Hate Working Saturdays

[quote=keith121883]Working now appointments until this afternoon, its Saturday and Memorial Day Weekend. Just needed to vent a little andwantedto see if there was anyone else out there working today so I didnt feel so bad. Enjoy your weekend everyone. [/quote]

Who scheduled the Saturday appointments that you don't want?

Here's a hint: It was you.

I'm working too.  Don't feel bad. 

I will work a saturday here and there but you need time to clear your mind.  I work maybe 3-4 per year. 

This is a 24/7 job man.  I took my wife out last night for a nice dinner and ran into 3 clients.  Once you become part of the community it's tough to go anywhere and not run into a client or prospective client. 

You should work 9 - 2 at least 1 Saturday a month for a few years, it will pay off.  If you work like no one else will, you will live like know one else can. 

I dont mind working Saturdays for a couple hours in the morning. It gives me a chance to catch up on paperwork, send out press packages to prospects asking for info, plan the following week, etc... I try to get in about twice a month. Its amazing when I come in on Mondays and dont have 3 hours of crap work to take care of... It allows me to hit the ground runnning come Monday AM...

Everyone have a good weekend... you can catch me on the beach this afternoon- hopefully with 2-3 "prospects" and a cold one in hand for sure...

I'm here covering one of the branches in a supermarket.

Saw one of my prospective clients shopping, grabbed my own cart and "conincidentally" crossed paths in aisle 7.   After some small talk he agreed to a follow up meeting which should result in a sale.

Attempting to think outside the box,

Scrim

[quote=scrim67]

I'm here covering one of the branches in a supermarket.

Saw one of my prospective clients shopping, grabbed my own cart and "conincidentally" crossed paths in aisle 7.   After some small talk he agreed to a follow up meeting which should result in a sale.

Attempting to think outside the box,

Scrim

[/quote]

Nevermind...

Keith, if you hate it, don't do it.

If someone is serious about working with you, they can do it another time.

Of course, God worked 6 days to create the Earth, so are you sure that you can be successul working 5?

Personally, the only appointments that I do are M-F from 7:00 A.M.- 5:00 P.M.  The exception is a very occassional evening appointment if I know that I'll be making money on it.   That being said, I still work almost every weekend day and holiday day for a few hours if there is work to do. 

[quote=remotecontrol][quote=scrim67]

I'm here covering one of the branches in a supermarket.

Saw one of my prospective clients shopping, grabbed my own cart and "conincidentally" crossed paths in aisle 7.   After some small talk he agreed to a follow up meeting which should result in a sale.

Attempting to think outside the box,

Scrim

[/quote]

Nevermind...[/quote]

Since you won't, I will.  Scrim, from a prospect's perspective, that sounded pretty cheesy.  When you ran into him, what did you have in your cart?  Does the prospect know (or have reason to know) that you cover the branch?  It's one thing to have a chance run-in at a local store when you are there for real business, it's entirely another to set one up and run the risk of having your prospect think you're just another aggressive/sleazy salesman...and then to ask for a follow-up appt when a guy is trying to get his groceries and get out of a place he probably doesn't like anyway.  He probably told you yes just to get rid of you so he could keep moving.

...and covering a branch in a supermarket does nothing to enhance your image as a wealth manager, which is probably one of the factors holding your average account size down.  My May new accounts were $685K, $260K, $160K & $70K, and the last two were only opened because of the potential (both have significant assets in the bank and/or with other B/Ds).  That's hardly an impressive month by some standards, but if memory serves me right, it's higher than you usually shoot, and I'm wondering if you're selling yourself short.

Scrim, perhaps the encounter went nothing like I've surmised, and perhaps the prospect was just fine with it, but the whole tone of your email just reminded me of an ambulance chaser.  I applaud your efforts, and I'd lay good odds that you'll end up a survivor in an industry where survivors are in the decided minority, but I think you'll do better without having to appear so aggressive.

I hesitated to write this, and I don't want you to take offense.  I respect your efforts and I'm just encouraging you to try to raise your game a bit.

No offense taken, and thanks for the feedback.

I had to do my grocery shopping anyway for the memorial day weekend but yes, I did "bump" into him.    I didn't feel there was anything wrong or cheesy about that.

Working in a bank setting my accounts will tend to be smaller I think statistics do show.    When I look at the averages at my firm I'm in line with the average new account size but way ahead in number of accounts opened.

I'm sure when I get to a certain point in my practice I will be more choosy but now I'm just trying to establish relationships.

scrim

[quote=scrim67]

No offense taken, and thanks for the feedback.

I had to do my grocery shopping anyway for the memorial day weekend but yes, I did "bump" into him.    I didn't feel there was anything wrong or cheesy about that.

Working in a bank setting my accounts will tend to be smaller I think statistics do show.    When I look at the averages at my firm I'm in line with the average new account size but way ahead in number of accounts opened.

