So you've met a great prospect or received a great introduction. What's next? Here are some dos and donts for when you call your new referral prospects (or any prospect, for that matter):
1. Dont say How are you today? in your opening statement. This screams telemarketer.
2. Dont ask Are you busy? Of course theyre busy. When they say yes the tension mounts. Open with I know youre busy, the reason Im calling is
3. Use what the referral source likes or admires about the if its natural and genuine for you. For instance, George, Mary had a lot of nice things so say about you. Do you want to know what she said? That should create some curiosity and maybe even get a laugh.
4. Put some benefits into your opening. And how you do this can help you stand out or look like everyone else. For instance, telephone selling expert Jim Dominski (
Jims example is more targeted and from the prospects point of view. In fact, the more targeted your opening, usually the better.
5. If you are a specialist, present yourself as such. The more specialized you are to this prospects situation, the more he/she is likely to want to talk to you. Niche and grow rich!
6. Dont assume anything, ask. Dont assume you have the solution to their problems. Prescription without diagnosis is mal practice. Tell them you dont know if you can be a resource for them as you were for their friend, but a quick conversation should reveal that. Then ask them some questions. However, dont ask personal financial questions like income, net worth, etc. No one wants to discuss this information with a stranger.
7. Dont wing it! Before you ever pick up the phone to call a referral prospect, be prepared. Rehearse what you want to say a couple of times. Be clear on your opening statement. Thats not the time to fumble around. Your prospect wants their next financial professional to be confident and clear.
If you like some of the phrases Ive presented here, use them. If you dont, find your own words to accomplish the same result.
If you have any result-producing tips youd like to share with me, please send them to