Dear Advisor,

Do you cringe when someone asks you what you do for a living?

 If you're like many financial advisors, there's a good chance you do.

I know that because we surveyed 1,000 advisors. We asked them to give us their “elevator statement.” And then we asked them to tell us how they felt about it.

Many said things like this:

• “If it sounds canned or fake, people in all tax brackets can understand that.”
• “I have not devoted enough time to develop one fully that would sound good in a variety of situations.”
• “I don't want to sound like I'm on auto-pilot.”
• “If I asked someone what they do and they gave me an elevator statement, I would not continue the conversation.”
• “I'm lazy. I need to come up with a new one.”
• “I think most elevator statements are shallow and people will see right through them.”
• “I have yet to come up with one I can take seriously and say without feeling too salesy.”
• “If I get too serious, people get scared.”
• “I'll admit, I feel silly giving it.”
• “I need to develop something that says more of what I do.”
• “Elevator statements so often talk down to people and most of my clients are more sophisticated than that.”
• “The last thing I really want to be perceived as is a guy eager to pass out business cards. I prefer to steer the conversation about their likes/dislikes versus making it all about me.”
• “I used to say: ‘I help people plan for their financial future' which was meant with a quizzical look. Now, I say ‘I'm a financial advisor' which doesn't really go anywhere either.”

After comments like that, you won't be surprised to learn that nearly 59% of the advisors we surveyed gave their elevator statement a low grade.

And a shocking 21%—more than 1 in 5—said it was so bad they should stop using it until they figured out a better approach.

This is an absolute marketing crisis…

For too long many advisors, perhaps even you, have labored under the impression that the best way to connect with people in informal settings or networking situations is through a memorized statement, speech or pitch.

And that approach has proven to be disastrous.

That's why we've spent the last six months working on something new. It's called Elevator Conversation: The New Way for Advisors to Talk Naturally About What They Do.

In this Action Research Report from Horsesmouth, we examine why many advisors do a poor job of answering “The Questions.”

And then we take you through a new process that introduces the Elevator Conversation Starter approach, which is about having a framework for talking with people, one that really sparks genuine interest.

Introducing Elevator Conversation: The New Way for Advisors to Talk Naturally About What They Do ($97 value) 

In this 60+ page Action Research Report, you'll learn to:

• Understand why your specific “Elevator Speech” hasn't done so well and what to do about it.
• Use the "Elevator Conversation Starter" model for talking with new people you meet.
• Frame your spontaneous conversations using any of 5 different, proven models that work for other advisors.
• Turn simple encounters into memorable conversations that position you to discuss business later.
• Plus, examples of effective and awful Elevator Statements drawn from more than 1,000 advisors.

Here's what's covered in the step-by-step chapters of Elevator Conversation:

Chapter 1: Why an “Elevator Speech” Fails

• Why many “best practices” are counter-productive
• How the traditional model of the elevator speech is a poor fit for most advisors
• The truth behind why most elevator speeches sound canned and salesy
• The secret to developing an Elevator Conversation
• The tools to find your own “Ah-ha!” moment
• The difference between a speech and a conversation starter
• PLUS – How to make an Elevator Starter work on your social media platform, too!

Chapter 2: Common Advisor Misperceptions About Elevator Speeches

• How you are getting in the way of YOUR OWN SUCCESS
• Key reasons an elevator speech is different from a slogan or a tagline
• Why you need to stop rambling and start using a few concise messages
• How to project confidence
• How to present yourself as a specialist
• Why more specific Elevator Starters are more effective
• How to use an Elevator Starter to expand conversations naturally
• Why listeners shut down when you think they should be opening up
• How to integrate client success stories into the conversation
• Why “catchy” Elevator Starters almost always sounds forced
• How to know if you're really being “salesy” even when you think you're not
• Why sounding “good” is not good enough
• The myth about the first-impression timeframe
• The secret to being genuine and authentic
• How to move your listeners to action

Chapter 3: From Speech to Conversation

• What makes Elevator Speeches so one-sided
• The Dos and Don'ts of becoming an Elevator Conversationalist
• How to invite others to tell you what they do
• The reason you're unknowingly conveying a self-centered attitude
• How to encourage the other person to talk more
• Develop the ability to be interested in almost anybody talking about anything
• Get answers to the “what-if” questions that are holding you back

Chapter 4: Elevator Conversation Starters: Five Ways to Begin

• The importance of talking naturally and conversationally
• The five best approaches to developing your own Elevator Starter
• How to test and evaluate your Elevator Starter
• How to fine tune and rework your Elevator Conversation Starter until it feels like the real you
• The pros and cons of using templates to get started
• The secret to making your Starter fit your character and your personality
• How to add a personal touch that sticks with your listener
• Why and when it's okay to use humor in your Starter

Chapter 5: Breaking Through the Barricades of the Mind

• How to bust through the stumbling blocks advisors hit when forming their Elevator Conversation Starters
• How to define your true objective and not get caught up in the wrong goals
• How to really identify your target market and speak to their needs
• Using analogies, imagery, and problem/solution approaches to address different target markets
• How to try different angles to find the best approach

