Tip of the Month Newsletter July, 2007 In this issue: Use the July 4 holiday to secure referrals Use the summer to get refreshed and maintain business momentum Using summer to raise your game Workshops coming to you July 4 Note Use the July 4th Holiday to Secure Referrals This period around the Independence Day holiday provide a terrific pportunity to identify quality prospects in our clients' networks. We can do this is a very subtle and friendly way. Once we know the important relationships in our clients' lives, we can qualify them and secure an introduction when appropriate. The more we know about our clients' networks, the easier it is to secure referrals. It starts with a simple question: "Who will you (did you) get to see over the holiday?" Listen, take notes, and ask a conversationally relevant follow-up question such as "How long have you known ____? What does ___ do?" You can continue the qualification questions in subsequent conversations and then seek the introduction of those that pass your qualification screen. Back to top Use the Summer to Get Refreshed AND Maintain Your Momentum Summer presents that wonderful time to ease the throttle back and spend more time with children and friends. Because of lower client service demands, it is tempting to "ease off" on your daily disciplines and slow down the momentum in your business. However, there is a big risk. Most people significantly underestimate the cost to "get things cranked up again" once summer is over. How do you enjoy the summer, get refreshed, AND maintain business disciplines and momentum? Take more days off and be sure to maintain your daily disciplines on days you work. Keep coming in early, do your prospecting activity, make your client contact calls, and make sure you have a summer development program. Be the role model for your team of maintaining time disciplines, even when activity is slow. In this way, you won't have to take time "getting back into the swing of things". When at play, play. When at work, work. Back to top Using the Summer to Raise Your Game While many advisors take the slower lull in client activity of summer "to chill", the achievers use this time to elevate their skills and upgrade their systems. Achievers recognize that the summer slow down in client activity presents a special window of opportunity to focus on personal and business development. This is the best time of year to make system upgrades because the of client service demands are lower. If you do, you business will be much stronger when activity picks up in the fall. What areas in your business do you want to strengthen this summer? Here is a partial list of areas that could impact your business. Establish and implement a proven referral system that generates consistent flows of quality referrals from clients, prospects, and centers of influence Strengthen time management habits and systems to generate more income and more personal time Strengthen bonds with your most profitable clients in order to retain, expand, and replicate the relationships Position yourself as "The Expert" in a profitable target market and build a dominant position Establish and implement consistent service standards that distinguish you and forge strong client loyalty Streamline internal operations to free up the advisor's time and develop better controls Strengthen listening effectiveness and selling style to enhance relationships with clients and prospects Summer will pass. The question is: "Do you want to have a stronger systems in place by Labor Day?" If you want to capitalize on the summer to strengthen your business, send an email to info@referralmastery.com. We will send you a complete description of coaching options, results other have achieved, and the guide "5 Reasons NOT to Hire a Coach". You can also call 800-865-2867. Click here to learn more. Back to top Referral Mastery Workshop Near You It's been my pleasure to conduct workshops recently for Wachovia Securities, A. G. Edwards, Merrill Lynch, Bank of America, Wachovia Bank, Genworth, MD Management, Sun Life Financial Distributors, and OppenheimerFunds. I appreciate the opportunity to contribute to the success of these firms and their conferences. I am scheduled to present in upcoming weeks in Chicago, Cleveland, Richmond, St. Louis, Kansas City, and S. Indiana, While some of these sessions are firm-specific, others have available seats for guests. Let me know if you want to receive an invitation to those sessions where guests are allowed. Back to top July 4 Note On this holiday, it is worth thinking about President Kennedy's challenge to us all - "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." Have a joyful holiday!