When they first introduced themselves they had no clue what their real value was as a financial advisor, they couldn’t even describe what they do nor who they do it for in any clear and cohesive manner (sound familiar?).
These were not brand new advisors, if they were I could be a bit more accepting of their lack of clarity but these were all seasoned vets who each had more than 10 years of experience and a well established practice. If I was having trouble understanding what they do, how the heck could their clients understand? And they wonder why they aren’t getting more referrals!
But to their credit they knew this was their deficiency and signed up for my Total Marketing Makeover workshop hoping to redefine their business and marketing message and that’s exactly what happened. By the end of this full day they their confidence was radiating, their enthusiasm for what they do contagious they had an authentic story that became their foundation for building trust, they had a compelling introductory script that clearly defined who they are, what they do and who they do it for and their value statement was the fete de complete validating their true value. They all left armed and ready to take their business to the next level.
So what happened? What could possibly happen in 8 hours that they couldn’t accomplish in 10 years of being an advisor? We wiped the slate clean. I asked them to forget everything they had been taught about the business and consider a whole new way of thinking of their business. I set them on a mission to define who they are, what it is they want to accomplish and who they want to do it for. It’s really that simple.
I did my part but the rest was up to them. After 8 hours of creating their message and sharing it over and over again they had almost memorized it verbatim, this is key. It’s not just the authenticity of the message that makes this such a powerful tool it’s how you present it and share it, without stumbling, without stuttering providing no indication that you are making it up as you go. The brevity and clarity of your message alone adds tremendous credibility to your words, your practice and most importantly your intentions.
This experience was like watching the ugly duckling turn into the beautiful swan, it was an inspirational experience for everyone involved.