Financial advisors perhaps feel most comfortable leveraging their knowledge and the statistics they’re familiar with to impress clients. But increasingly, the prospect conversion game has become less about who has the most financial knowledge and more about the advisor who emotionally connects with their investor.
We can see this in everything, from written articles to in-person meetings to seminars. Advisors who lead with PowerPoint presentations laden with percentages and charts get glazed-over looks, while the ones who share a personal financial story truly connect with their audience. And this isn’t just anecdotally true; it’s a neuroscience-proven fact.
When a person hears raw data, it’s only the language processing part of their brain that engages. So, throw dozens of facts and figures at a person, and not only are they apt to remember a small portion of it, but they also won’t fully connect with it. Meanwhile, when a person hears a story, the areas of their brain tied to emotions, senses and even movement literally light up.
Great Stories Make People Feel Something
So, what makes a good story? After all, any advisor could share that they work with whatever type of population and help them reach their financial goals. But speaking in that plain and non-specific language won’t move the dial. Stories that convert prospects into clients need very specific ingredients to be successful.
The most effective stories are structured with a hero (a real or anonymized client), their struggle (with enough specificity to evoke a personal connection), a guide (the advisor) and the solution (which should be clearly defined). It’s vital that in the struggle and solution portion of the stories that measurable, relatable and understandable information is incorporated. After all, there’s a massive difference between “my client was worried she couldn’t retire” and “my client was giving herself an ulcer worrying about having to work until she was 80.”
What’s the importance of the details? While not everyone in the audience could or should relate to having an ulcer over their retirement planning, most people know what it feels like to have that anxious pit in their stomach, dreading the idea of working forever. That’s a feeling you want your audience to tap into—because once you engage both mind and heart, you can show how you’ll help resolve that concern.
Use Numbers That Matter — and Make Them Matter
In the example above, the number 80 is a powerful one. It prompts a vivid image: declining health while still chained to a computer. So, while it’s not a blanket rule to remove all numbers and statistics from your prospect presentations, ensure that these are numbers that move the needle and humanize you and your work.
How can advisors know they have “the goods” ahead of meeting with prospects? Practice your presentation in front of your family, a trusted friend, or a neighbor—anyone who will give honest feedback. When you see that person light up and engage, you know you have it.
#Key #Emotional #Connection