find companies that won’t sink and drown. We want to be afloat and ready to set sail at anytime that suits you, no matter what the situation.” That statement followed up by some numbers and statistics will appeal to the whole brain making more of a connection, building trust and ultimately loyalty with that client. It’s about sharing wisdom and experience.

Another example may be around you persuading a potential client that they should engage you as their Adviser. “Jack, what if you were going on a trip and you were offered the opportunity to fly on one of two jet airplanes? The first is piloted by an experienced pilot who is being paid to pilot; the second has no pilot but you are allowed to fly it yourself. If you choose that plane without the pilot, a computer will be installed in the cockpit that hooks you up to an Internet site that will tell you everything you need to know about flying. Which plane do you want for your journey? What you’re paying for when you hire an adviser is not information – you can get that anywhere. You’re paying for experience. I’ve been there in bad weather and know how to make a safe landing.”  “How Top producers Sell” West & Anthony. Given the amount of advertising about online risk solutions, no medicals, easy sign up etc; this could be a great example to use.

When we hear the words, “let me tell you a story…” we instantly relax, let down our guards and open our minds to listen. If you can become a natural story teller who can also draw out what is happening, you will stand out from the crowd and give your clients no reason to go anywhere else because you will have connected with them on every level and informed them. As I speak with more and more advisers across Australia, I know that the successful ones are using these ‘persuasive techniques’.

Trust is an extremely popular word in this industry and research shows that if a client feels they can trust you there is little chance they will ever leave you, whatever happens in the markets. Having a trusted adviser is ranked as high, if not higher, than receiving excellent returns. In Australia we like to do business with people we connect with and have a good feeling about, which is why communicating to the right side of the brain is so important to business success.

Below is a checklist of some items that could help you in your next presentation:

  • Thought provoking statements and ideas
  • Emotions – need to be stirred up
  • Facts & figures
  • Visual – drawn infront of client
  • Simplicity – statements that are easy to understand to open the mind
  • A story or fiction or fact
  • Questions – ask for them along the way
  • A sense of humour – keeps presentation relaxed
  • Low pressure approach – use enough techniques to empower the client to make their decision
When people meet you for the very first time they are asking (consciously or unconsciously; either out loud or to themselves) “who are you and how can you help me?” so, as an adviser it’s your job to make sure those questions are answered with both potential clients and potential referral partners.

Responding to an inquiry, placing a follow-up call, or making a sales presentation are all situations where you can expect your potential clients to ask questions about your services. Preparation is the key to confidently providing answers to potential clients. Instead of preparing for the questions you want them to ask prepare for the questions they may not even ask you themselves (but want to know the answers to).

Here are some questions your potential client is frequently asking, and some suggestions for how to respond:

Q: How Much Does It Cost?

A: Tell them. Be sure to detail in your quote exactly what they’re getting for the fee. But if your fees vary, don’t quote a price until you know enough about the client’s needs to make an accurate quote. Take this query as a signal your prospect is sincerely interested, and ask more questions about his or her situation.

To avoid comparisons with the competition that may not accurately reflect your value, a good response could be “I prepared a similar case for $5,000” or “I’d like to prepare a proposal for you. Do you have a budget in mind?”

Q. How Long Will It Take?

A. Your prospect may already suspect that the answer will be, “That depends.” So, if you can’t give an accurate estimate, be prepared to state exactly what it is you’ll do on behalf of the client. Try to be as specific as possible, citing the steps you will undertake rather than pointing to intangibles, such as “timely response”.

You could demonstrate your expertise in this area by disclosing that normally a case like this one takes X amount of time for example “A client that I dealt with last month whose circumstance were very similar to yours took X amount of time” This can provide your potential client with useful benchmarks without committing you to a firm deadline too early in the process.

Q. How Much Experience Do You Have?

A. If you’re short on years in the business, describe any related experience you have, whether or not it was doing the exact same work, and whether or not you got paid for it. For example: “I have 10 years in the financial services industry” (even if you have been working and connected with the industry over many years but only became a financial adviser in the last year or two).

Potential clients are looking for proof that you understand their requirements and have helped people like them in the past. “Influence, The Power of Persuasion” Cialdini, R, PHD.

Q. Who Are Your Clients?

A. Potential clients want to know who you work with, not their actual names but perhaps their demographics or industry background or size of business. The point of asking this question is to get a sense of who you typically work for, not necessarily to get a list of their names. You can answer by describing your target market. For example: “I work with small to medium businesses in the IT sector,” or “I serve high net worth individuals.”