I'm sure when I get to a certain point in my practice I will be more choosy but now I'm just trying to establish relationships.

scrim

[/quote]

How come you had to run a shopping cart into him to get him to do a "follow up" meeting, whatever that is? Didn't you schedule one at the end of the first meeting? Is a meeting for people who couldn't close the first time? I don't get it.

Scrim

Do they announce you over the PA. Like "Attention Kroger shoppers Scrim our rate specialist is here"?

Scrim,

When a bank broker makes fun of you, you know it's a lost cause.

touche,

and yes, we did have a follow up meeting scheduled where I first met him in my regular office.   we had to postpone it last week and reschedule at a later date.

remember, working in the bank setting has different nuances I'm sure compared to other places.

does it really matter where physically our office is located?   this is a relationship business no matter where we call "home".

scrim

Sorry..stupid question here.

Who has branches in the grocery store? Is it like a bank, w/ "in house" rep? I've never seen anything like this. Maybe I never paid attention. ?

I have seen Wells Fargo ‘branches’ in local supermarkets… JOKE… I asked on guy what their current rates are on CD’s and he didnt even know… he had to call the “main office”…

[quote=remotecontrol][quote=scrim67]

No offense taken, and thanks for the feedback.

I had to do my grocery shopping anyway for the memorial day weekend but yes, I did "bump" into him.    I didn't feel there was anything wrong or cheesy about that.

Working in a bank setting my accounts will tend to be smaller I think statistics do show.    When I look at the averages at my firm I'm in line with the average new account size but way ahead in number of accounts opened.

I'm sure when I get to a certain point in my practice I will be more choosy but now I'm just trying to establish relationships.

scrim

[/quote]

How come you had to run a shopping cart into him to get him to do a "follow up" meeting, whatever that is? Didn't you schedule one at the end of the first meeting? Is a meeting for people who couldn't close the first time? I don't get it.

[/quote]

"Couldn't CLOSE the first time?" I got confused there for a minute, then I remembered- you are a SALES PERSON- not a Financial Advisor. You "pitch" ideas at your prospects, you can't have a meaningful conversation. Why don't you explain how you keep that poor widow in your office until she writes you a check?

Muny,

I would give what we do a little more credit than just being a 'sales person" as you put it.

Yes, I agree when you get down to the surface we are "sales" people but we are so much more than that in my opinion.

I view my practice as being a problem solver...perhaps I'm wearing rose colored glasses but in my heart I really do feel this way.

Much luck to you,

Scrim

Scrim, I commend the grace and maturity with which you respond.  Your efforts are very commendable even if some of us look at your methods and results with question.  Again, I see you as a survivor in this business and given the success ratio, that’s saying something.  Do I think you are currently on the ideal platform working with an ideal product mix? No, but the fact that you take feedback with maturity and learn from it, along with your apparent work ethic and desire, bodes well for your future.  Godspeed.

Scrim-

I actually was referring to the derogatory comment that Remote wrote concerning you not being able to 'close the deal' on the first meeting. He seems to spout off a lot about things he has no REMOTE knowledge of...

I gave you the benefit of doubt and thought only YOU know how the person would perceive your 'bumping into them'- and by the appointment it seems you made the right choice.

Since REMOTE seems to have spent his weekend on his @ss in front of his computer, challenging ideas that working people had, he probably is just envious he never got a new client that way.

My apologies Scrim, that you were offended.

thanks for the feedback indy.

My firm is full service and we do offer most products.    Mutual funds, annuities, wrap accts, stocks, bonds, UIT's.

We are prohibited from soliciting are EIA's and commodities.    I'm sure i'm missing a few others.

As my practice matures I do plan on offering LTC as I see this as a very untapped market and a great niche for my clientele.    My firm will allow us to solicit term life insurance in the near future.

This is a relationship business and two years into my practice I am still in the mode of gathering assets and forging relationship wherever I can, and that includes the supermarket  :)

Just like any business, there is more than one way to run it.    My long term goal is to run the business as I see fit and not have it run me.

my .02  YMMV

scrim

Muny,

Apology not necessary but accepted.

I wasn't offended at all.   It takes alot to do that as my disposition is rather benign (that's probably the wrong word but I don't have a thesaurus at my disposal).

When I'm sitting with a prospective client I usually tell them that if they decide not to do business with me I won't be offended.  However, I encourage them to take some action with another advisor since the status quo is probably not in their best interest long term.

Reverse psychology?   Not sure, ask Freud

scrim

Hate working Saturdays, COME IN ON SUNDAY INSTEAD

I think you are right on track. Pushing people into making quick financial decisions can backfire on you.  AND it's great that you encourage them do so something.

I predict you will do quite well.

Scrim,

I wasn't busting your balls about the loudspeaker.  I worked for a bank that had bankmarts when I first started I cringed at going to one and the other was ah not as bad. I will not judge you as I admire anyone who will do whatever it takes to be successful.

I myself am glad to never have to go back to the bankmart, although my normal office at that bank was not much better.  I am now with a top shelf institution and it feels more like me.