7 Ways to Convert Community Involvement Into Leads

Where Will Business Come From?

Over time you have been communicating Who you are, What you do and Why you are good. You’ve learned about the other members, specifically Who they are, Where they work and What they do.

Here’s a look at seven ways to make community involvement help you, as well as others.

(Photo: Thinkstock)

Business should come from seven sources:

1. Members You’ve Met. Of course they already have an advisor. You’ve positioned yourself as the alternative. If they feel they aren’t getting service, their needs change or their advisor retires, your name is top of mind.

   Strategy:You haven’t pushed business. This sometimes makes people look desperate. The opposite of desperate is successful. Successful people want to do business with other successful people.

2. Referrals. It’s possible everyone is happy with their current advisor. They know other people. Someone else may be not be getting their calls returned. When one friend complains to another, your name comes up.

   Strategy: You’ve been answering “Now’s business?” with anonymous short stories about how you helped someone. Members see volunteering you name as a favor to a friend.

3. Business Within the Organization. If scholarships are awarded, there’s likely an endowment. Some online research on Guidestar should provide details.

   Strategy: If professional money managers are involved, it’s likely the finance or investment committee periodically reviews performance and considers other managers. Does your firm offer professional money management?

4. Similar Organization Referrals. The professional staff from different organizations in town talk to each other. Your group’s endowment might be fine, but another organization has no financial management expertise and is struggling.

   Strategy: By serving on the right committees or asking intelligent questions at meetings, word gets around you have the skills needed for these situations. They volunteer your name.

5. Life Events. Do people contemplating divorce or a terminal disease call their financial advisor first? No. They talk among their circle of friends, soliciting opinions and advice. You get advance warning when money might be in motion.

   Strategy: You are not a predator. You don’t benefit from other people’s suffering. You do understand their situation. You have seen (helped in) this situation before. You provide some free, practical advice. They remember you stepped up when they needed help.

6. Speaking Engagements. Your organization is part of the community. You initiate projects and tell other groups about them. You attend township or city meetings.

   Strategy:Someone needs to deliver the organization’s message in a compelling way. Many people are frightened to speak in public. You become the ambassador. The intro you receive tells others what you do.

7. Seminar Site. You hold public seminars. Your office space is free, but not neutral ground. Restaurants and hotels are the obvious venue. If your organization has a historic building or a large meeting room, renting the space for your event is an option.

   Strategy: It’s a good event choice. It’s centrally located, has parking and carries prestige. You can invite members of your organization to attend.

You don’t need to be pushy to get business. Your strategy is to raise your visibility and be the natural choice when someone needs advice or decides to change advisors.

— Read 7 Ways to Overcome Fear of LinkedIn on ThinkAdvisor