Dan Richards

Careful timing: Take it slow and steady with prospects

(July 2004) How many meetings should you plan to have with a prospect before asking them to do business with you? Traditional sales training taught advisors to ask for the sale from the very first call, using a litany of trial closes and sales techniques. Today, asking for the sale prematurely is worse than waiting […]

By Dan Richards |July 29, 2004

3 min read

Planning and Advice

Referral wrap-up: How to thank your clients for recommending you

(June 2004) As I discussed in the past three columns, a client’s personality makeup can sometimes make it impossible to induce referrals no matter how good a job you do. Getting that initial referral takes a lot of hard work on the advisor’s part, and for most clients, overcoming the natural apprehension about introducing friends […]

By Dan Richards |June 18, 2004

3 min read

Planning and Advice

Acceptance speech: How to communicate with clients and prospects when accepting referrals

(May 2004) There are two constituencies when accepting referrals: the existing client who provided the referral and the prospective client. When dealing with clients giving referrals, you have three objectives to consider: genuinely thanking them for their confidence, reaffirming their decision to work with you and maximizing the likelihood of future referrals. Contacting existing clients […]

By Dan Richards |May 13, 2004

3 min read