Your “Foot in the Door” Message

The best story you can tell new introductions is a specific one. When you don’t have the time or space to explain the full value and depth of your multi-faceted service offering, go narrow—not broad.

It may not say everything about what you do, but it doesn’t have to. It’s your foot-in-the-door message and it could be the missing link in your marketing strategy. 

As you consider what your foot-in-the-door message could be, it can help to start with the context in which it will be shared. If, for example, you’re looking to take on more business owner clients, then you might need something that a current client or COI can pass to an owner they know who’s approaching a liquidity event. In that case, your foot-in-the-door message should be all about your expertise in guiding owners through the financial decisions surrounding a business transition. Of course business transition strategy is not all you do, but, crucially, it speaks to the present needs of the person you want to meet. 

If you wish to be seen as a specialist working primarily with owners, you can apply this message to all the early touch points of your outward brand (like your website, intro collateral and welcome video), and use subsequent touch points to lay out the full breadth of your capabilities. 

This communication approach is more restrictive than many advisors are used to, and it can feel strange to be faced with a new opportunity and talk about just one aspect of what you do. 

But being all things to all people isn’t believable or engaging, and even being all things to one type of person can quickly become vague and repetitive. Your foot-in-the-door message is a reason for them to give you a call, which is likely your first objective with these early relationships.