Q. What’s Your Success Rate?

A. This is often not an answerable question. A good response can be to share specific results that certain clients, who have made a claim have received, For example: “A client who made a claim due to a work injury recently received his payout within X amount of days.”

Another approach is to state how you know your clients are satisfied: “Many of my clients stay with me for years,” or “I get most of my business as referrals from my clients.”

These are great questions to cover off with a potential client even if they don’t ask them, for example you could say “I know you maybe wondering” or “Other client shave asked me the following which I’d like to share with you, it may help you with your decision too”.

You can build any of those answers into a story that is right and correct for your business.

Can I tell you a story? Last year I ran The Adviser Marketing Program once more and the participants loved it.  One Adviser joined the program to learn how he can firstly develop professional relationships with referral sources but also how to make those work once he had. There were many other marketing tricks that he wanted to learn and he achieved that. Three months later he emailed me to say he has formed 3 excellent referral relationships, developed an effective marketing website even he was proud of and now has a steady stream of great new clients as well as a communications plan to keep his existing. This Adviser was excited, motivated and even though it email communication to me, I could tell he was smiling!

If you would like to achieve the same outcome then register for the February intake of “The Adviser Marketing Program” It’s run via a virtual classroom, it’s affordable and you’ll learn proven marketing tips to improve your business. Click on the link and don’t miss out http://www.srscc.com.au/

By Rachel Staggs, SRS Coaching & Consulting

]]> Connecting and communicating with clients.

Connecting and communicating with clients.

Typically when financial advisers talk to their clients, they talk in numbers and statistics, have pie charts, numerous PowerPoint slides and talk in industry jargon all very rational and left brain focused.

Left brained focused people are those that constantly seek more information making it very hard for them to make a decision. 80% of people buy with their emotions and reason with logic later.

Whilst the left brain people want the information and can’t make a decision, right brain focused people want to see the whole picture, get a feel for what it could be like and makes decisions easier then allowing the left brain to go ahead and plan. Once you can understand the importance of this point; of communicating to the right brain first, you will appreciate the power of story telling and why so many successful advisers are using this strategy all over the world.

Sharing facts and figures is always going to be important given this profession but when an adviser talks only about that and doesn’t engage with the context, the bigger picture for the client, they risk losing that potential client all together. I have witnessed presentations from advisers where they roll out their 50 slide PowerPoint and talk about every slide not once relating back to the client so that they can see how all this information sits in their world; “what does it have to do with me?” Is what many clients are left thinking. The right side of the brain wants to know how all the information that was shared, fits into their situation.

Help your clients see in their own minds what all this information means to them. Allowing your clients to create their own image in their minds is more powerful than any picture you could draw. You need to be tapping into the emotional right brain all the time to get the clients to see how this will help them in their quest for their future. Keep asking, “How do you feel about this?” because emotion precedes logic. Clients buy with their emotions and reason with logic later.

A great way to start engaging with a client’s right brain more is to use metaphors in presentations. A metaphor is a word picture that gives language power by involving our senses in the experience. For example, you may have a client who is a boat enthusiast. By using boating as your metaphor you will connect more with the right side of the brain. “Jack, we need to be selective when investing and find companies that won’t sink and drown. We want to be afloat and ready to set sail at anytime that suits you, no matter what the situation.” That statement followed up by some numbers and statistics will appeal to the whole brain making more of a connection, building trust and ultimately loyalty with that client. It’s about sharing wisdom and experience.

Another example may be around you persuading a potential client that they should engage you as their Adviser. “Jack, what if you were going on a trip and you were offered the opportunity to fly on one of two jet airplanes? The first is piloted by an experienced pilot who is being paid to pilot; the second has no pilot but you are allowed to fly it yourself. If you choose that plane without the pilot, a computer will be installed in the cockpit that hooks you up to an Internet site that will tell you everything you need to know about flying. Which plane do you want for your journey? What you’re paying for when you hire an adviser is not information – you can get that anywhere. You’re paying for experience. I’ve been there in bad weather and know how to make a safe landing.”  “How Top producers Sell” West & Anthony. Given the amount of advertising about online risk solutions, no medicals, easy sign up etc; this could be a great example to use.

When we hear the words, “let me tell you a story…” we instantly relax, let down our guards and open our minds to listen. If you can become a natural story teller who can also draw out what is happening, you will stand out from the crowd and give your clients no reason to go anywhere else because you will have connected with them on every level and informed them. As I speak with more and more advisers across Australia, I know that the successful ones are using these ‘persuasive techniques’.

