Dear Simon,

Thank you for the clarification.  That really helps.  I spent the afternoon listening to the coaching conversation recorded with you last week.

Thank you for everything you have been doing for/with me thus far.  I must tell you that this is a very good process for me and I am invigorated and excited.  

I have also given your name to a few people, one a financial planner and one a financial product wholesaler.  

All the best, hope it is not so cold where you are as it is here!!

Jane Doe

Hi Jane Doe,

Congratulations on the work that you are putting into the coaching and may it reward you 1000 fold.

Happy to receive the names of the advisor and the wholesaler for follow up.

My follow up could look like  …

Dear _____,

Jane Doe mentioned your name and thought that I may be of service to you as a business coach.

To get to know me, please click this link to look at the following coaching testimonials

Here is a link to understand the Clear Your Roadblocks Coaching Process that Jane Doe is working on

Please e-mail me back if you would like to have a complimentary conversation about how I can help you to meet and exceed your goals.

Kind regards,

Simon Reilly

Jane, looking forward to our next conversation.

Simon

 

I’m listening to the soothing sounds of Oceanwaves 2 on my iPhone coming from the Brainwave App while working on a 2012 web site upgrade.

The website upgrade has to do with re-focusing the site from one on one coaching to webinars, workshops, one on one telephone coaching and one on one live coaching because that is what is going on behind the scenes of the website so I am bring it all to the light of day.

I’m next door to the Toronto Congress Center where I spoke on Tuesday, November 1st at the Independent Financial Brokers Summit and I could go over to the second day of the conference and attend speaking events & network at the trade show on the off chance that I will connect with someone.

Instead I am using a rare day with zero interruptions to work on finishing the web update that have been sitting 95% complete since the end of August when the fall speaking season hit with financial advisor speaking presentations in Las Vegas, Washington, DC, Ottawa, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Halifax, Kananaskis and now Toronto.

Today, you could say that I am taking care of the needs of the many through the updated website for 2012 versus the needs of the one or two whom I may have connected with at the conference.

One has to have boundaries and I’m choosing to remember that I had a standing room only audience of 250+ attendees yesterday which is between 25 – 33% of the attendees of the entire conference and here is a picture of the audience 5 minutes before show time.

The truth is, the attendees of the Independent Financial Brokers Summit that wanted to talk with me attended my One Page Business Plan speaking presentation and would have submitted an expression of interest so there isn’t any sense in investing the time for an off chance conversation. One can always complain about the one that got away.

Here are the speaking testimonials from the One Page Business Plan speaking presentation at the Independent Financial Brokers Summit on November 1, 2011.

Testimonials from IFB – Toronto, ON – November 1, 2011

“Simon used real life examples. It reminded me of other things I was working on last year and got put to the side. I am motivated to start them again.”
Debby Austin
Etfs/RSA

”Enthusiastic and focused presentation. Simon cut through the stuff to focus on what matters.”
Michael Farrell
Manulife Financial

“Simon was organized and talked about clearing your mind and focussing on what is important. Plan, action, review.”
David Dean

”I liked the focus – planning goals and objectives, written short term and long term goals. It was a kick in the seat of the pants.”
David Foe
Cornerstone Financial

“I enjoyed Simon’s energy level and the information he provided. It struck a nerve. The listed negatives are what I deal with daily.”
Larry Gallant
Queensbury Securities Inc.

”I enjoyed the enthusiasm of Simon’s presentation. An easy step-by-step way to make a business plan to help ease my mind.”
Derek Huppke

“Dynamic and goal oriented! Practical information to change my thinking and improve my performance!”
Wayne Kirsh

“I like that you’ll help with time management and set up. I received permission to focus on just changing / controlling one thing “clear consciousness”.”
A.J. Koenig
Investors Group

“Simon reinforced the things we already know in a high energy format!  He gave ideas and thoughts of unmet needs.”
John Laban
P.F.C.I.

“I liked the software and the ability to complete this in under 90 minutes.”
Steve Lloyd
Freedom 55 Financial

“This is my second summit. I am so glad to see a motivational speaker. I really needed it. The One Page Plan looks easy enough to get started. We received copies of the Power point presentation. I can’t wait to start!!”
Katherine Mamalyga

“Simon spoke about our needs challenging success and the reason we’re afraid to ask for referrals. We received free access to building a business plan.”
Pam Martin
Baynes & White

”Simon was very positive, had high energy, was logical and motivating. He provided examples that work. A very simple plan.”
Gord Moller
Moller Insurance

“Love the idea of a simple one-page plan. It’s easy to follow, monitor, create changes and update as needed. There was lots of humour, lots of interactive comments and questions! It helped since I left Bowmonville at 5 am to beat the traffic!”
Lucy Naylor
LL Financial

”It was a complex subject organized and condensed into a simple approach that anyone could use. I feel revitalized bout making the next year my best year ever. The timing is perfect. It was a fresh viewpoint.”
Virginia Neely
Virginia Lee Neely CGA

“Simon helped me face the planning for business plan for 2012. It was a simple process for planning a business plan with a template.”
Charles Patlakas
Allstate Insurance Agency

”I liked the focus on a business plan and writing goals down. I also liked receiving the PowerPoint presentation.”
Keith Rendall
FBG

”I liked everything and, in particular, I liked receiving the business plan. Thank you so much! Amazing job. God bless you.”
Alma Salima
MFS

“A great topic and great presentation with lots of good information that can help me improve. I have lots of ideas. We received the One-Page Plan presentation as well as the way to do it.”
Charanjit Singh
Creative Way Financial Inc.

