Sometimes you may see other advisors working more successfully with clients. Fred O’Connor, ChFC, CFP, a nine-year MDRT member from Deerfield, Illinois, says it’s not because those advisors are different from you — they’re just getting in front of the right people.
“You see successful people in this business, and some of them have these great clients or they had a big case. Many young advisors are intimidated by that because they don’t think they know a lot of people with significant assets,” he said. “When I started getting some cases that were very sizable, I came to realize that if I followed the same disciplined planning framework as with ‘regular’ clients, I could be very confident in helping people align their planning with their goals.
“Advisors who are quite successful may not be working any harder than me. They are, though, dedicated to high activity, calling and meeting new people regularly, and asking for referrals. They have a target market, such as business owners or people with incomes over a certain amount, say $500,000 per year. They are sitting down with the ‘right people,’ where their skills are best aligned to be helpful. Getting in front of those types of people is a building process. Growth builds on growth, and respect built on professional work leads to introductions. This work is a lot less about special access than diligently following a process. I know if I keep a positive, can-do attitude, with a real focus on helping others, I can do right by people, and make a good living for my family.”
Very helpful and insightful. Thank you.
Steve
LA