6 Steps for Utilizing Your Best "Resource" for 2012's Marketing Efforts

As we near the end of 2011, most of the advisors I work with are not only running annual client reviews, but also reviewing their business structure, revenue stream, and marketing plans to work on production goals for 2012. The best way to ensure you exceed your goals for 2012 is to proactively go into next year with a solid marketing plan based on results gathered from 2011, analysis of these results (good and bad), and implementation of the best results or opportunities for the new year. In summary, it comes down to running your business like a business.

Read on if you'd like to find out how one of my advisors did just this and

leveraged an investment of $2700 into a marketing strategy that generated an

additional $100k of commissionable sales in 2011...

Creating a successful business structure can be defined by allocating resources to the most profitable marketing channels according to your Return On Investment. Based on many of the conversations I've had recently, many of my top advisors' greatest marketing resource is actually their existing client base. However, many of their year-end reviews have revealed that the bulk of their marketing money was spent on seminars for new clients instead of creating a system that allows their “biggest fans” to introduce them to their friends, family, and colleagues.

The statistics below from a study of 750 high net-worth individuals with at least $500K of investable assets tell much of the story…

So the question is, how can I capitalize on this
as an advisor going into 2012???

It all starts with laying out 2012's calendar to include monthly social events for your clients...

One more time for effect - SOCIAL EVENTS, NOT SEMINARS OR EDUCATIONAL EVENTS! The whole idea is creating an atmosphere where your clients feel extremely comfortable bringing a friend or colleague along with them. This means no fear of them getting backed into a corner to listen to a "sales pitch".

One of my advisors tracked the results of his monthly events in 2011 very closely (his happened to be a monthly wine tasting, but others have included dessert tastings, cooking classes, and gardening events to name a few) and the results were UNBELIEVABLE!!!

• Total Budget of $2700 that Generated Revenue of Over $100,000 in additional commissions
  
  
• If you are open to this sort of ROI in your business (yes, that's sarcasm!), I've outlined the six implementation steps to make it happen below:
  
  1. PLAN - Setup & layout your calendar with a local venue creating something your clients can look forward to every month, have a 12 month calendar so your clients can plan ahead to attend.
  
  2. CREATE EXCITEMENT - Call out to “A+” and "Center of Influence" clients announcing your new plan for 2012 and how you want to use this as a great way to stay more closely connected with them and let them know they are encouraged (see offer below for scripted conversation) to bring their friends/colleagues along.
  
  3. MARKET THE EVENT - Send email invitations monthly through Constant Contact, Mail Chimp, etc. with information to RSVP clients/guests for the event. Mailing client invitations is an option as well, although more expensive. Another idea I love is creating a "Save the Date" refrigerator magnet with dates for the year's upcoming events.
  
  4. CAPTURE GUEST'S INFO - Turn prospects into appointments by holding a giveaway at the end of the event by gathering Feedback Cards (filled out with clients/referrals contact info) and holding a drawing. You'll find your clients do most of the "selling" for you as most of the referral process comes down to giving your clients a reason (and forum) to brag about you.
  
  5. TRACK YOUR RESULTS - Make sure you are following up on referrals from the events and tracking how many you are bringing on as clients allowing your office to refine the process as you go along.
  
  6. RECAP THE EVENT - Send out a follow up email after each event. It's a good idea to include pictures from the last event of all of the fun everyone had and an invitation to next month’s event. Repeat attendance is encouraged!

ADDED BONUS - IF YOU LIKE THIS IDEA, EMAIL MY TEAM AT INFO@BRADJOHNSON.BIZ TO REQUEST A GREAT SCRIPT WALKING THROUGH HOW TO POSITION THESE MONTHLY EVENTS FOR REFERRALS WHEN HOLDING ANNUAL REVIEWS WITH YOUR EXISTING CLIENTS!!!!

Thanks for reading.