90% of financial advisors fail at being financial advisors. Why? Because advisors, brokers, reps, and agents need to see more people to make more sales appointments. And nobody in their firm, agency, branch, or shop trains them how! Knockout Networking for Financial Advisors is the only book written for sales producers in the financial services industry focused on making more connections through networking
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, networking, developing relationships, generating referrals, and making important connections are as important as ever. The ideas and approaches in Knock Out Networking for Financial Advisors can be applied immediately to virtual meetings, online networking groups, social media, podcasts, and of course, phone calls. The problem is, most advisors and sales producers are not born networkers; they develop the skills and confidence through education, training, practice, and having a positive attitude.
Knockout Networking for Financial Advisors covers everything you need to know about going to the right places (virtual or not!), saying the right things, and meeting the right people―essential skills for a financial advisor or sales producer that's serious about making more and better connections! The result? More prospects, more referrals, and more business.
Author Michael Goldberg is a networking specialist, speaker, trainer, author (and boxer!) focused on helping financial advisors, brokers, agents, reps, wholesalers, and other sales producers grow their business or practice through networking.
In this �must read if you�re a financial advisor� book, you will learn how to:
- Confidently meet and greet new people in business settings
- Further define your Target Market to establish more and better connections
- Deliver a �knockout� elevator speech (not a script!)
- Generate more prospects and referrals from current client base
- Establish important relationships generating more business opportunities
Bottom line, networking is the most effective way to attract more prospects, more referrals, and more business to your corner. Remember�keep the left up!
Table of Contents
Preface xi
Part 1 Opening Rounds 1
Chapter 1 Networking is the Key to a Successful Career (Especially in Financial Services) 3
Why Financial Advisors Should Network 3
Top Producers Should Network Too 6
Why Financial Advisors Don’t Network 8
Chapter 2 What is Networking? Having a Networking Mindset 17
Six Reasons for Networking 18
Why Understanding the Six Reasons for Networking is Important 23
What is Networking Anyway? 28
Chapter 3 Why You Won’t Connect with Everyone: The One-Thirder Dynamic 37
One-Thirder Dynamic 39
Two-Thirder Dynamic 42
Focus on the One-Thirders! 43
Zero-Thirder Dynamic 44
Mirror Image 46
Sometimes You Can Reduce the Fraction 47
Part 2 The Rules of Networking™ 49
Chapter 4 No Selling Ever: Keep Bobbing and Weaving 51
The Cost of Selling at a Networking Event 54
Trade Shows: An Exception to the Rule 60
Chapter 5 Everyone is Not a Prospect: Don’t Waste Your Punches 63
What is a Prospect Anyway? 65
True and Probable Referral Sources 69
Natural Market 71
Prospecting is Important! 73
Chapter 6 Focus on a Target Market: Hit Those Focus Mitts 75
How I Discovered My Target Market 76
Do You Have the Right Formula? 81
How to Discover, Establish, and Develop Your Target Market 84
Why Advisors Resist Having a Target Market 90
Remember, Stay Focused! 92
Chapter 7 Create (and Use!) Your Elevator Speech: The PEEC Statement™ 93
Profession 96
Expertise 99
Environments 101
Call to Action 103
The Rules of the PEEC Statement 106
Sample PEEC Statements 112
Chapter 8 Business Cards Breed Business: And Other Rules of Networking™ 115
Have Your Business Cards and Other Tools of the Trade 116
It is Never About You 119
Always Be Positive, Professional, and Respectful 120
Look the Part 121
Know about Contacts, Leads, and Referrals 122
Count Your Chickens and Eggs 124
Eat and Drink Strategically 124
Initiate Conversations by Introducing Yourself and Asking Questions 125
Have a Goal and a Plan 126
Listen More, Talk Less 127
Keep Your Eyes Focused on Your Conversation 127
Introduce Others with Passion 128
Implement a Time Limit 129
Intend to Follow Up 130
Terminate Conversations Politely 131
It’s a We Thing, Not a Me Thing 132
Get to Know: The Know, Like, and Trust Factor 133
Have Fun! 133
Part 3 Where to Go, What to Say, and Who to Meet 135
Chapter 9 Where to Go? Chambers, Associations, and Other High-Potential Events 137
Not All Events are Created Equal 138
Hard Contact Meetings 140
Soft Contact Meetings 142
You Can’t Just Show Up 153
Chapter 10 What to Say? How to Start a Conversation, Ask Good Questions, and Connect 155
What Prevents Us from Listening? 156
Four-Step Process for Active Listening 157
Initiate Conversations by Introducing Yourself and Asking Questions 159
Chapter 11 Who Will You Meet? The Faces of Networking 167
The Faces of Networking 168
People Seldom Change 175
Part 4 Special Topics 177
Chapter 12 How to Handle Awkward Situations: Forgetting Names and Other Weird Moments 179
How Do I Introduce Myself? 180
How Do I Introduce Others in a Conversation Without Being Rude? 182
How Do I Introduce Others and Walk Away? 182
What Should I Do If I Forget Someone’s Name? 183
How Do I Ask Someone for a Business Card? 185
How Do I Take Notes on Someone’s Business Card? 186
How Do I Know When to End a Conversation? 187
What If I’ve Done Something Embarrassing or Stupid? 189
Chapter 13 Knockout LinkedIn Strategies: Boom! 191
Step 1: Define Your LinkedIn Marketing Goals 194
Step 2: Pick Your Target Market on LinkedIn 195
Step 3: Create the Right Messaging for Social Media 196
Step 4: Tell Your Story to Engage People 197
Step 5: Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile to Five Stars 197
Step 6: Set Up the Right Networking Dashboards to Track LinkedIn Success 198
Step 7: Post Something of Value Each Day on LinkedIn 199
Step 8: Engage with Your First- and Second-Degree LinkedIn Network 200
Step 9: Reach Out Via Direct Message to Your LinkedIn Connections 200
The Bottom Line 201
Chapter 14 Generating More Referrals: Why Don’t You Get More? 203
Reasons You’re Not Getting Referrals 204
Knockout Ways to Generate More Referrals 210
Chapter 15 One-on-One Networking Meetings: How to PUNCH Up Your Time Over Coffee 219
Best Practices 221
Your PUNCH Card 222
Important Points to Keep in Mind 227
One-on-One Meeting PUNCH Card 230
Part 5 Developing and Implementing Your Networking System 231
Chapter 16 The Four Phases of Networking: Preparation, Presentation, Follow-up, Maintenance 233
Preparation 234
Presentation 240
Follow-up 247
Maintenance (OOSIOOM) 250
Chapter 17 What Now? 90-Day Goals: Putting Your “Daily Fight Plan” into Action! 255
Goals 258
Objectives or Tasks 262
Business and Networking Examples 263
Daily Fight Plan (DFP) 264
Daily Fight PlanTM 267
Final Round 268
Acknowledgments 271
About the Author 273
Index 275
