69. Never stop learning.
There are a tremendous amount of resources available for marketing with the thoughts of client retention and acquisition as their focus. Even if you only walk away with one idea, it's time well spent.
68. Surrender to process.
Many times I've seen folks try to market themselves but not have a true process behind their efforts. The best advisors will construct a marketing campaign that has a refined process. They will also have a refined process behind each and every client encounter that they follow as well. By having a process it allows you to focus on the prospect's needs and minimize confusion on what to do.
67. Utilization of team.
I have seen advisors hire help within their office and when speaking to the help, they don't have a clear understanding of all the things they are meant to do in their position. Procedural manuals provide a backbone to all positions so that employees clearly understand what is expected of them. Also, when people leave the position it becomes that much easier to hire and train the next person that fills the position next.
66. Stay relaxed.
When I role play with some advisors prior to appointments, sometimes their anxiousness is so palpable, I can feel it through the phone! When delivering information keep the information simple, to the point, showing how clients will clearly benefit from the solution. Show them tangible evidence of the benefit they will receive as well. Seeing is believing, right? After delivering the information, lean back and ask them, "So, what do you think?" and then stop. By delivering in this style, it's more casual and relaxing and though you are interested in their answer, you do not come across as needy. Needy sounding advisors turn people off.
65. Identify your combative prospect.
Do you have prospects that are simply working you for information? Show them the door. Sometimes this is easier said than done since these may be the same people that have lots of money and we would love to manage that money for them! However, these may be the people that will never fully empower us to help them, and yet will take up much of our time. Find a process that will flush those challenging personality types out, and limit your time exposure to them.
64. Be persistent with marketing efforts, and track results.
You can't define if something is good or bad if you have tried it only once — be it a mailer, a seminar, etc. You must try it multiple times, looking at and refining your demographics to come to a conclusion as to if something is working or not working.
