Find clients by creating compelling experiences

To stand out from other advisors, 33-year MDRT member Tim M. Shaw, Dip PFS, greets his clients at the office door. He prints his client documents on high-quality paper branded with a professionally designed business logo, and his signature stands out because he always signs with his blue-ink fountain pen.

“The tiniest details make a difference,” said Shaw, of West Midlands, England. With regulations in that country reducing the number of advisors by 90 percent and people buying life insurance online, touches that make clients feel special matter.

Someone struggling to survive as a financial advisor and a thriving advisor provide similar products to clients. It’s not the products. The differences in product features are too small or detailed for most clients to be interested in.

Good advisors know their products, build client relationships and put their clients’ best interests first, of course. But why do top advisors go out of their way to have cookies baked fresh in their office so the comforting aroma greets clients, meticulously record clients’ beverage preferences, faithfully call clients on their birthdays and print their business cards on expensive-to-the-touch card stock?

Create compelling experiences

“Your customers are talking about this thing called an experience, so you’d better be very clear about what I call ‘cultivating positive gossip,’” said business coach Mike Staver at a 2017 MDRT Annual Meeting workshop. “Cultivating positive gossip is simply the extent to which you create such compelling experiences that people tend to describe what it’s like to buy your product or service.”

To create that positive client experience, Staver recommends keeping these four things in mind about what clients love:
1) Being significant
2) Being asked
3) Being informed
4) Being taken seriously

Periodically, take a look at all of your client touchpoints and strive to make each a little bit easier and enjoyable for your clients, and your clients will be “gossiping” about their wonderful advisor to their friends and family.

Find more ideas for offering exceptional client service

• Read more from Mike Staver in “Creating exceptional client experiences” (MDRT members only)
• Read “Focus on the client experience”
• Watch “Easy ideas for keeping clients happy”
• Read “Give mindfully to improve relationships”
• Read “Gain a competitive edge”