Chapter 6: Brainstorm Your Way to the Elevator Conversation Starter

• How to brainstorm in a way that will uncork your creativity
• Methods for ridding your mind of counter-productive clutter
• What tools to use to narrow your focus after your brainstorm ideas
• Brainstorming techniques that get your mind focused and your ideas out on paper
• Why you should generate ideas based on your top clients' concerns
• How to use your brainstorming to change your perspective

Chapter 7: Refining Your Elevator Conversation Starters

• The three elements that go in to developing a problem-centered Starter
• Using a simple equation to build a rhetorical question Starter
• How to be inspired by or steal from winning Starters

Chapter 8: Testing and Evaluating Your Elevator Conversation Starters

• How to test your starter to see how it feels and how it fits
• Understand and identify the top indications your Starter has grown stale
• How an effective Elevator Conversation Starter fits who you are
• How to make your Starter generate business for you

7 Reasons to Fix the Way You Talk About What You Do

I've never met an advisor who doesn't have many great clients that came to him or her through some unusual circuitous route, often a referral.

And if you trace back the origin of the referring client—really trace it back—it' not uncommon to find a casual conversation sparked interest that ultimately led to the creation of an advisor-client relationship.

It's that first spark of a conversation that we're interested in. Why?

Because an out-and-about advisor finds himself often responding to the question, “So, what do you do for a living?” It's a perfectly natural question. And especially in the United States where, like it or not, people are typically defined by their jobs.

Advisors told us in our survey that they answer that question at least a couple of times a week, if not more.

That's a lot of potential sparks. And that's why you want to be sure what you're saying is just right. Here are some reasons you don't want to shrug off the importance of knowing how to respond properly when folks ask you what you do:

1. You don't want to sound like an automaton: Yes, you can just grit your teeth and spit out an answer. But that's no way to go about your professional or personal life.
2. People want real connections and real conversations: People generally are warm and open. When you engage them that way, they'll respond in kind.
3.  A good answer can lead to business: It is often the spark that leads to the next step of what can become a successful, long-term. and profitable relationship.
4. You can't avoid being asked: It's going to keep happening. You might as well have an excellent response.
5. It's an invitation for connection: Yes, when someone asks what you do, it may be a perfunctory question or a social nicety. But many times it is not. People really are interested in other people.
6. Your team probably needs help with this, too: If you don't have a very good answer—and even if you do—what's the situation with the other people on your team? Likely not good. Once you've got a good set of Elevator Conversation Starters, you can demonstrate them and teach your colleagues.
7. First impressions are important: Engaging a conversation partner in a thoughtful, articulate way that includes a comment about what you do and questions about what they do, is how good first impressions are achieved.

You'll use it for the rest of your career. There's no doubt about that.

But you're skeptical, right?

I've heard a lot of the objections. The most common ones are formed along these lines:

1. I'm fine with winging it when it comes to Elevator Statements
2. I've got my Elevator Statement totally memorized. No need to change now.
3. I think it's best to just say I'm a financial advisor.
4. I don't really have the time to work it out.
5. I don't want anything canned that people can see right through.
6. I cringe when I hear “Elevator Statement.”
7. All situations are unique, so it's hard to believe I can have an effective approach considering that.
8. If I get too serious in any situation like this, people get scared. Better not to have one.
9. I feel silly giving an Elevator Statement.
10. I need something that says more about what I do.
11. I'm too new to the business so I don't have one that's any good.
12. I don't need one: It's my confidence, body language, and my choice of words all make me successful.

Elevator Conversation Is Designed Specifically for Advisors

About half the advisors we surveyed said they use their Elevator Statement two to three times a week. That means that between 100 and 150 times a year they're delivering a very custom message to a very small audience.

I couldn't stand doing that if I thought what I was saying or how I was responding was weak or ineffectual.

That's why I think it's imperative for every advisor to really think through how he answers the question, “What do you do for a living?” And that's why we've created Elevator Conversation.

Here are some things to consider as you examine your own objections to reworking and re-launching your approach to talking about what you do.

1. Never wing it. Any person or organization that succeeds in communicating with their audiences operates from something called a “message platform.” Essentially, it's a framework—easily internalized—that allows anyone to engage their audiences and speak to them in a logical and sensible way, emphasizing their key messages when appropriate. It's the opposite of “winging it” yet the other person in the conversation thinks it's a perfectly natural conversation.
2. Never memorize it. It's not a script for a movie part or a commercial. If you treat it that way, it'll come across that way, too.
3. Don't just say “I'm a financial advisor.” You and I know what that means, but most people don't. And the ones who think they know are the ones you want to redirect anyway by fully engaging them in conversation that is real, genuine and sincere.
4. Working out your Elevator Conversation Starter approach won't take long. Besides, if you don't take the time to figure it out now, every time you answer the question, you'll know you're underperforming. Better to get it right now and embrace networking situations with confidence.
   At a Party

   “I was introduced to a Huntington Beach prospect by a San Mateo client at a party. When I was asked, "What do you do?" I gave him my Elevator Statement. He said, "I don't have any international investments." I responded, "It's difficult to get YOUR SHARE of the market's money if you only invest in the U.S.” He's now a client with $3.5 million in 2 trusts and 1 Individual account.”

