When I was considering working with a financial planner some years ago, I identified three of the top money managers in my network and asked to have a phone interview.
I expected them to show up with information about themselves, their firms, other people they represented that I might know, and an analysis of my potential profile and investment suggestions they had, given where I was in my career. And they did.
Almost.
Two of the managers gave a brief pitch about themselves, their investment strategy and where they saw the market going. Then they got to the most important part of the conversation: me.
The third manager talked about himself, his 30 years in the business, what he had accomplished, how he was ranked against other wealth managers, his awards, and a list of satisfied customers. All of this accompanied by a giant PDF he had sent with the details and certificates of achievement. It was impressive, for 10 minutes, and I was sold. After another 20 minutes, I wasn’t MORE sold and, in fact, was growing tired of the self-promotion.
When the time came for this uber-investment whiz to discuss the market, he began looking at some reports his assistant had prepared (he had not read them in advance). And then he whiffed.
He did not have any sense of what sort of strategy would make sense for me. The reason? He had no information about me. He hadn’t asked a single question. He was more interested in telling me about himself.
In other words, the one thing I was most interested in, “How should I invest my money?” is the one thing he was not prepared to discuss. He said he would get back to me with “a plan.”
To be a truly great sales person, the primary focus is “how do I help the client.” If you are in front of a client, you got there because you met the table stakes of being worth talking to. It’s OK to credentialize yourself a bit before asking questions to understand the client’s interests. But in the interview, you’re not selling yourself; you’re selling what you can do to make the client more successful based on your talent and experience. It’s never about you, even when it’s about you.
The current state of affairs: the crisis of COVID-19, the economic downturn and the collapse of the oil market, highlights this more than ever.
Everybody has been impacted in some way or another, including service providers. And top service providers know this is the time to jump into action and show clients they are ready to help.
Contrary to what the pundits on the business channels are saying about this being a “business opportunity,” trying to “sell” in a crisis stinks of self-interest and opportunism. In times of trouble the best companies show up and say, “We’re in this together. What can we do for you?” Yes, the crisis presents an opportunity: to build relationships and show our clients it’s always about them.
