INTRODUCTIONS
Goal
Acquire preferred introductions within the Leap Process that will lead to working with more ideal clients to grow your practice
Collect Names of Prospects and Cultivate Positive Endorsements
Gather names of prospects and positive endorsements from existing clients as you work with them throughout the Leap Process.
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Objective
Validate Service and Verify Permission to Contact Preferred Prospects
Leverage positive client feedback into permission to connect with prospects for whom your client knows well and has a high regard for.
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Objective
Key Tools
Collect Names of Prospects and Cultivate
Positive Endorsements
Once a prospective client agrees to go through the Leap Process, there is a built-in methodology to obtain referrals throughout the relationship. Delivering financial validation with exceptional service, your new clients will be more open to providing a positive endorsement.
Tips and Considerations
The Personal Introductions booklet is our tool to help us obtain possible referrals from our prospective client’s network that you would work best with.
Once you have had several clients go through the Leap Process, you should be able to work in a 100% referred-based environment for collecting high quality leads to grow your practice.
Gathering a minimum of 10-15 preferred prospects or your Ideal "A" Profile along the way.
Open (Introduction Meeting)
At the end of the Personal Finance and Wealth Building discussion, communicate your approach for how you gather and manage referrals. You must be clear early in the Leap Process to avoid any surprises later in the relationship. Inform the prospective client that you work primarily in a closed market environment. Example:
The type of work that we do is such that mass marketing of our services would be very ineffective due to the amount of time and customization we put in on behalf of our clients.
Our clients have a vested interest in assisting us in making the best use of our time and working with people that are engaged and want our services.
We would never ask for an endorsement until you received value and benefit from our services.
Again, we have a long way to go before we get to that point, we just wanted to make you aware.
Data (Data Collection Meeting)
The Personal Introductions booklet should be used to gather names that have come up during interactions with your client. Collaboration with your clients during the data collection process will give them enough confidence to provide you with names of potential prospects.
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At the end of document gathering and completing your consultative questions, there should be names for you to transfer from the Questionnaire to the Personal Introductions booklet. Now add the Personal Introductions booklet to the client folder
Present (Present Position Meeting)
Assuming positive results from the Present Position Meeting, you can:
Request permission to connect with prospective clients on LinkedIn and any other social media utilized by the client
Review LinkedIn, and search for common connections and possible co-workers to enter into the Personal Introductions booklet.
Solution (Strategy Meeting)
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Assuming positive results from the Strategy Meeting, you should continue to review and update the Personal Introductions booklet before and after all meetings leading up to Implementation.
Implementation (Implementation Meeting)
After recapping the strategies implemented and delivery of corresponding policies, you should:
Provide the client with an updated Present Position Model.
Review their current Present Position as compared to the Present Position of the client when they first started.
Transition to formally validating the service you provided.
Validate Service & Verify Permission to
Contact Preferred Prospects
This is a very important and overlooked step in effectively obtaining high quality Introductions. It is recommended that the following process be followed to obtain consistent results. To begin, it may sound something like:
As I mentioned when we first met, my firm operates under an internal marketing plan. If it’s alright, I would like to take a minute to go through that with you. I have a brief survey that I’d like to walk you through if that is okay.
Present the following questions to the client. These should be on your own letterhead. Leave space and write down the answers the client provides for each question:
How would you explain to someone else what we do?
What problems have we helped you solve?
What have been the benefits to you of our helping you solve your problems?
What skills and abilities do we have that have been the most valuable to you?
What do you want us to learn in the future so that we can be more of a resource?
The answers from your client will be reassuring and often times surprising. If you receive exceptional answers, it’s recommended that you follow up with the client and state:
Thank you so much for your feedback. Your answers are very thought provoking and helpful. Would you mind putting those thoughts in your own words on your letterhead and send it to me so I may share them with prospective clients?
Continue the conversation with your client by saying:
Thank you for your feedback. I will take this into consideration as I build my practice moving forward. As you are aware, for any business to succeed, it requires a consistent process of acquiring new clients. Mine is no different.
The challenge for me is not just getting in front of people, it’s getting in front of the right people who have the greatest chance of benefiting from my service. This is where I am asking for a little bit of your help.
I am not asking for you to sell on my behalf, I am simply asking for an introduction to a few people who could benefit from the process as you have. I’m simply looking for the opportunity to share what I do. The same way (insert name of referral) referred me to you.
Transition to the client’s Personal Introductions booklet and saying something like:
Here is a list of names I have gathered during our time together that I believe you are acquainted with. The left side of the booklet outlines my preferred client profile. Typically, this is the type of person that can benefit the most from my services. Similar to you (when applicable). On this list, who do you feel best fits the criteria?
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Here is what I would like to do. With your permission, I would like to send an email introducing myself, followed by a call to extend an invitation for 30-minutes of their time so I can share with them our process. I’d be happy to copy you on the email and if you had a chance to put in a positive word, that would be helpful as well.
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Just like when we first sat down, I am simply going to offer them the opportunity to learn about our process and whether or not they want to proceed is completely up to them. I promise there will be no selling pressure and I will make sure the connection is a positive experience. Is that ok?
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Great, may we please take a moment so that I may write down their email addresses and cell phone numbers? As I mentioned, I will copy you on the email so you have a heads up of when I will be reaching out to them.
Continue the Referral Process
Introductions Success Factors​​​
Gather names of prospects and positive endorsements from existing clients
Leverage positive client feedback into permission to connect with prospects
Gathering a minimum of 10-15 preferred (your Ideal “A” Profile) prospects
Overcome objections by setting clear expectations for your prospects and clients