Let’s say you’re speaking with a client who is a member of a niche that you’d like to penetrate. They know you can work in that niche. After all, you’re working with them. The idea here is to shift their thinking over time to see you as the go-to specialist for that niche, increasing the likelihood they tell others about you and improving the story they tell, i.e., "My advisor really knows [XYZ niche]."
One way to do this is by dropping hints about your ability and desire to work with other people just like them. You don’t need to go overboard with this. Just throw in these one-liners during conversation from time to time. Consider the following verbiage:
Colleagues
“We love working with executives at XYZ firm—we really understand their needs. Getting a handle on the restricted stock issue is so important.”
Organizations
“We’ve found ourselves providing a lot of financial advice to members of the XYZ Alumni group. As your family knows, starting college funding early is important.”
Neighbors
“With all the families we work with in ABC neighborhood, I feel as though we’ve become part of the community.”
Family
“With all the planning we’ve done for your immediate family, I feel as though I know enough about your extended-family members to be advising them as well.”
Recreation
“It seems as though I’ve become the official advisor for golfers in the area.”
Professionals
“We really enjoy working with attorneys, as we’ve become very familiar with their unique needs.”
Friends
“I relate very well to professionals who work hard and play hard—like you and probably many of your friends.”
Think about your upcoming meetings for a moment. Are there any clients coming in who are part of a desirable niche or friend group?
@StephenBoswell is president of The Oechsli Institute and author of Best Practices of Elite Advisors. @KevinANichols is the chief operating officer for The Oechsli Institute and author of The Indispensable LinkedIn Sales Guide for Financial Advisors.