Trust is an extremely popular word in this industry and research shows that if a client feels they can trust you there is little chance they will ever leave you, whatever happens in the markets. Having a trusted adviser is ranked as high, if not higher, than receiving excellent returns. In Australia we like to do business with people we connect with and have a good feeling about, which is why communicating to the right side of the brain is so important to business success.

Below is a checklist of some items that could help you in your next presentation:

  • Thought provoking statements and ideas
  • Emotions – need to be stirred up
  • Facts & figures
  • Visual – drawn infront of client
  • Simplicity – statements that are easy to understand to open the mind
  • A story or fiction or fact
  • Questions – ask for them along the way
  • A sense of humour – keeps presentation relaxed
  • Low pressure approach – use enough techniques to empower the client to make their decision
When people meet you for the very first time they are asking (consciously or unconsciously; either out loud or to themselves) “who are you and how can you help me?” so, as an adviser it’s your job to make sure those questions are answered with both potential clients and potential referral partners.

Responding to an inquiry, placing a follow-up call, or making a sales presentation are all situations where you can expect your potential clients to ask questions about your services. Preparation is the key to confidently providing answers to potential clients. Instead of preparing for the questions you want them to ask prepare for the questions they may not even ask you themselves (but want to know the answers to).

Here are some questions your potential client is frequently asking, and some suggestions for how to respond:

Q: How Much Does It Cost?

A: Tell them. Be sure to detail in your quote exactly what they’re getting for the fee. But if your fees vary, don’t quote a price until you know enough about the client’s needs to make an accurate quote. Take this query as a signal your prospect is sincerely interested, and ask more questions about his or her situation.

To avoid comparisons with the competition that may not accurately reflect your value, a good response could be “I prepared a similar case for $5,000” or “I’d like to prepare a proposal for you. Do you have a budget in mind?”

Q. How Long Will It Take?

A. Your prospect may already suspect that the answer will be, “That depends.” So, if you can’t give an accurate estimate, be prepared to state exactly what it is you’ll do on behalf of the client. Try to be as specific as possible, citing the steps you will undertake rather than pointing to intangibles, such as “timely response”.

You could demonstrate your expertise in this area by disclosing that normally a case like this one takes X amount of time for example “A client that I dealt with last month whose circumstance were very similar to yours took X amount of time” This can provide your potential client with useful benchmarks without committing you to a firm deadline too early in the process.

Q. How Much Experience Do You Have?

A. If you’re short on years in the business, describe any related experience you have, whether or not it was doing the exact same work, and whether or not you got paid for it. For example: “I have 10 years in the financial services industry” (even if you have been working and connected with the industry over many years but only became a financial adviser in the last year or two).

Potential clients are looking for proof that you understand their requirements and have helped people like them in the past. “Influence, The Power of Persuasion” Cialdini, R, PHD.

Q. Who Are Your Clients?

A. Potential clients want to know who you work with, not their actual names but perhaps their demographics or industry background or size of business. The point of asking this question is to get a sense of who you typically work for, not necessarily to get a list of their names. You can answer by describing your target market. For example: “I work with small to medium businesses in the IT sector,” or “I serve high net worth individuals.”

Q. What’s Your Success Rate?

A. This is often not an answerable question. A good response can be to share specific results that certain clients, who have made a claim have received, For example: “A client who made a claim due to a work injury recently received his payout within X amount of days.”

Another approach is to state how you know your clients are satisfied: “Many of my clients stay with me for years,” or “I get most of my business as referrals from my clients.”

These are great questions to cover off with a potential client even if they don’t ask them, for example you could say “I know you maybe wondering” or “Other client shave asked me the following which I’d like to share with you, it may help you with your decision too”.

You can build any of those answers into a story that is right and correct for your business.

Can I tell you a story? Last year I ran The Adviser Marketing Program once more and the participants loved it.  One Adviser joined the program to learn how he can firstly develop professional relationships with referral sources but also how to make those work once he had. There were many other marketing tricks that he wanted to learn and he achieved that. Three months later he emailed me to say he has formed 3 excellent referral relationships, developed an effective marketing website even he was proud of and now has a steady stream of great new clients as well as a communications plan to keep his existing. This Adviser was excited, motivated and even though it email communication to me, I could tell he was smiling!

If you would like to achieve the same outcome then register for the February intake of “The Adviser Marketing Program” It’s run via a virtual classroom, it’s affordable and you’ll learn proven marketing tips to improve your business. Click on the link and don’t miss out http://www.srscc.com.au/

By Rachel Staggs, SRS Coaching & Consulting

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