(Related: Why Prospects Don’t Make Decisions)
Many agents and advisors have difficulty asking for the order, or more specifically, getting the client to commit. How do you turn the proposal you just made into new business on your timetable?
When researching my advisor training, I surveyed and interviewed successful financial advisors. I was interested in learning how they asked for the order. The specific words weren’t my objective; what I wanted to know was how they made the transition from presenting to closing.
Four strategies emerged.
They are listed here in order of popularity. For the advisors who suggested them, these are the approaches that worked.
1. The Direct Ask
This was the most popular. You’ve made your presentation, showing how the investments or policies tie into the client’s needs and goals outlined in the financial plan. This is followed by asking, “Shall we proceed?”, or “I recommend we do the following.” This is a closed-end, yes-or-no approach.