The Answer to "What do you do?"

[quote=bullbearbroker]The elevator pitch, the one liner. Let’s hear em?



“I work with retirees…” I am tired already…[/quote]



I lock people out of their life savings with annuities.

This is a good question.  I would be interested in hearing the other elevator pitchs too.  Here's mine:

Joe Blow: What do you do?
Me: I'm an emotion manager.
Joe Blow: What does that mean?
Me: Well technically, I'm a financial advisor, but in reality, I help people deal with their emotions.  Better yet, I help people take their emotions out of investing so they can focus on retirement.
Joe Blow: What does emotion have to do with investing?
Me: Have you ever held on to a stock, hoping that it would come back?
Joe Blow: Of course.
Me: Well, you shouldn't have.  I tell you what, let me get your card and I'll give you a call so we can talk more about this. 

[quote=entrylevelFA]

This is a good question.  I would be interested in hearing the other elevator pitchs too.  Here's mine:

Joe Blow: What do you do?
Me: I'm an emotion manager.
Joe Blow: What does that mean?
Me: Well technically, I'm a financial advisor, but in reality, I help people deal with their emotions.  Better yet, I help people take their emotions out of investing so they can focus on retirement.
Joe Blow: What does emotion have to do with investing?
Me: Have you ever held on to a stock, hoping that it would come back?
Joe Blow: Of course.
Me: Well, you shouldn't have.  I tell you what, let me get your card and I'll give you a call so we can talk more about this. 

[/quote]

I like that!  I'll remember that one!

I manage the serious money of a select group of clients in (fill in the blank w/ your prospecting locations)

If they seem like a real jacka$$:

"I own a private investment-management firm. I can have someone call you the next time we decide to take on more clients. We can then send you an application and set up a time so we can interview you to see if you meet our qualifications. (Don't offer a card, wait for them to ask for one.)"

I love doing that... 

I make everyone that invests with me a million dollars.

What?? How do you do that??

Its easy..  Give me 2 million and I will show you what they taught me at EDJ.

“I help individuals and businesses build, protect and preserve their assets.”

"I own a private investment-management firm. I can have someone call you the next time we decide to take on more clients. We can then send you an application and set up a time so we can interview you to see if you meet our qualifications. (Don't offer a card, wait for them to ask for one.)"

That approach actually works sometimes... People want what they cant have... Or what they perceive to be unable to get...

"I'm the David Copperfield of finance.  I make $ dissapear."

In my experience, the "elevator speech" is bs.  Not going to get you any clients, unless of course your entire day is spent at networking events.  I mention my company/position, and that is all.  If they are truly interested, they'll start talking about the market and THERE is where my savvy/experience will be heard.  Also- I will very quickly mention my account minimum (in a non-offensive way) and talk a bit about my experience.  Works very well.  I NEVER give out a business card, but will accept their card only after they (literally) place it in my hand. 

[quote=The Judge]

In my experience, the “elevator speech” is
bs.  Not going to get you any clients, unless of course your
entire day is spent at networking events.

[quote=bullbearbroker]The elevator pitch, the one liner. Let's hear em?

"I work with retirees...." I am tired already...[/quote]

I would think Mother Merrill would teach you better than that???

Joe Blow: What do you do?
Me: I'm an emotion manager.
Joe Blow: What does that mean?
Me: Well technically, I'm a financial advisor, but in reality, I help people deal with their emotions.  Better yet, I help people take their emotions out of investing so they can focus on retirement.
Joe Blow: What does emotion have to do with investing?
Me: Have you ever held on to a stock, hoping that it would come back?
Joe Blow: Of course.
Me: Well, you shouldn't have.  I tell you what, let me get your card and I'll give you a call so we can talk more about this. 

Something tells me that if this actually worked, you wouldn't be posting asking about direct mail.

I would think that the most common response would be:

You: I'm an emotion manager.
Joe Blow: Great.  Good luck to you. Have a great day.

If you get through your whole dialog, do you think that the person is perceiving you in the way that you want?  It sounds like this would come off as cheesy at best.

The one that I use most often is: "I own a business.  What is it that you do?"  I want the conversation to be about them and not me.  This will let me know if I'm interested in talking to them from a business perspective.   If there is time for an actual conversation, the conversation will circle back to my business. 

Once in a blue moon, my response will be: "I sell large permanent life insurance policies to people who believe in term insurance."  This almost always leads into a substantial conversation, thus it's not suitable for the "elevator".  I've used this one maybe 5 times total and 3 of the people are now clients.   Interesting enough, none of the 3 own permanent life insurance with me.  The key was that it struck up an interesting conversation. 

"I'm in the investment business, I manage money for people."

It always comes down to this.

My initial reaction was that this sounds like some cheesy, overly contrived, beat around the bush pick-up lines you might imagine women hear in a bar at closing time. 

People in general are selfish with their time.  Therefore, you have about a moment to intrigue even the people with the highest levels of integrity.  It happens so quickly that you will probably be knee high to the world on your own soapbox of self promotion before you notice the other person is trying to figure out their escape plan. 

What happened?

They have already gone back to thinking about something more interesting...  Themself.

Humans all seem to have to have two things in common.  We all want to be as successful as possible in as little time as possible in regard to the things we don't enjoy.  This allows us to spend as much time as we would like doing the things we do enjoy.  Not all, but most humans like to talk more than they listen.  For this reason we all quickly catagorize experiences that are relevant or useful to this end goal. 

