About The Meeting
The Initial Client Interview™ (ICI) is your first meeting with a potential client (both spouses) and it must be designed to accomplish all 15 in a single (approximately) 60-minute meeting.
Running too long or requiring multiple meetings should be considered potential signs that your skills need improvement — a highly effective ICI can be completed within an hour.
It’s All About THEM
For potential clients this is a standalone (one time) meeting of substantial value (for both spouses if married) regardless of whether or not you ever decide to work together.
Your challenge is to ensure that they (both) walk away from this meeting with the overwhelming feeling that it was:
- Highly compelling: a positively and emotionally-charged WOW experience
- Substantially valuable: even if they generally dislike “financial matters”
- Worth their time: “I’m glad I was here for this this meeting!”
So, just in case we were a little subtle:
- If married, both spouses must be present and both must have a great experience.
Keeping It Real
Now, let’s be honest: We have all been trained to require ‘both spouses be present’ because it’s nearly impossible to ‘close a deal’ if one of them isn’t there. Don’t kid yourself, most successful people know this too.
So be on notice: If you do not produce real benefits for each person who’s attending, someone will likely be feeling they’ve been hornswoggled by a predictable sales tactic.
Pro Tip: Any requirements you impose on people must be legitimate in THEIR opinion… otherwise you will diminish their trust in you.
- The presence of both spouses must actually be necessary to accomplish the valued outcome you have promised them. After the meeting, each of them must feel like:
- “I contributed information & input which really mattered.” (this was not simply a lecture or presentation).
- “We couldn’t have done this properly if any of us hadn’t been there.” (the presence of both spouses and the Financial Advisor were all essential).
Never Meet Without Confirming These
It’s crucial that you set these clear expectations prior to The Initial Client Interview™.
The 2 rules for The Initial Client Interview™ are:
- Both spouses must attend (if applicable)
- They must bring all financial documents
These 2 rules are essential to a meaningful outcome for the potential clients.
You must confirm both in advance…. otherwise reschedule the meeting.
Get In The Mood
This bears repeating: If you go into any interaction with your own best interests in mind (“I need more sales”, “I need more clients”) then that selfish motive will taint everything you do in subtle ways that most other people can sense.
It is absolutely vital to your client experience that you set aside your own needs and focus on being generous to the potential clients. Be a ‘giver’ rather than a ‘taker’.
Pro Tip: Plan to have a few extra minutes before every interaction to make sure your mind and attitude are in the right place.
- Never enter The Initial Client Interview™ with predetermined opinions about the potential for revenue – that should be irrelevant to you thus far.
- By the end of the meeting you will have a clearer idea whether they are a ‘fit’ as a possible client, or not…
- At this point, however, your ONLY motivation should be providing great value and delivering an Extraordinary Client Experience™.
It’s never a waste of your time.
- You’re becoming well known for adding value, someone worth investing an hour with.
- You’re building a reputation and a cycle of steady referrals that can build your business
- You’re getting into, and staying in practice, for when Ideal Clients do come your way.
- Word of your Ideal Client Profile will also get around, attracting affluent people to you.
- Everyone who has an extraordinary experience is a potential source of more referrals.