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May 17, 2011 at 08:00 PM
I’m not really sure why, but I decided to start training for a marathon. Yes, the kind where you run for 26 miles or so. It’s one of my goals for the New Year. As a boxer, running is part of my training, and recently, becoming a better and stronger runner has turned into a bit of an obsession. Again, I’m not really sure why.
As I speak to prospects, clients, and pretty much anyone who will listen, I tell them about my goal, and they offer words of encouragement. If I ask the right questions, they offer advice. As a result, I’m reading some great books, practicing some new techniques, and playing the mind games I need to in order to stay focused. After all, running is not fun – at least not for me. Hey, elite runners have told me that they don’t even find running fun. It’s just become their obsession.
I’m told I need a “base” from which to work before I even consider taking on such a lofty goal. That said, I’m running about 20 miles a week at a respectable pace, and setting weekly goals to improve my distance and time. Next, I’ll work on what’s called a “long day,” in which I eventually work up to running upward of 20 miles for the day.
As a sales rep, agent, broker, or advisor, prospecting needs to be your obsession, or you won’t ever be successful in reaching your career goals (the finish line). Prospecting may not be fun for you, but just as in running, constant words of encouragement, advice, great books, and new and better techniques can make all the difference in your success. And, yes: mind games can help, too.
If you plan on being successful as an advisor, you also need a “base” to get you started. Your base should consist of establishing a target market (those you serve best and therefore wish to serve most), creating an elevator pitch, and developing a network of people who are connected to your niche marketplace. Without this, you have no base from which to start, which means you’re starting your run cold. Give your base some serious thought before tackling the tips below.
Share your goals with friends, family, associates, and clients
Once you register for a race and start sharing that news with people you know, you’re pretty much locked into your goal. It’s the same premise when it comes to growing your practice. The more you share your goals with those in your world, the more advice, insight, recommendations, and support will come your way. You’ll also feel more locked in.
Read about the skills you need to develop
Read all about it! For me, it’s reading about the right training schedule, pace, and running shoes. For you, it might be the right approach to setting appointments on the phone, networking, public speaking, sales techniques, or referral marketing. There are tons of books on these and other areas to keep your mind focused. Read an hour every night. Where the mind goes, the body follows.
Talk to those who have seen it, done it
Talk to advisors who are successful doing what you’re looking to do. My best advice continuously comes from experienced marathoners. If you’re looking to deliver seminars as part of your business model, doesn’t it make sense to get direction and encouragement from someone who has developed material and worked with compliance, and who delivers a good program that attracts desired business?
