3 Brief and Brilliant Ideas You Can Use Today

by Bill Cates

March 3, 2021

My job is to make your job easier and more efficient. Especially when it comes to client acquisition. So, I’m always looking out for ideas to share.

Some of these ideas are big strategies or tactics – worthy of an entire article.
Some are just as valuable, but don’t take a long time to convey. Here are 3 such ideas.

1. Getting Introduced by Text?

If you’re working with clients on the younger side of life, then you’ve probably had a few who wanted to introduce you via text.

Your company may not allow you to contact a prospect by text, but that doesn’t have to stop the initial introduction from happening that way.

Here is one possible way your introductory text can be worded…

Laura – I want to introduce you to my personal CFO Mike Smith. I really think you should speak with him. You’ll love the clarity and confidence he can bring to your situation. He’s been super valuable for me. I’ve included his contact information. He’ll reach out to you separately to schedule a brief call. George

The more specific the “why you should talk to him/her,” the better. Try to keep these as short as possible, while still getting a solid introduction.

If you have a preferred way to get introduced, then suggest that to your referral source. And be ready to be flexible. Getting into the flow of how they communicate can often work just fine.

Consider having your text introduction verbiage with you at all times so you can direct your referral source accordingly.

2. What’s Your “Tee Box” Branding Statement?

This idea came from a discussion with one of my coaching clients who wanted a super-brief way to say what he did – that would create curiosity and stimulate further conversation.

It was inspired by a time he was playing golf and one the other players shouted, “So Paul. What do you do?” Paul had just stepped into the tee box on the golf course and didn’t have a short statement he could shout back.

Now, if I were stepping into the tee box and someone I didn’t know shouted that at me, either I’d say, “None of your business” or “I’ll tell you in a minute, after I slam this ball 300 yards.”

Paul and I joked that we needed a short phrase to describe what we do in the time it would take to swing a golf club – assuming a fairly slow backswing.

One of my clients in Australia would say, “I’m a mortgage broker, but most of the time I feel like a marriage counselor.”

I would say, “I own a business that helps our clients increase revenue without increasing their marketing budget.”

I know a Canadian advisor who says what US advisors could never say or they’d be slapped on the wrist big time. He says, “I create indestructible wealth.”

What would you say that might be fun and/or stimulate further conversation?

3. How to Find Your Client-Focused Why

One of my clients hosts a Saturday morning referral jam. Okay, they don’t call it that, but every Saturday at 9:00am, about 10 to 15 advisors gather on Zoom to discuss their referral successes and challenges and split up into breakout rooms to role play.

Yes! You read that right. These advisors role play asking for introductions every Saturday morning at 9:00am. I have one word for that. Commitment!

The last time I attended one such call, Cari (name changed to protect the creative) was practicing asking for introductions. Cari is fairly new in the business, so she didn’t yet have her own compelling client-focused why.

So, she used a story that appeared recently in the Wall Street Journal as her why.

Cari said that reading that article reminded her of the importance of her work and how it touches the lives of many people she never meets. This is why she wanted to brainstorm with the client to see if there were a few people who should know about the work she does.

I teach that we should treat the request for introductions with importance. Sharing or reminding your client of your client-focused why is the perfect way to do this.

YOUR client-focused why doesn’t have to be something that happened to you or even to one of your clients. It just has to be something that happened.

If you don’t yet have a client-focused why or would like a few more to use at the right time, just keep your eyes open for articles like the one above.

Forward this article to a friend or colleague.

And don’t forget ALL our resources – many of them free – are waiting for you at www.ReferralCoach.com/resources.