Author: Bill Cates

I found this blog post from Anthony Robbins inspiring. I have big goals for 2016. Do you? Perhaps you need a “Massive Action Plan.”

Are you satisfied with the percentage of new prospects who turn into appointments? If you are, then you can ignore this article. On the other hand…

The #1 reason for unsatisfactory appointment-setting ratios is: “Lack of a compelling reason for why they should meet with you now – versus later, versus never.

Crafting a compelling reason is almost always easier to do when you’re working from referrals and introductions. Let me show you how…

Go from Incremental Growth to Exponential Growth

Before we get to the 3 Strategies, let’s start with a simple formula you can use for any aspect of your business. Nothing magic here; simple and effective: Vision > Strategies > Tactics. Unfortunately, most professionals and business owners go straight to the tactics. They have a great idea and implement without much regard for the overall vision and strategy. While the idea might be sound, the results will be limited.

For the purposes of this article, let’s use this vision: In 2016 We Will Build a Culture of Growth through Personal Introductions. Can you get behind that vision? I suspect you can. Now… on to the 3 Strategies to support that.

Your Authentic Value Proposition™ (AVP) has two purposes:
1. Create interest with prospects and COI’s, and
2. Teach your clients how to talk about you to others.

Part 1 of your AVP is: “I work with _______, who want to______ and ______.” This simple formula hits on many of the criteria of an effective AVP: brief, clear, and client-benefit focused.

I recently learned a Power Phrase that you can add to Part 1 of the AVP. Keep reading to learn the phrase and how you might use it in your AVP.

I’m going to give you a pretty simple recipe to help you tweak your current actions to produce better results – be it with referrals, introductions, or whatever else at which you want to get more consistent and more effective. But first, you have to find someone to help you with this. It could be a business partner, colleague, staff member, a manager, or a friend.

Do you have someone in mind? Great! This is your Accountability Buddy. Now here’s the simple idea…

When you gather with friends and family over the coming days and weeks, and they say to you – for the 10th time – “What is it that you do again?” Here’s something you can say that could easily spark a further conversation – either then or down the road when the timing is right.

Perhaps you already know that power of having an accountability buddy – someone whose job it is to not let you fail and vice versa; someone who holds you accountable and then helps you celebrate. Or maybe you get the concept, but haven’t yet found that person.

For either scenario, here are 6 keys to setting up and maximizing the relationship for winning results for both you and your buddy – as well as a simple action you can take to get started right away – so 2016 is your best year yet.

Guest Article from Susan Danzig with Additional Thoughts from Bill Cates

Having a clear slogan is valuable in educating your clients, prospects and centers of influence about whom you serve and the services you provide. Whether meeting new clients in person, or with the aid of your marketing collateral, through your social media communications or other marketing channels, your message needs to stay consistent and touch on the problems that you solve for your ideal client(s).

Here are three important things to consider when creating a slogan that will raise visibility, increase credibility, and consistently attract your ideal clients:

Guest Article from Annette Bau, CFP
(Referral Minute subscribers get free admission to her next webinar – details follow this article.)

I have conservatively completed over 8,000 case studies of advisors who have successfully acquired new affluent clients as well as producers who have lost major accounts.

With all that knowledge, there has been one question I have not been able to answer. “Why are some advisors sky rocketing into top producer territory and top producers are plunging due to the loss of clients (generally, but not always, at the death of the first spouse)?

I had breakfast with a successful financial advisor last week and he told me of a unique way he responds when someone asks him for references. Since he works almost exclusively from referrals, it doesn’t happen much, but when it does, he responds by saying, “I’d be happy to provide you with references, but with three conditions.”
Here’s a prospect – with whom he’d like to do business – and he has “three conditions” before he’ll provide references. Most people would just say, “Sure. No problem. Happy to do it.”