Sales has changed forever. Not every business, brand and company is going to survive the changing landscape. Top salespeople are going to adapt, and they are going to use technology to accelerate growth. Growing your business in these uncertain times is not easy, and many professionals don’t know what that entails. Some financial advisors are paralyzed with fear, and the strong will NOT survive. Bold people willing to adapt are going to see positive changes in market share.
Growing your business in a virtual world is cheaper than traditional methods, and it involves creativity. Several of my clients have told me they are going to weather the storm and see what happens. What do their clients want? The sales process has evolved, and these are the tools to grow with it.
Social media – Growing your business with social media is critical. In 2019 people spent more than 2 hours per day on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. Successful advisors invest a minimum of 15 minutes per day on LinkedIn. They Like, Share, Comment and Post content to benefit their audience. They spend time sending direct messages with links to articles to benefit their clients. Update your LinkedIn profile and begin engaging with your clients SOCIALLY.
Build a Better LinkedIn Profile
Webinars – Zoom is our webinar platform of choice, but there are a lot of other options. Top advisors use webinars as part of their sales process. Webinars are a valuable resource to share with your audience. Provide content that interests your audience. Very few people have time to watch live events. Set yourself apart from the competition by recording your events and provide them On-Demand. As part of your digital marketing plan, include blogs and your webinar schedule on your website.
Mobile Tech / Apps – Growing your business with technology begins with apps. TurboScan scans documents to PDF or JPEG format. My mother used to track her drives by recording odometer readings in a paper notebook. I track my mileage with MileIQ and email the information to my accountant. All of my drives are saved to the cloud with associated notes and the type of car I used. My clients use Quickbooks to pay me, and the invoices are paid faster than older methods of paper checks.
Just Tell Me No (A Sales Skill)
Training – I looked at the LinkedIn profile of an award winning wholesaler recently, and I noticed she had been training on LinkedIn skills. She is learning more than her competition, and it is readily displayed on her profile. In addition to LinkedIn skills, now is the time for growing your business with online classes and workshops. Train your staff on cyber security, ID theft prevention and social media management. If your staff is working from home, offer them incentives to master the skills that give your office an edge.
Phone – Pick up the phone! Some advisors are afraid to interrupt their clients with a phone call. You are managing their money, so they want to hear from you. All of us get too many emails. Phone calls are personal and direct. Schedule part of your day for phone calls and voicemails. Record the notes from the call in your CRM, and schedule any follow up calls for later in the week. Sales professionals use every possible resource to give themselves an advantage.
Growing your business in a virtual world has distinct advantages. It saves advisors money, and they can build large groups of followers and clients. Like many industries, financial services is changing. Professionals have the choice to adapt and grow their business or hold on to the past.
Scientifically Speaking, of course…
Need help with your LinkedIn profile or social media coaching? We can help!
