While The Cat’s Away…

This week I presented the [tag]keynote[/tag] speech to a gathering of top financial advisors with Smith Barney, a division of Citigroup, which was held at the American Club in Kohler, Wisconsin. This educational conference was attended by advisors from five states, as well as representatives from 14 [tag]financial services distributors[/tag] who “wholesale” investment products through these advisors. My presentation was on [tag]client referrals[/tag] and [tag]client relationship development[/tag], but I picked up a great idea from one of the wholesalers.

He mentioned that most of the [tag]financial advisors[/tag] in attendance were in his territory. Knowing these FA’s would be at this conference for three days, and that their assistants would be back at their offices, he decided to do something nice for these assistants. The wholesaler had his assistant send each of the FA’s sales assistants a note recognizing their hard work while their boss was at the conference, along with a $10 [tag]Starbucks[/tag] gift card. A little caffeine helps when you are putting in long hours!

Let’s examine this example of [tag]sales excellence[/tag].

• The [tag]investment wholesaler[/tag] either started or maintained a relationship with the “Gatekeeper” for some of his best clients and prospects
• He also helped his internal wholesaler do the same
• The sales assistants will likely mention this to the FA in a favorable light
• The wholesaler made himself stand out from his competition.

When the cat’s away, often their assistants shoulder the load for keeping clients happy and the business running. Too many salespeople ignore, and in some cases are rude to their clients’ assistants. This simple expression of recognition and appreciation goes a long way to making certain you get past these gatekeepers when you call for an appointment. When competitors call, assistants often have a say in what products salespeople choose to sell. At the end of the day, it never hurts to be nice to people.

What ideas do YOU have for reaching out to assistants of your clients and prospects? Write a reply to this post if you have an idea you would like to share.

Good selling!