Following Up on Referral Events
Bill,
In a recent Referral Minute you wrote about referral events which are “hosted” by the client. What would the follow up look like for such an event?MT
For those of you who missed it, here is an excerpt from the most recent Referral Minute:
If you are planning any referral events, consider this powerful shift in how you approach your clients.
While you - the financial pro - are the “sponsor” of your referral event, make your client(s) the “host.” Have them invite their friends and colleagues with verbiage such as: “George and Martha, I’m hosting a small dinner party at Chez Expensive in a month and would like you to attend. There will be 10 of us for this special dinner. The chef is preparing a special dessert, just for our party. I’m hosting this little event as a way to introduce you to my financial professional, Barbara Money.
Of course, how you follow up a referral event will depend greatly on the nature of your event. Some advisors like to take photos of the clients and their friends and mail them to them – or post them on the internet. Some go so far as to send them a framed photo – the client and their guests.
Beyond this sort of “gift” follow up, you should definitely call your new prospect within 24-48 hours. If you like, you can call your client first. Say something like, “George, I was getting ready to call Bob and Wendy, but thought I’d check with you first. Do you think they enjoyed our dinner last night? Is there anything they said that would preclude me from calling them?.” You may get some nice insight from your clients about the call to your new prospects. Bottom line… follow up!
Bill