Give prospects a 15-minute warning

Let me share with you an idea used by one of my clients. "Greg" is a very busy advisor, but when I first met him, he had but two appointments a week. That didn't stop him from instituting the 15-minute warning knock, a practice in which Greg's assistant would knock on the door, letting both Greg and the prospect know that the next appointment would be arriving shortly and that they needed to wrap things up. (This happened regardless of whether or not another appointment was booked.)

At the end of the 15 minutes, Greg's assistant would enter the room and excuse Greg to prep for his next meeting. She then either booked a follow-up appointment or began paperwork to bring the prospect on as a client. The rule was that no meeting would last longer than one hour. The practice is even more important now that Greg's calendar is booked three weeks out!

What does the 15-minute warning knock do for Greg?

• He stays on schedule. Greg has a set schedule for appointments: He stacks them Tuesday through Thursday to maximize his revenue-producing days.
• He appears in "high demand" at all times. Think about how this looks from the prospect's perspective. It's the definition of exclusivity!
• He can get down to business. Once they know they only have 15 minutes left, clients and prospects are urged to open up and share the concerns that have brought them in.

I'd encourage every financial advisor to give this a try and see whether it gives your credibility an immediate boost. If you're perceived at the busiest advisor in town, prospects will be clamoring for a spot in your calendar.