Appointment Process

Pre Text

Hey [Prospect] this is [Your Name]. [Referrer] asked me to reach out to you. Are you available for a phone call?

Call Introduction 🔊

Hi [Prospect], this is [Your Name]. Your friend, [Introducer] asked me to give you a call. She mentioned my name to you didn’t she?

Is this a good time to talk for a few minutes?

[If Yes] Ok wonderful!

[If No] After they’ve given you a reason why they can’t talk — Yes of course, in fact [Prospect] let’s do this, I know you have a busy schedule and I’ve got a busy schedule, lets just schedule something so that I can make sure I’m available at the same time. Does 1pm or 3pm work better for you? Great, also, if it’s okay with you, I’ll reach out to you since I’m not sure what phone number I’ll have available at that moment.

Let me ask you, what did [Introducer] tell you about what I do? (answer doesn’t matter – just want to know what they know) Right, ok.

And can I ask you, what area of your financial situation, would you say, is of greatest interest or greatest concern to you?

Ok great, I hear that a lot. If it’s ok with you [Prospect], let me just ask you a few questions so I can get a sense of your situation. Then, I’ll describe to you the way I work, and we can see where we go from there. Is that okay?

Quick Interview (Don’t get to specific) 🔊

What do you do for work? Do you have a retirement plan through work?

[If Yes] What type of plan is it? Are you contributing to it? How is the money allocated in those plans?

[If No] Do you have any money saved outside of work? Is it an old 401k, IRA, or what? Are you contributing to it? How is it allocated in those plans? Do you remember the name of the company you have it with, like it is at a bank or mutual fund?

Are you married?

[If Yes] What does your spouse do for work? What do they have in place for retirement? Are they also contributing to the plan? Do they have a retirement plan outside of work?

So basically what we have for retirement is [repeat back to them what they told you]

Tell me about debt. Do you have a mortgage? Credit cards? Loan payments? Auto Loans? Student Loans?

Any children still at home? [If No] Is there anyone that you’re financially responsible for?

Do you have life insurance outside of work?

[If Yes] Do you know what kind of policy it is? Do you remember how you got it? Did you get it for the life insurance aspect or like a retirement plan?

[If No] Ok

Do you have an updated will or durable power of attorney?

Okay and last question, do you normally get a tax refund? [If Yes] About how much?

I appreciate you giving me some insight. Let me explain to you the way I work, then, we can see where we go from there. Fair enough?

Explain The Process 🔊

Basically, the way I like to describe what I do is I help people make smart decisions with their money, and when I work with people, this is the basic process that I go through. If we were to get together, I’d meet with you and your spouse, and interview you, similar to what we just did, but obviously, in a lot more detail, and throughout the course of the interview, I’ll give you different ideas, thoughts, things that you can consider, but we’re not going to make any decisions. I’ll just give you the ideas.

Based on the conversation we just had, [Prospect], I would say there’s probably…3…4, 5…there’s probably 4 or 5 specific ideas or thoughts I have for you; things to either help you make money or save money or just overall feel better financially, but again, we wouldn’t actually make any decisions, I would just give you some ideas to think about.

The second time we get together, which is typically a week, or two weeks down the road, based upon our mutual availability, I provide you all my thoughts in writing through something called a financial needs analysis. And a financial needs analysis is basically written recommendations. It gives you options, strategies, and action steps on how to accomplish the things that you tell me are important. Does that make sense?

How I Get Compensated 🔊

Now, by any chance, did [Referrer] explain to you how I get compensated? 

[If Yes] Well let me cover it, just so I know we’re both on the same page and then you’ll understand why [Introducer] was so comfortable introducing the two of us.

[If No] Ok, great. I’m glad I asked. Well, let me explain that to you, and then you’ll understand why [Introducer] was so comfortable introducing the two of us.

The first thing I want to let you know is - I don’t charge a monetary fee for what I do. So, if we get together, and we work together for say a week, a month, a year, or the next 30 years, there’s never going to be a time when you’re going to write a check to me for my help, my advice, my insight, anything like that.

