3 Pondering Questions Before Starting a Relationship

“Saying hello doesn’t have an ROI. It’s about building relationships.”—Gary Vaynerchuck

Two guys in suits smiling and shaking hands. That’s how business happens, right? Not in today’s world. People now seem to think that business is done by way of force: send me a connection via LinkedIn and then spam my inbox, even getting rude to get my attention. It’s tagging me and every other person you know on your Facebook post that has nothing to do with them.

The world is hard place to get attention these days and we’ve decided to skip the niceties and move in for the kill right away. Hit them with the hard stuff right away and if they take, great. If not, they just weren’t interested. However, it’s sometimes less intense. Sometimes someone just adds you to their newsletter without permission and hits you every three days with a new product they want you to buy or coaching that you never asked for. There is no more personal touch, just automated emails that honestly no one wants to read.

Now, I’m in a business where I have to build trust. No one is going to trust me with their money, their dreams and goals without knowing me first, right? Maybe, but let’s be honest, when I was building my business, I put the pedal to the metal and did coffee dates and got to know lots of people. We talked about our businesses and shared niceties, and about 90% of the time, we walked away never to talk again. Now that I look back, that wasn’t much different than the book a call with me 10 minutes after connecting with me on LinkedIn strategy. We were both there pretending to care about one another but really we were there to sell and the other one didn’t bite so we parted as friends. Isn’t that the truth? I didn’t have ill intent or shove my service down their throat or tell them they would be lost without me, but I wasn’t there necessarily to build a relationship, mainly because we just didn’t gel.

There were those that I met with, that 10%, that really clicked with me. After the first meeting, we would message each other just to check in, like each other’s stuff on social media, and beeline for each other at networking events. We generally liked each other. They became real relationships I valued. Looking back at it, those are the connections that become the clients I love to work with. When they were ready, they knew they wanted to work with me because they knew who I was and what I stood for. Occasionally I would hear from the other 90% with a weak lead or a tentative question about their own situation that would never go anywhere but mostly that 10% is who trusted me and who I wanted to serve in business.

Now what does this have to do with money? A lot. Picking a financial partner has a lot of nuance to it. We often meet once with someone and then decide. That’s not enough. Do we need to have seven meetings to determine if we want to work with someone? No, we don’t have to do that either. However, we do need to look at some key elements to see if they are the right fit to be our financial guru, accountability partner, guide, mentor, and teacher.

1.?????? Do you feel that they care about you?

This is more than just trusting them, although that is important too. We, as financial professionals, don’t have all the answers. Any of us who pretend we do is flat out fibbing. But do we care enough about the clients we take on to make sure we get the best information for our clients, check on what needs to be checked on, and guide you in the direction you need to go to get what you want? Care is a big part of if you can trust your advisor. Recently I’ve had some clients going through some bad times. I checked in just to see if I could help. That was a genuine check-in because I really do care about them. You should feel that your advisor would do that for you too if he or she knew you were going through a rough time.

2.?????? Do they have the structure that works best for you?

We all know the old Assets Under Management Model. Give me your assets and I will manage them for you for a fee. We might calculate that fee differently but that is the general rule. Do you want that? What do you get for that? Are you comfortable with that? What comes with this mode: Investing only or Investing & Planning or Strategy? Every client is different. Some clients want a plan to see how they are doing and find ways to perfect it. Others want ongoing monthly check-ins to get them back on track in their financial journey. There are so many ways advisors are structuring their practices, your head would be spinning if we went through them all. You need to know what the options are and are you comfortable working that way. There has been a big shift in services in the financial planning world and you need to know about it. ?

3.?????? Will they get me to my goals?

Our job is to get you to financial independence: where you can do what you want when you want. We can’t do it alone (your participation is heavily involved) but the aim is clear. Clients say this same goal in different ways but ultimately, we all want the same thing, for money not to be a problem and stop causing us stress. We all want to live the life we dreamed of. We all have different wants and ways to get there but that’s what the majority of use want. Do you trust this person to guide you there? If the answer is yes, dig a little deeper. Make sure they understand you and talk your language. If you don’t think they can, then move on to the next person. Simple as that.

Finding an advisor is building a relationship. It might be business but it is a relationship. It needs to be part of that 10% I spoke about earlier. This person will be there during your worst times. Surround yourself with someone who you feels cares about you, not just your money.

There is the old phrase, People come and go…but I say a true relationship, business or personal, is forever.

If you want to see if One Vision Retirement is the right relationship for you, set up a 30 minute no obligation call with us:

https://calendly.com/onevisionretire/getting-to-know-you-call-15-min

#relationshipnetworking #financialrelationships #financialadvisor #financialindependence #retirementplanning

Investment advice offered through Integrated Financial Partners, doing business as One Vision Retirement, a registered investment advisor. The information in this material is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. Integrated Financial Partners does not provide legal/tax advice or services. Please consult a qualified legal/tax advisor regarding your specific situation.

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