Distraction-Proof® Advisor Ideas

Does it really matter if you stray from your standard practices to accommodate a potentially great client?
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Yes! No surprises there. You knew exactly how I was going to respond to that. You must have a system. You must have a rationale why each step is in your business so that you can communicate it cogently to any prospect so everyone is on the same page.

When I had our swim school back in New Zealand, we had a number of parents bring children to us to see where they would fit into our program. I would watch the swimmer and tell the parent where they need to go in our program. Then the parent, who might have friends in the swim school, would say, “Actually, we were thinking this is what they need to work on.” And then the parent would add, “But you’re the Olympic medalist, you decide.”

I decided, all right, but it had nothing to do with my being an Olympic medalist. I know swimming, but we had a system. Our swim school had a set, structured system, and we had good reasons for putting a child in a particular group. We also knew when we expected them to be ready to progress up to the next group. There was a process in place that had to be adhered to.

It’s the same when you visit a doctor. When a client or a prospect who might want to work with you indicates they want to do things their way, you can share this analogy. Next time you go to your doctor, tell them you’ve don’t need to weigh in or have them take your blood pressure. And you’ll just sit in the waiting room until your doctor is ready to see you. See how that one works. It ain’t going to fly! They have their system.

Likewise, it’s imperative you have your system for your business. So, to do this most effectively,

1. Create one. Create a system comprising steps that you know are necessary and communicate that process when you are introducing prospects to how you work and why they need you to work like that.


2. Stick with it. If people aren’t going to follow your system or are going to be a little apprehensive or critical because they think they know how to do it best, get rid of them! This is a red flag from day one.


3. Know your number. Why is this important? Because if you don’t know the number of new clients you want to bring on this year, you’re going to fall for anyone that sounds like they might be a reasonable client, but who will create headaches for you later on. You must know your number! If you’re looking for 15 new clients, and you already have five, and here’s a prospect that could be number six, but wants to do it their way, they were never number six. Move them out. Ten to go. And then away you go on that hunt again.

I look forward to bringing you another Distraction-Proof Advisor Idea next week.