The line contributed by ANONYMOUS sounds excellent.  "I own my own business.  What do you do?"  Thank you for your incite.  It will keep a person from automatically categorizing you as irrelevant and yet make them up their interest in you by talking about something more interesting.  Themself.

We chase that which retreats from us.

[quote=anonymous]

Joe Blow: What do you do?
Me: I'm an emotion manager.
Joe Blow: What does that mean?
Me: Well technically, I'm a financial advisor, but in reality, I help people deal with their emotions.  Better yet, I help people take their emotions out of investing so they can focus on retirement.
Joe Blow: What does emotion have to do with investing?
Me: Have you ever held on to a stock, hoping that it would come back?
Joe Blow: Of course.
Me: Well, you shouldn't have.  I tell you what, let me get your card and I'll give you a call so we can talk more about this. 

Something tells me that if this actually worked, you wouldn't be posting asking about direct mail.

I would think that the most common response would be:

You: I'm an emotion manager.
Joe Blow: Great.  Good luck to you. Have a great day.

If you get through your whole dialog, do you think that the person is perceiving you in the way that you want?  It sounds like this would come off as cheesy at best.

The one that I use most often is: "I own a business.  What is it that you do?"  I want the conversation to be about them and not me.  This will let me know if I'm interested in talking to them from a business perspective.   If there is time for an actual conversation, the conversation will circle back to my business. 

Once in a blue moon, my response will be: "I sell large permanent life insurance policies to people who believe in term insurance."  This almost always leads into a substantial conversation, thus it's not suitable for the "elevator".  I've used this one maybe 5 times total and 3 of the people are now clients.   Interesting enough, none of the 3 own permanent life insurance with me.  The key was that it struck up an interesting conversation. 

[/quote]

This isn't a cold script...this is seeing someone for the Nth time and they don't know what you do but they notice you wear a suit.  Matter of fact, I just used this yesterday...it's not so much cheesy as it is an icebreaker.  I got a laugh out of the doctor who asked, then he went on to tell me about how emotions get the best of him investing.  Mission accomplished.

As for the direct mail questions, I figure if I had a way to prospect from my home in the 8 p.m.-11 p.m. range when my wife and I watch TV that it would help with my business building. 

entrylevel, I apologize for the direct mail pot shot.  It's important to have several ways to attract clients.

[quote=entrylevelFA]

This is a good question.  I would be interested in hearing the other elevator pitchs too.  Here's mine:

Joe Blow: What do you do?
Me: I'm an emotion manager.
Joe Blow: What does that mean?
Me: Well technically, I'm a financial advisor, but in reality, I help people deal with their emotions.  Better yet, I help people take their emotions out of investing so they can focus on retirement.
Joe Blow: What does emotion have to do with investing?
Me: Have you ever held on to a stock, hoping that it would come back?
Joe Blow: Of course.
Me: Well, you shouldn't have.  I tell you what, let me get your card and I'll give you a call so we can talk more about this. 

[/quote]

Barf.

[quote=Bobby Hull][quote=entrylevelFA]

This is a good question.  I would be interested in hearing the other elevator pitchs too.  Here's mine:

Joe Blow: What do you do?
Me: I'm an emotion manager.
Joe Blow: What does that mean?
Me: Well technically, I'm a financial advisor, but in reality, I help people deal with their emotions.  Better yet, I help people take their emotions out of investing so they can focus on retirement.
Joe Blow: What does emotion have to do with investing?
Me: Have you ever held on to a stock, hoping that it would come back?
Joe Blow: Of course.
Me: Well, you shouldn't have.  I tell you what, let me get your card and I'll give you a call so we can talk more about this. 

[/quote]

Barf.

[/quote]

You're a homo.

[quote=entrylevelFA][quote=Bobby Hull][quote=entrylevelFA]

This is a good question.  I would be interested in hearing the other elevator pitchs too.  Here's mine:

Joe Blow: What do you do?
Me: I'm an emotion manager.
Joe Blow: What does that mean?
Me: Well technically, I'm a financial advisor, but in reality, I help people deal with their emotions.  Better yet, I help people take their emotions out of investing so they can focus on retirement.
Joe Blow: What does emotion have to do with investing?
Me: Have you ever held on to a stock, hoping that it would come back?
Joe Blow: Of course.
Me: Well, you shouldn't have.  I tell you what, let me get your card and I'll give you a call so we can talk more about this. 

[/quote]

Barf.

[/quote]

You're a homo.

You’re a homo.

So much for being an emotion manager.

Yeah, but it was the first time I’ve actually laughed out loud while reading this forum.

[quote=Spaceman Spiff]Yeah, but it was the first time I’ve actually laughed out loud while reading this forum. [/quote]

Emotion Managers don’t laugh out loud.  They are very serious and stern all the time.

[quote=entrylevelFA]

You're a homo.

[/quote]

I'm a hetero-sapien, myself.

Hey Judge,

You seem like you put a lot of thought into everything you do. I'm serious , this is not some crap, like looking to start a fight or something. I;ve read a number of your posts, and you are different.

I might be completely wrong here, but I'd bet you have a pretty serious business.

Curious, if I'm right, and if so, how you built it

Really no bulls**t, no ulterior motives.