So, here’s how I get compensated - there’s two parts to it. First, the second time we get together, we go through the written recommendations… If you choose to take my advice, which is clearly up to you, many of the places that I refer you to, they pay me a fee or commission. That’s the basic business model I use. So, the bottom line really is, they pay me; and you don’t. So, even if you did all the research on your own and you and google came up with the same set of recommendations, it literally doesn’t make one penny difference for you. Does that make sense?

And second, because I don’t charge for my time, and I think whether it’s [Referrer] or anybody else that you might know that I work with, would tell you, I’m not a clock-watcher, I’m pretty generous with my time, once I accept somebody as a client, I give you access to me for the rest of your life. I have clients that call me on Friday nights, on Saturday mornings, holidays… I truly enjoy what I do so it’s never an issue.. I do have a rule though which is if I’m with my family or I’m in the middle of another meeting then I don’t answer the phone – but all other times, I really enjoy doing this so I make myself available.

Additionally, due to the nature of the job, I tend to end up having conversations in areas where I don’t get compensated.

(You mentioned your 401k, so that’s probably going to be one of the more important conversations we have, but clearly I’m not going to get compensated by your company for reviewing your 401k or answering questions about your benefit options, right? But I have specialized knowledge and I want to help.) 

So the only thing I ask in exchange for my time, my help and my ongoing advice is that all of my clients give me 7-10 pre-called introductions. Let me explain what I mean by that. [Prospect], you were an introduction from [Referer]. And that’s simply a person’s name, number, permission to call them, they’re expecting my call, and we can talk for a few minutes on the phone like we’re doing now. It doesn’t commit them; it doesn't commit me. It just says we want to talk for a few minutes. And because I don’t charge for my time, I don’t agree to meet with everybody…So, we talk it through and if it’s a good fit, we schedule a meeting, and if it’s not the right fit, we’re done.. Tell me [Prospect] are you comfortable with that process?

Schedule The Meeting 🔊

Then I’m happy to do the analysis for you. Since my schedule is pretty tight I usually schedule people two to three weeks in advance, however, if you have flexibility during the day, I might be able to get you in a little sooner. Tell me, do you have that type of flexibility?

Ok, great. Let me see what type of flexibility I have (talk to yourself out loud) okay.. That's booked, that's booked.. Hmm .. that's a light tight.. Oh, I might be able to move something. How would Wednesday at 9am work for you?

[If they can’t] I'm sorry I'm looking at the afternoon and I'm saying the morning, you said 1pm? That works for me too!

Great! So here’s what we’re going to do. I'm going to put this into my calendar just so I don’t book something on top of it. Okay, because my schedule fills up quickly. By the way, If we need to reschedule, we absolutely can. I never have a problem changing an appointment. The only issue is if it’s last minute, so short of an emergency, if you could give me at least a 3 day notice, I would really appreciate that, fair enough?

Now, in terms of getting together, did you want to meet face to face or over Zoom?

(Collect all required information. Ex. email, physical address)

I’ll send you an email confirmation, it’ll also have all my contact info, but also a brief list of some things I'd like for you to have available. If you can’t find everything, don’t worry about it. But obviously, the more the better. If I can see the investment statements and the physical life insurance policies, then it would be a lot better. But like I mentioned that list will be in the email.

Apprentice 🔊

And then last thing [Prospect], many times when I work, I’ll have an apprentice that's shadowing me for the day.  I don’t know if I’ll have one that day, but many times I do. The person is literally there just to watch and listen to my answers, that type of thing, so I just want to make sure you’re okay with that?

Wonderful. Well it was so nice talking to you and I look forward to meeting with you!

Hey [Name], how are you? How’s the family doing?

Awesome. So the reason I’m calling is, I don’t know if you already know this or not, but I’m licensed in the financial industry and I wanted to find a time to get together so I can show you and [Spouse’s Name] what I do. I’m sure you’re all set up, and it’s probably not something you’d be interested in but I’d still love to meet, that way if someone you know ever needs what I do, you’ll know enough to feel comfortable introducing me. Would that be okay?

Great! — it’s just a short 30-minute Zoom. So what day works better for you and [Spouse’s Name] — [Day] or [Day]?

Got it. Would [Time] or [Time] be better? And both of you will be on, right?

Perfect. I’ll send over the Zoom link — can you add it to your calendar so we’re all set?

Thanks so much for helping me out! I’ll see you [Day] at [Time].