“A good presentation and an enthusiastic speaker. I came to hear Simon. We received the illustration of the One-Page Plan.”
Glenn Stewart

”Great speaker! He made me think about my own plan – none. I have been inspired.”
Ron Tustian

“The presentation had a lot of information presented in a delightful way. I am enthusiastic that I can make the change.”
John Webster
John Webster Insurance

“I enjoyed the 5 parts of the business plan , vision, mission etc. Very passionately presented. We received much more complimentary material than expected.”
Sarah Wyse
Wyse Financial Solutions Inc.

 

My presentation was on The One Page Business Plan.

PPI Solutions has made a considerable investment in creating the PPI Solutions Toolkit to help their financial advisor clients educate themselves and improve their understanding of life insurance and investment products so that financial advisors are making the best client recommendations possible.

In the financial services profession they have a rule called the Know Your Client Rule which includes a detailed needs analysis so the financial advisor’s clients are getting the best and appropriate investment and insurance advice.

So taking the Know Your Client Rule into consideration, I studied PPI Solutions Toolkit and looked for as many points of value so that I could help to amplify the compelling reasons why an advisor would use all the components of the PPI Solutions Toolkit and made it a part of my presentation.

At the same time I integrated parts of the PPI Solutions Toolkit in the 5 key components of the One Page Business Plan.

• Vision – What are you building?
• Mission – Why does this business exist?
• Objectives – What result will we measure?
• Strategies – How will we build this company?
• Action Plans – What it the work to be done?

Please find the following PowerPoint slides that integrate the Mission Statements of some of the event sponsors and the PPI Solutions Toolkit into the One Page Business Plan methodology.

Compelling – Reasons To Use PPI Solutions Toolkit

Mission – Why does this business exist?

Objectives – What result will we measure?

Strategies – How will we build this company?

Action Plans – What it the work to be done?

 

So much discipline that they get into a regimented routine working with their clients create a financial plan and growing their client’s assets that some may not be having the conversation with their clients about protecting their assets through life insurance.

Sometimes all that is required is the language to get the conversation started to protect their client’s assets and to this end …

I want to acknowledge you as being someone that is committed to working with a financial advisor, seeing the value in having a financial plan, growing your assets, protecting your assets and leaving a legacy.

I work with clients that are committed to working with a financial advisor, seeing the value in having a financial plan, growing your assets, protecting your assets and leaving a legacy.

While we have invested our time and energy in having a financial plan and growing your assets … I feel that we could be doing a far better job with protecting your assets and leaving a legacy…

May I have your permission to have a deeper discussion about protecting your assets and leaving a legacy?

 

Please note that while this movie is very charming and funny at times, it will be highly irreverent for some so I’m not giving it two thumbs up.

Even with what some could see as a sow’s ear, even a sow’s ear can have a silver lining and , ‘Cedar Rapids’ the movie provides an excellent example of a Parable which some might understand as a longer Elevator Speech.

Here is what I mean by a Parable.

They say that wisdom enters through the wound and the core of the passion to serve is based on life experience both positive and negative and the best advisors seem to have the deepest scars.

The life experience equipped them with the knowledge and the skills to pass onto other people to help them move forward.

This experience gives one something interesting to stand up and say rather than;

Hi, I’m Joe Advisor and I sell investment products and life insurance.

They use what has happened to them both personally and professionally, good and bad and use it as a catalyst to pass their experience and passion onto other people.

Here is the Parable from ‘Cedar Rapids’ …

Joan played by Anne Heche – “So how did you get involved in the insurance game?”

Tim played by Ed Helmes – “I lost my dad in a sawmill accident when I was 6 years old.”

Joan played by Anne Heche – “Oh my God!”

Tim played by Ed Helmes – “Yeah. But the insurance agent fought like a tiger with the sawmill to make sure that my Mom and I were taken care of, and we were, and I remember thinking that when I was a kid, this guy is a hero. I gotta say, I think that the insurance agents get a bum rap. Ya’ know like this river, The Cedar River flooded a couple of year ago, and flooded the whole city.”

Joan played by Anne Heche – “I can remember that massive disaster”.

