A former marketing executive with several big brand name companies, Kristin is now a CFP® who in addition to serving a select group of retail financial planning clients also provides a free video training series on marketing strategies for financial advisors.
In her presentation at the NAPFA conference, Kristin took us through the "Six Steps to Ensure (Easy) Follow-up Every Time."
“The goal is to create an effective program that engages your lead, builds rapport, and converts prospects to lifelong clients,” she explained. “You only have so much time in the day so it’s important to leverage technology to systematize this critical follow-up and still keep your personal touch.”
This week I’ll provide an overview of Kristin Harad’s Six-Step Process for keeping in touch with prospects using an automated system. If you missed Part One, which discusses the use of auto-responders, capture forms and a multi-touch email campaign, be sure to read that now.
Here then is Kristin Harad’s six-step nurture process:
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STEP #1 – CAPTURE
-- Make the introduction
-- Create awareness
-- Offer a “freemium” (premium content but they must register to get it)
-- Capture their information via a form on your site
Ideas for premium content include special reports, e-books, a speech you’ve recorded via www.Impact.AudioAcrobat or www.TalkShoo.com, a video training series such as “10 Steps to Eliminate Financial Anxiety” or a weekly Financial Tips for such-and-such-market (e.g., busy doctors, new parents, retired baby boomers) e-newsletter. The goal is to establish yourself as an expert for your target market.
“Create a net so they do not float away into the ether,” Kristin said. Make it more compelling than ‘sign up for my newsletter.’ Create alignment for what you do.”
STEP 2 – CONTACT
-- Create a series of communications using an auto-responder
-- Make sure they get the “freemium” you promised
-- Reveal a little of yourself in each communication
-- Build in some sort of screening methodology to weed out the wrong-fits
-- Use a personalized greeting (totally doable with an auto-responder system)
-- Deliver what you said you would deliver in the series
-- Don’t spend incremental time and energy recreating each time
In the final touch, suggest they schedule a consultation with you or do a video thank you or offer them another series of information or to come to a live event
“There is perceived value in a series of communications. Break your content into a series of communications versus one big piece,” Kristin advised. “The goal is to build share of mind. Position the final installment in the series – a suggestion to come in for a personal consultation – as a surprise bonus invitation.”
STEP 3 - COMMUNICATE
-- Create a one-to-one communication based on the action or inaction of the person
-- Try to elicit a response based on the likely mindset of the recipient
-- Bump the prospect into another bucket if still no response
“Look at what has or hasn’t happened,” Kristin said. “Whatever action hasn’t taken place is the most valuable piece of information. Send a one-to-one communication to get the desired reaction. For instance, send a note that says: ‘Dear Tony, I know you have not yet signed up for a personal consultation. Waiting could be detrimental to your financial health. Won’t you reconsider? Call my office today and schedule a time to meet.’
“If they respond, send something in the mail. For instance, when they are slated to come in for consultation, send a tangible welcome kit. That can create a better glide path. I like to send a pretty green envelope filled with materials saying ‘here’s what you can expect.’ Tell your pricing right there – some people will screen out but that’s okay. Don’t put your prices on your website. It’s too expensive to do the win back. Your mailed kit can eliminate objections for you; it does your selling for you.”
