Distraction-Proof® Advisor Ideas

Last week I spoke about the value of scripts. I’ve had several requests for more examples. Here’s one for your scariest scenario.
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Last week I spoke about the importance of scripts, and to catch up on that post, click on the link included.

This week we’re going to look at the toughest scenario regarding scripts: engaging with a complete stranger. As I go through the conversation, I’m going to break and explain why I would say these particular things the way I did.

Here’s the scenario: you are in Starbucks with your laptop, answering emails. You are working while you’re prospecting, so you’re using your time very effectively. You’re seated next to a couple who is in a conversation regarding some aspect of their finances. You might hear them mentioning a 401(k) or college education funding—something along those lines.

And you very simply turn to the couple as you are getting up to collect your stuff together—and you’re doing that because you’re indicating you’re getting ready to leave. That starts alleviating any pressure they may be feeling about being stuck sitting together with you beside them after a potentially awkward moment. (You see how this thing is scripted from the get-go.) You’re standing up, you’re starting to collect your stuff, and then you’re turning to them and saying,

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. I’m a financial advisor. There are a couple of words that always get my ears pricking up. I heard you mention about a 401(k) / I heard you mention about children’s education funds. As a financial advisor, I work with clients like yourselves. And so when I hear people talking and wondering about about this topic, I’m only too happy to engage.”

At that point you can pause and catch your breath. You can see how they might want to navigate this conversation. Depending on that, you very simply say,

“Here are my details (offering them your business card). I’m not too far from here. I’m more than happy to answer any questions you might have, even to give you some feedback on your current plan. If you’re presently working with an advisor, we totally respect that.”

When you say that, you’re letting them know you’re not going to pound at them. You’re not trying to pull them away from their advisor. You’re mentioning you don’t mind if they’re working with another advisor. Regardless, you stand ready to help, to give them some feedback.

Then you can get a little more specific.

“We often work with people like yourselves as clients or we’re often introduced by existing clients to their friends and family, people who want to know how to set up the choices they want available, 5, 10, 15 years from now, in retirement. And unbelievably, we’re bumping into so many people who are just not getting their questions answered, or getting their questions partially answered. So, again, I’m more than happy to spend some time with you to answer any questions you might have.

“Even if you want to just email me, I would love to send you some estate-planning documents that we send out. It’s kind of a checklist. You can take that to an advisor you work with, and it’s just to make sure that you’ve got everything buttoned down.

“So I didn’t want to interrupt date time. I have a date time with my wife every week. We’ve done that for over 30 years now, and it’s a precious time. Even when our son was a little baby, we made time to do exactly what you’re doing now. And so I leave you both to it and hopefully we’ll talk to each other again.”

When you’ve said this you’ve done a couple of things very subtly. You’ve let them know how you help people and the kind of people you help. You’ve let them know that your existing clients send their friends and family to you, so your existing clients must think highly of you. You’ve also clarified they could be on date time. The reason why you say that is because now you’re sharing personally about yourself. As you’re collecting your laptop, you’re ready to get out of their space and letting them know you also have family connections and activities you’re involved in. You’ve let them see you and your significant other date regularly, and it’s a really important time to you. You’ve given them some insight into how you think.

Then, as you’re finishing collecting your things to go, you can easily say, “I’ve got five or ten minutes now, if I can help you with any questions, if that would be helpful for where you might be at and what you’re trying to figure out right now.” You can say that to see if they want to engage in further conversation with you right then.

They may say one of several things in response. They may say, “Actually, while you’re here…,” or “Actually, if you have ten minutes, what do you think about this particular situation?” I’ve had that scenario happen. Or, sometimes I heard the wife say to her husband, “A date night each week? That’d be a nice thing to do. Wouldn’t it, Sweetheart?” Suddenly I have felt a bit awkward and wondered if I should immediately make my exit. But then they’ll laugh and engage. You can even finish things off with a small humorous comment like, “I’m not gonna stalk you. You’re not gonna see a white panel van outside your home for the next three days. That’s not what we do. We love our clients, and we have a tremendous amount of fun with them.” Something lighthearted like that can be a good way to finish off if they haven’t eagerly engaged further with you.

That’s how you can start a cold conversation with strangers. You want to get comfortable using that kind of wording, and be comfortable delivering them each time. So to do this most effectively,

1. Commit to it. That’s an obvious point, yet it’s going to take a brave step from you. You have to decide, this is what I want to do.


2. Script it. Get the verbiage written out and practice saying it. Coming back to a point an advisor raised in response to last week’s post, when you write out the language and then say it, you’ll often find you have two different things. What sounded good in your head when you were writing it may very well need some significant editing. There are likely to be words you’ll want to cut completely from what you originally wrote because we just don’t talk like we write.


3. Engage. Make that time block on your calendar to go to Starbucks for 90 minutes where you’re going to respond to emails. You’re going to be working, but you’re also going to be listening closely for that ideal opportunity where you can be in front of someone, let them know who and how you help, and that you’d love to talk with them further and potentially start a phenomenal relationship.

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