Your client is getting married. You want to send them a bottle of champagne. Why not send a bottle that’s twice as large (and personalized with your name on it)?
It’s not silly — it’s strategic.
“Because of the size, they won’t be able to fit that in the refrigerator,” said Elaine Milne, Dip PFS, a 10-year MDRT member from Dundee, Scotland. “It’s going to sit out in the kitchen somewhere, and people coming in and out of their house are going to say, ‘Where did you get that?’”
Milne has been doing this for the last five or six years, and while it is not every day that a client gets married, she has seen a number of positive results both from a client service and referral point of view. Not only are clients surprised and thrilled by the gesture, but they also discuss and enhance their relationship with their advisor, and friends who see Milne’s service have come to her and become clients.
“They can see I’ve gone the extra mile,” she said.
It is a reminder to be aware of specific events in clients’ lives, like marriages, births and more. (Milne also sends Dr. Seuss’ “Oh the Places You’ll Go” to new grandparents to read to their grandchildren, an idea she heard from Aurora L. Tancock, CFP, FLMI, a 17-year MDRT member from St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada). And think about ways your service can be seen by others; after all, the bottle Milne sends will be too big for a couple to drink on their own. They’ll have to involve friends or family, and that is how referrals are born!
Read more in 12 ideas for prospecting.
Written by Matt Pais, MDRT Content Specialist
Great Idea. Can I possibly see that bottle?