Five Patterns

Pattern No. 1 - Towards vs. Away. This buying pattern can be thought of as pleasure (towards) versus fear (away). For example, if you were to ask a client, "What is most important to you in a financial advisor?" they might say, "I want someone who is proactive, who has my best interests at heart," etc. Or they might answer, "I don't want to be abandoned, or feel like my phone calls won't be returned." You can probably see that the first is towards and the second is away. By answering the question, "What do you look for in a financial advisor - what's most important?" you can understand that if they answer positively and proactively they definitely want a "towards" strategy, so you will want to spend time telling them how great it is going to be to work together. But if you have a person that's complaining, you should tell them all the things you won't do, like not calling or not meeting with them. In essence you give each of them what they want.

Pattern No. 2 - Internal vs. External Frames of Reference. An internal frame of reference means the person is capable of sorting out in their minds whether something makes sense to them or not - they have an internal strategy. References don't mean much to people like that. They don't need a lot of background data - it either feels good to them or not. But a person with an external frame of reference is the opposite. This person does the research, asks for references, and wants to know how other sources feel about your strategies and advice. If you have an internal person and you give them a lot of external data, it's meaningless to them. If you have an external person and you do not provide what they require in order to make a decision, they will not make that decision. In your questioning of people, ask how they decided to go with their last financial advisor.

Pattern No. 3 - Completion vs. Process. Process buyers spend a lot of time on the process prior to making a decision. We like to call them engineer-like. They will drive you crazy; they will take a lot of time - they have a process they need to go through. If somebody says, "I've got to go home and sleep on it," that would be an indication of a process person. A completion person, on the other hand, would say, "Let's just do it." If you are dealing with a process-orientated person and you try to shortcut their process, you will destroy the rapport you have with them and they will not do business with you. They have to go through their sequencing. Ask this question: "I'm curious. How much time did you take before you decided on your last advisor?" Ask them about any major decision (e.g., car or home), and how long it took them to decide about it. Their answer will give you a lot of insight. With a completion person, however, if you violate their rules, give them too much process, and don't get it done soon enough, you will lose them.

Pattern No. 4 - Convincer Strategies. How does a person become convinced of something? We communicate through auditory, visual, and kinesthetic processes; and via body language. We each need to have data presented to us in a way that matches our strategy. Here are some ways to tell how a person processes: (1) Visual: if they are visually reading every word, every chart, every graph, then they have a visual convincer strategy - they need to see things in order to be convinced of them; this kind of client always wants to come in and see you. (2) Auditory: you can give them the proposal and it's like they never saw it - they need to hear it; they will pay much more attention to what you say then what is written. (3) Kinesthetic or internal: these are the most difficult to deal with because until they tell you, you really don't know where you stand. You can't read them - they have their own internal strategies. They will say, "My gut tells me," or, "I feel like this is a good decision." So you should say something like, "Well, do you feel like this is the right strategy for you?"

Pattern No. 5 - Big Picture vs. Detail. Be aware that when you talk to a person, it is important to ask this question: "In order for you to feel comfortable making a decision, how much information are you going to need - do you want me to give you just the big picture of what I recommend, or do you need or want to know all the background information?" People tend to sell and communicate based on their own natural state. If you are a big picture person, you tend to talk in big picture terms - you tend not to get into detail. That's okay for big picture people, but when you deal with a detail-orientated person, it's not enough and you will not get the results you want.

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Since our inception we have helped over 400 financial consultants
make the move to independence.

"I cannot express to you the joy and the increase in quality of life that I have found since leaving the wirehouse world."
Shane Merritt, Branch Manager
Merritt Capital Management

Here Are A Few of the Benefits of "Going Independent":

· Payouts on all your business, including fee based accounts of 90% plus.

· The opportunity for you, not someone at the home office, to control your bottom line and the profitability of your practice.

· The opportunity to build related businesses such as insurance, qualified plans, or trust companies, and keep those revenues.

· The opportunity to eliminate your clients' perceptions of conflicts of interest with research departments and corporate finance groups - TRUE OBJECTIVITY.

· The opportunity to charge and keep substantial fee income for planning, analysis and other services to your clients.

· The availability of technology that is as good or better than anything you have now.

The list goes on...

This month's Broker-Dealer Opportunity:

Partnering with the right people is as important to their success as it is to yours. And, as the financial services industry continues to evolve, the need for financial strength, integrity, vision, and support becomes paramount. If your broker/dealer does not give you a feeling of security, maybe its time to take control of your career.

Our client is committed to providing you with the tools you need to succeed, along with a competitive commission structure, so you can realize your financial goals. They offer you a full range of top-quality products and services to give you the freedom to engineer the best solution for your clients. And, recognizing that technology is a driving force in the changing face of the financial services industry, they are devoted to delivering the technology and systems to make your practice more efficient.

TECHNOLOGY:
Our client recognizes that technology is a driving force in the changing face of the financial services industry. Their commitment to technology helps you keep up with your clients spiraling expectations and keep pace with industry changes. This BD is embracing technological advances. They're devoted to delivering the technology and systems to make your practice more efficient. They're committed to helping you move to a paperless environment.
CLIENT SERVICES/SUPPORT:
This BD differentiates itself from other broker/dealers through the level of service and support provided by a dedicated home office support staff. Experienced and knowledgeable individuals in all departments take pride in working with Affiliate partners to achieve mutual success.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:
As competition increases and practices evolve, continuing your professional development is critical to future success. As a Broker/dealer partner, our client provides many opportunities through multiple mediums for Affiliates to stay ahead of their competition and gain the needed knowledge to manage a successful practice. Through the company web site, workshops, symposiums, and retreats you have plenty of opportunities to network and continue your professional development.
COMMISSIONS:
They support their Representatives independence by providing a highly competitive commission structure, which is determined by how an Advisor affiliates with this BD. Affiliation options are based on an Advisors previous 12-month Gross Dealer Concession and Fees. Minimum production to affiliate with this BD, under home office supervision, is $100,000 of previous 12 months gross dealer concession. If your production is less than $100K, other affiliation arrangements can be made.

If you know someone who might be interested in the above opportunity or who might be ready to go Independent, please have them visit www.goingindependent.com (go to our Opportunities section and click on Hotjobs) or contact Jason Burke directly at 727-725-8876.