If you haven't dated in a while, you might not realize that the word "ghost" has taken on a new meaning. Nowadays, it's a verb meaning to disappear on someone without a goodbye or explanation, a move commonly employed in romantic relationships that have fizzled. Of course, once the world got used to ghosting, a new term appeared. "Zombies" first ghost you, then reappear out of the blue at some point in the future.
I'd argue that these and other internet-inspired dating terms apply to prospecting new clients, since finding the right person to give you financial advice involves at least as much psychological nuance and delicacy as finding the right spouse. Prospective clients will — or won't — want to work with you depending on applicable criteria like their current assets, the immediacy of their goals and the current state of the market. Meanwhile. there will be literally dozens of other factors that have nothing to do with you.
So how can you win them over?
Be yourself (and know who that is)
There are many things that can affect advisor-client chemistry on a "first date," including the mood of both parties or the ambience of the locale. Ultimately, however, when it comes to real compatibility, a person's character supersedes those situational factors. While you may be able to woo a prospect with a killer pitch deck and buzzy phrases, a true advisor-client match blooms when the prospect knows who you are and how you work. Make it easy for a prospect to discern those things by delivering well-staked-out points of view on key topics, clearly explaining your approach to planning and articulating what makes you different from the competition.
Being upfront about who you are can feel risky, and indeed such forthrightness is more likely to earn you a "no" than trying to sell them what you think they're looking for. But such a "no" is preferable to the shaky "maybe" you'll get from a prospect you pandered to.
Be persistent
What if you were clear about who you are but still ended up with a "maybe"? Now what? How do you book that second date? The good news is that where it might be weird to check in regularly with a crush about the likelihood of a second date, in business, multiple follow-ups are acceptable. So if you leave your first prospect meeting with anything but a solid yes, follow up consistently.
Schedule them ahead of time using your customer relationship manager to prompt you. This follow-up technique is what's known as a "drip" campaign, since you keep a drip of information flowing.
Logistics are only part of it, however. Delivering concrete and pertinent information during those follow-ups is equally important. Who's more likely to get the second date: the person who asks their crush, "Did you get my voicemail about going out again?" or the one who follows up with, "We talked about going to a concert and I just saw your favorite band is playing locally next week. Want to go?" I can't think of a scenario where the first approach beats the second. In business, replicate this approach by reminding prospects why they liked you initially, building on that impression and then providing a concrete next step.
Be (a little bit) annoying
Nowadays, people tend to get a lot of emails and might miss some of your follow-ups, or see them and not respond. In this scenario, reaching out repeatedly is the best way to stay top of mind. True, if you become annoying, your prospects may get turned off. On the other hand, they may just keep you on the back burner until they're ready to engage. That's how you capture the zombies!
One way not to be annoying is to keep drip-campaign communications short as you aim to overcome the prospect's inertia. Ask for feedback, for instance, about why they aren't moving forward. The reason may be as simple as being too busy, which leads to a natural next question: "Can we follow up in six months?" The reason may also be a variation on "I'm not ready," which could give you insight on how to win them over. Ask if you can keep sharing educational content. Even if the answers themselves aren't fruitful, simply asking for feedback can be a win. People like to be heard and valued, and if you use this approach on a lead that's cooled, you improve your odds of them coming back sometime in the future — Zombie win! — or of them referring other folks your way.
