From Scrap Paper to Marketable Difference

A unique client process is an excellent way to attract, engage and retain clients—and most advisors don’t think they have one. 

It often emerges through conversation, though, that an advisor will routinely write down a series of questions or sketch out a concept on a scrap of paper to help a new client focus their goals or visualize an idea. It might feel informal and insignificant, but it could be a vital part of what your clients appreciate about you and it may not take much to formalize it.

The next time you’re meeting with a current or potential client, think about what they respond positively to and what seems to help them gain understanding or confidence. The simple task of putting thoughts into written words or making the abstract visual and concrete can be very valuable for someone who’s searching for financial clarity and direction, and, at the same time, it brings new tangibility to the expertise you’re offering them.

So how does something like this become part of a clear, marketable client process? First, consider the tool itself—can you give it a name and create a template to use digitally or in person? Can you make it visually consistent with the rest of your brand and create alternate versions for different client types?

Next, think about how you can make it more visible. Draw attention to it in your prospecting collateral so that new opportunities see that it’s part of your process, and offer the exercise to existing clients as a method of refreshing goals or refocusing strategies during an annual review. 

Finally, use it consistently. An exceptional client process will quickly lose its value if it doesn’t reflect a client’s actual experience of working with you. So make a habit of bringing out this engagement tool at the appropriate times and ensure other advisors on your team do the same. 

This will help formalize your process across the board, so that it becomes something that only you and your team can offer—a true marketable difference with real-world value for natural market clients.