Tim played by Ed Helmes – “Massive disaster that cost billions of dollars in damage and who do you think was in the trenches trying to get people’s lives back in order? It was the insurance agents. Not all, but a lot worked really hard to get people’s lives back on track.”

Joan played by Anne Heche – “Do you realize that you just made it sound cool to be an insurance salesman? You are a hero!”

 

I see marketing / social media as this way from the bottom up:

3) Social Media 2.0
2) Social Media 1.0
1) Marketing 1.0

I believe you need to have a strong foundation in marketing 1.0 before you can go onto social media 1.0 and social media 2.0. In a way it is like trying to create a brand for a business with first knowing your values to build a vision and business plan on.

Here are the points of Social Media 2.0, Social Media 1.0 and Marketing 1.0.

In my view, don’t bother getting into social media unless you have the basics in marketing 1.0.

Marketing 1.0

• Brand Your Business with the One Page Business Plan & Sentence Stems
• Segment Your Clients
• Profile Your Ideal Client
• Choose Your Niche
• Prospect Your Ideal Clients With Drip Marketing
• The Attraction Marketing Program
• The Elevator Speech
• The Referral Card
• The Parable
• Find Your Client’s Problems & Solve Them
• COI & Strategic Alliance Marketing
• Articles & Press Releases
• Market Yourself Through Speaking
• The Speaking Folio
• Seminar Marketing Systems
• Simplify The Testimonial Process
• Write & Publish Your Book

Social Media 1.0

• Set The Stage for your Website, E-Newsletter & Blog

Social Media 2.0

• Simplify FaceBook, LinkedIn and Twitter

The whole point of Social Media 2.0, Social Media 1.0 and Marketing 1.0 is so that clients will know who you are when you call them because the financial services is still a relationship business and you have to take some action to form some real personal interaction.

Do your social media, but do the fundamentals first.

 

Here is a copy of the postcard that we are sending to all Advocis Chapters, Life Insurance Companies and MGA Firms to augment or financial advisor speaking efforts.

It was great that we were able to announce the CE Accreditation through FaceBook, LinkedIn and Twitter to the following Advocis Chapters with a presence on FaceBook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

• Advocis National
• Advocis Hamilton
• Advocis London
• Advocis Nova Scotia
• Advocis Simcoe Muskoka
• Advocis Toronto
• Advocis Vancouver
• Advocis Vancouver Island

 

One of the items on the list was Product Content Development, Organizing, Packaging and Website which includes expanding on and creating the following product offers along with Vlogs ( video blogs ) for each one of them.

• Clear Your Roadblocks™ – 2 Month Program
• One Page Business Plan™ – 2 Month Program
• Clear * Plan * Practice™ – 12 Month Program

Here is the New Welcome Vlog to our upcoming New Coaching Page.

Free One Page Business Plan Webinars September 9 & 28^th – Register Now!

Announcing Leading Advisor’s One Page Business Plan(TM) Free Webinars and the One Page Business Plan(TM) Webinars! “If you don’t get the words right, you might build the wrong business and may never get the numbers right.” The dates for the One Page Business Plan(TM) Free Webinars are: Friday, September 9th at 11:15am EDT Wednesday, September 28th at 12:30pm EDT

Who should attend?

• Do you have too many scattered ideas?
• Do you need to focus on a few?
• Do you need to jumpstart your business right now?
• Do you have no time or interest in writing a 50 page business plan?
• Do you need to determine if you’re focusing on the right things?
• Do you need an effective blueprint to keep yourself and team focused?

Then consider a fresh, simple approach to business planning that will enable you to focus on what is important…the One Page Business Plan^(TM) – a powerful tool for building and managing a business. It’s short, it’s concise, and it delivers results quickly and effectively. There can be no question as to where your business is headed when it is in writing, especially when you have the key essentials about growing your business clearly specified on a single page.

Is this another ho-hum course on business planning like the ten others you have attended – no way! I know how to capture the essence of any business in just a few minutes using the innovative key word and short phrase techniques using the One Page Business Plan^(TM).

To Register for the One Page Business Plan^(TM) Free Webinars:

Call Laura at 250 248-6012 / 1 877 248-6012 or e-mail Laura at lreilly@leadingadvisor.com and you will receive your GoTo Meeting Webinar Link, Phone Number and Access Code.

• Friday, September 9^th at 11:15am EDT
• Wednesday, September 28^th at 12:30pm EDT

 

One way that you can create the essence for the elevator speech is by asking them:

• What do you like best about working with me?

• What do I do for you that you did not expect?

Another way you can do this is by answering / completing one of these sentences:

• The only thing that people miss about working with an investment advisor is …

• It is quite obvious that people need to ….

• Am I the only one that sees that …

The words for the elevator speech will resonate with you … like the first time that I pre-presented my first Advocis financial advisor speaking presentation to the Advocis Chapter President who gave the green light and said, I have one suggestion; change the title to Clear Your Roadblocks.

For more on this, here is an link to a newsletter that I wrote on this subject.