What stories are your clients telling about you?

If you want more business from existing clients and lots of introductions to new clients, get your best clients to tell stories about their “magical” experience working with you.

You don’t have to bring them 25% returns or prevent an economic recession, but you do have to provide an experience that shows you care deeply about them and their situation.

When your contacts with clients are simply what they expect, they have no reasons to tell stories about your service. You’re doing what you’re supposed to do. There’s no story in that. Stories come from the extremes: either extraordinary, magical experiences or terrible, disastrous ones.

Imagine this:

Two of your “Top 20” clients, the Smiths, will be celebrating their wedding anniversary. Ron Smith says they’ve made 8 p.m. reservations on Tuesday at their favorite Italian restaurant to celebrate.

After talking with Ron, you call the restaurant and ask to pay for a bottle of prosecco, which will be delivered to the Smiths’ table. 

The waiter surprises the Smiths with the prosecco, explaining it’s a gift from you. Later, the Smiths get calls and texts from family and friends wishing them a happy anniversary and asking them about their evening.

What are your clients talking about now?

Of course, it’s the bottle of prosecco that appeared magically at their table, courtesy of the best agent or financial advisor in the world, (insert your name).

The usual reaction is that the Smiths’ friends and family are impressed by your thoughtfulness and want to know more about you.

Satisfactory service is a minimum standard for clients. If you want their loyalty and you want them to be talking about you, you need to surprise and delight them. If you do, you’ll get more business from them and plenty of referrals to great prospects who want to get the same kind of treatment.

Serve your best clients fully by surprising and delighting them, and your business will grow organically.

Sandy Schussel is a performance acceleration coach who has been working with financial advisors for more than 20 years, helping them break through to higher production levels. Contact him to learn how he can help you make selling the least of your concerns.

For more referral-generating ideas:

• Read “7 steps for introductions and growth”
• Read “Referral is not the same as recommendation”
• Watch “Referrals: How can I help your loved ones?” (MDRT member exclusive)