Page 37 - Newcom

CAPTURE CLIENTS
WITH A WELL-
CRAFTED PITCH
Networkers often hear about the importance of an elevator pitch—that quick introduction to your work that’s designed to pique someone’s interest. But will it actually bring in clients? And what makes a good pitch?
I’m careful about when and how I use my pitch. If it’s always being used, it seems too prepared. I try to tailor it towards the listener. If I’m speaking to a family that needs retirement planning, my pitch isn’t as fast as when I’m speaking to a businessperson. For instance, if I’m at a charity event and I’m at a table of business people, I’d say, “I help business owners and professionals design and achieve their lifelong nancial goals.” They might want to know, “What can you do for me? Why are you different? Why should I do business with you?” I’ve got a short window to answer them.
Shorter is better, but you never want to come across as a generalist. If you just say, “I’m a nancial advisor,” then you have no control over how the listener views you—whether you’re mid-market or broad-market, for example.
Having that three- or four-sentence elevator speech helps, whether you’re trying to make a professional connection or a neighbor asks you what you do. And when networking, it helps the other person remember you more easily, so when a business opportunity comes up, you pop into his mind.
Using a unique word or phrase also helps people remem- ber you. If you say, “I’m a nancial planner. I work with clients in transition, like those who’ve recently gotten divorced,” they’ll remember you. I could talk for ve minutes
to someone about what I do, but that will be the one thing they remember: “Susan works with divorced people.” The easier you can make it for them to tell other people about you, the more your message will spread.
The pitch also creates credibility, because you know who you are and what you do, and you’re able to summarize it in a quick and interesting way. It also removes some of the awk- wardness of networking with people you don’t know, because the speech gives you something to talk about.
You have to know what you do, why you do it well, why you’re passionate about it and why you’re doing this job. It should be a part of who you are already, so it should come out in a way that doesn’t sound forced or unnatural.
I communicate what’s unique about my work, and that I’m a fee-only nancial planner. But I don’t frame it against commission-based advisors; we all have to earn our keep. An advisor should never portray her colleagues in a negative way. Some clients are perfectly happy dealing with advisors who charge commission. So I say, “I’m a fee-only nancial planner.” Usually people say, “Oh what’s that?” I’ll just say I charge a fee for my time instead of taking a commission for my work. Either they’re interested and I invite them to talk further, or they’ll politely smile and we’re done. I estimate 50% to 60% of the people I pitch become prospects, and of that, another 50% become clients. AE
NETWORKMAPPING by JESSICA BRUNO,
content editor of Advisor Group
Brian Himmelman, B.Comm., CFP President, Himmelman and Associates, Halifax, N.S.
Years in business: 17
Susan Stefura, CFP, R.F.P., FCSI, TEP, Fellow of the FPSC
Principal, Bespoke Financial Consulting, Toronto, Ont.
Years in business: 24
www.advisor.ca
01 2015 AE 37
Ngoc Day, CFP, CIM, R.F.P., TEP, M.Sc. Fee-only advisor, Macdonald,
Shymko and Company, Vancouver, B.C. Years in business: 12
ROBERT CHURCHILL/THINKSTOCK