Relationship Intelligence Creates Unsolicited Referrals
Harvey Mackay managed an envelope company in the 1960s, yet he solved a problem that still haunts advisory firms today. In Harvey’s case, his salespeople had superior product knowledge. But their customer knowledge was skipping a beat.
To fix that, Mackay drafted 66 questions – about hobbies, kids, decision styles, even favorite sports teams – that pushed his reps to see buyers as people, not purchase orders. The “Mackay 66” became legend after he shared it in his best-selling book Swim with the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive. Since then, thousands of sales teams still keep a version of it in their CRMs.
But what does an envelope salesman have to teach a modern financial advisor who lives on referrals and personal introductions? Plenty!
I’ve spent decades helping advisors sharpen their Radical Relevance – delivering the right value to the right person at the right moment so clients can’t help but talk about you.
When an advisor tells me their referral flow has stalled, I often discover they’re missing the very context Mackay insisted on gathering. They know risk tolerance, AUM, and protection, but they’ve never asked about the client’s annual charity gala, the daughter’s upcoming college decision, or the CEO’s obsession with pickleball.
You become somewhat referable when you connect through value. Your clients want others to know about your process. You become SUPER-REFERABLE when you grow your personal connections. Many clients become your advocates.
Below is a conversational roadmap for adapting The Mackay 66 to an advisory practice. These questions and answers become a barometer for how well you’re getting to know your clients. And remember, this is a conversation that takes place over time, not an interrogation in one meeting.
1. Paint the Household, Not Just the Head of It
Mackay’s original spirit: Names, family members, alma maters.
Advisor twist: Note the spouse’s preferred email, the ages at which each child hits a life milestone (driving, college, first job), and any elder‑care responsibilities that might affect cash flow down the road.
When a client casually mentions, “Mom may move closer next year,” that’s a signal to check long‑term‑care coverage and a chance to offer a family meeting that could lead to multiple new relationships and retaining the heirs as clients.
2. Track Professional Triggers
Mackay’s original spirit: Employer, job title, career history.
Advisor twist: Capture equity‑comp vesting dates, bonus cycles, and the timeline for a business owner’s potential exit. Every one of those is a financial event begging for guidance and an opening to the phrase, “Many of my clients’ colleagues are facing the same decision. If someone in your circle could use a sounding board, feel free to introduce us.”
3. Map the Centers of Influence
Mackay’s original spirit: Who else sells to or advises the customer?
Advisor twist: Log the client’s CPA, estate attorney, and banker, plus softer influencers such as the executive assistant who books travel or the brother‑in‑law who “knows a guy.” These people can either reinforce your recommendations or quietly undermine them.
Reach out early with a spirit of partnership: “Kara trusts both of us – I’d love to coordinate for the best possible plan.”
4. Capture Passions and Purpose
Mackay’s original spirit: Hobbies, clubs, favorite sports teams.
Advisor twist: Go deeper on values: charities they serve, annual events they never miss, causes their company sponsors, podcasts they rave about. When your client learns you donated to their 5K fundraiser before they mentioned it, you’ve earned the kind of emotional loyalty algorithms can’t buy. That loyalty drives the “You have to talk to my advisor” comments over coffee or in the boardroom.
5. Log Advocacy Signals
Harvey’s famous 66th question challenged reps: “Does your competitor know more than you do?”
Advisor twist: Ask yourself, “Have I delivered a recent wow‑moment worth repeating?” If you can’t recall one, schedule time to create it – a congratulatory video when a child graduates, a quick call on the anniversary of working with you, a statement of appreciation for the relationship, praising a client’s accomplishment of any kind. Memorable experiences (no matter how small) become the fuel for the stories clients tell about you.
Why This Still Works in a Digital Age
Some advisors balk, “My CRM already has dozens of fields; do I really need 66 more?” Of course not. But you do need the right mindset. And it helps to have fields in a CRM or any kind of tool that reminds you of this powerful strategy.
Every time you learn something personal about your client, two things happen:
- You might discover a new way to serve that client (since money intersects all aspects of one’s life).
- The personal connection strengthens. Business friendships advance. Advocates are created.
Bringing It Home
Harvey Mackay proved that genuine curiosity is a loyalty builder and an unsolicited referral creator.
In today’s crowded advisory landscape, where robo‑algorithms can rebalance a portfolio in seconds, your advantage isn’t the math; it’s the human connection.
A modernized Mackay 66 is simply a reminder system for that connection – one that fuels loyalty, sparks timely advice, and makes referring you feel like a gift your clients give their friends.
Put it to work and watch unsolicited introductions turn from happy accidents into an intentional, predictable outcome of the relationships you cultivate every day.
Want to find the precise RIGHT WORDS to use?
Check out The Language of Referrals:
https://referralcoach.com/language-of-referrals/
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