On the Load/no load thread some great ideas are being posted on how to show prospects the value of using an advisor to help them. On a broader scale selling intangibles can be a challenge when trying to articulate just what it is that we can do for a prospect. Babbling Looney has posted some very good ways to take make the intangible visual.

 Along those lines here is another idea.  Some of you may already be familiar with it. This works best with a group, but can be done in one on one meetings as well. To do this you will need blank letterhead sized paper, a straight edge ruler, a pencil and a copy machine. Here's the idea:

1. Get a of piece of blank letter sized paper.

2. Draw two lines on the paper dividing it horizontally and vertically. The paper should be divided into four equal quadrants.

3. Starting in the lower right quadrant and continuing counter clockwise around the paper start numbering the quadrants. Number one goes in the lower right quadrant, number two in the upper right quadrant, number three in the upper left quadrant and number four in the lower left quadrant.

4. Continue to number the page, counter clockwise, up to number 99.  Asymmetry counts here. As you round the page going from corner to corner put the asending numbers in different positions within the quad. For example if the number 10 is near the center of the page, within it's quad, put the number 11 close to the edge. Make sure that there are numbers near the center lines.

5. When you're finished the page should be filled with numbers. Starting at the number one go around the quad counting up to make sure all the numbers are in their repective quads. Each consecutive number should be in a different quad.

6. Make a copy of the sheet.

7. Once a copy of the lined sheet is made, erase the lines on the original.

8. Make another copy of the original. There should be no evidence of the lines on this copy. There shoudn't be any obvious division between the quads. The sheet should look like a bunch of jumbled numbers.

9. Make as many copies of both the lined and non lined sheets as you need to cover a prospect meeting/seminar/workshop. Each prospect gets one of each sheet.

How to use:

Give each prospect a copy of the non lined sheet. If it's a group tell'em it's a little contest, fun with numbers. Then tell them the rules. and they are: When I say go I want you to circle as many numbers as you can until I say stop. I'm going to give you one minute(Or thirty seconds, whatever you think will work) to circle as many numbers as you can. You must circle the numbers in order, starting with one and then circling the numbers in order, 1, 2, 3, etc.  Make sure everyone understands the rules. Then say start. At the end of the time period say stop. Then ask: by a show of hands how many people got more than five, ten, fifteen etc until no one is left standing. For a group, give out a prize to the winner. Then hand out page two, the lined sheet. Using the same procedure instruct them to circle the numbers in asending order.  Only this time tell them the secret to success. Let them know that one is in the bottom right corner and two is in the upper right corner and that the numbers go up as they circle the page counter clockwise. give'em the start/stop signals and then find out who did the best this time. The numbers will be much higher this time. Then ask, by a show of hands(again this works one on one as well) how many people did better the second time? Everyone's hand will go up. You then say words to this effect; This shows what we can do for you. We take something complex, help you understand it, give you a plan, and in doing so, increase your performance. We help you make sense of the numbers. This is the value that we bring to every relationship.

It works.