   —G.U., Spokane, WA
5. Canned comments in Elevators never work. That's why you want to engage and interact on a human level, each response customized to what you're hearing, seeing, feeling and saying.
6. Embrace Elevator situations—don't cringe. The reason you may cringe is natural: Advisors have been counseled to spit out Elevator Statements by people who don't understand the unique situation advisors face interacting with potential prospects and clients.
7. All situations are unique. That's exactly why you need to know the Elevator Conversation Starter techniques to use in various settings and encounters. When you have a framework for spontaneous encounters, you'll be happier with how things unfold.
8. It's a serious question so don't fear it. People have serious financial needs so don't worry about “being too serious.” The Elevator Conversation Starters address how to proceed in various settings.
9. You should never feel silly discussing what you do. If you do, you may have sales shame or some other mindset undermining your presentation of self in everyday life. Elevator Conversation Starters ensure that you're proceeding in a natural way; the opposite of feeling silly. And if you have Sales Shame, Elevator Conversation has a section that will help you overcome that, too.
10. It's all about saying what you do—only in a natural way. Of course, with our Elevator Conversation Starter framework, you'll never be just spouting a string of jargon-laden things you do for your clients—even though they REALLY ARE GREAT. This is an art and Elevator Conversations show you how.
11. If you're new to business, don't start bad habits. Skip the traditional, non-advisor approach to an automatic, one-size-fits-all approach that rarely works. Learn the Elevator Conversation Starter approach now. You'll use it your entire career.
12. Body language, confidence, and choice of the right words are what it's about.Those are the byproducts of working out your Elevator framework.

What Advisors Say About the Spark That Makes Things Happen

We've analyzed a huge cache of advisors' Elevator Statements. It's probably the largest such collection ever. And when you review it, especially when you analyze successes, you see some interesting themes.

And it's not just for meeting clients. It works with Centers of Influence, too...

“I was casually speaking with someone I bump into on occassion and once I gave him my elevator statement I found out he was an estate attorney who is now a referral source.” —B.N., Fairfiled, CT

“I delivered the statement to a landscape business owner. That led to a preliminary meeting, which led to myself and members of my advisory team becoming his primary advisors—including employee benefits, 401k retirement plan, personal planning, life insurance, and accounting. —M.B., Tucson, AZ

And a good approach is always useful at local networking meetings...

“At a community event in town, I was asked my job. I responded with my elevator speech and the person said he needed to talk to me. Turns out he owned the largest tire distribution business in the southeast. He is now a very loyal client of mine.” —J.R., Laurel, MS

“At Rotary, I responded to the question of my occupation and about a year later the person approached me and I now have a $1.2 million discretionary account.” —K.D., Guelph, Ontario, Canada

“I briefly met a woman after a networking event—in a stairwell of all places. I started the conversation by asking her if she found value in attending the event and why. It opened up the conversation about her job and invited her to question what it was that I did. She called the next day! —L.G., Frankfort, IL

“Recently, I was introduced to a radiologist and I effectively used the "elevator speech” to start the conversation and it opened the door to an $800k account.” —K.K., Lexington, KY

“While playing golf w/ 3 complete strangers, I was asked what I did. I gave my elevator speech, was asked by one for a card, and ended up doing business. I shot well that day too.” —P.P., Whitmore Lake, MI

“At a chamber networking function last week, I met an attorney. My statement led him to ask additional clarifying questions. We are meeting next week to review his firm's plan as well as discuss referrals for some of his business owner clients.” —B.S., Port Charlotte, FL

Stuff really happens in elevators, too...

“I met someone I was briefly introduced to at a college basketball game. I literarily ran into him in an elevator. He asked why I was in his building and I used my statement. He gave me his card and we met the following week for a follow up conversation. He has been a client for over 18 years.” —K.C., Delavan, WI

“My elevator speech has worked extremely well in our office building elevator. After meeting a partner with a CPA Firm in our office building elevator and presenting my 30 second speech, the CPA contacted me that day for lunch and subsequently provided numerous client referrals.” —M.N., Orlando, FL

And other great experiences involving the wealthy and beautiful...

“A beautiful young lady opened an account for a $1,000,000 due to my simplicity and sincerity. —P.K., Honolulu, HI

“First, I have situations where it helps me to prequalify my prospects so that I do not end up chasing the wrong ones. Second, when I have approached qualified prospects, I have noticed that they were more inclined to pursue a conversation than when I used a longer, more descriptive and flowery value proposition.” —M.D., Johnstown, PA

“It works really well as a conversation opener since another individual normally asks what I do once I ask what they do. I can lead right in if I've initiated the conversation. If I have not and they ask me first, it works every bit as well. I've used it many times in social settings to warm up to a group and get to know new people. It's really been great even when not used for the sole purpose of prospecting. People really seem to warm up if you’re getting them to talk about themselves.” —C.N., Madison, WI

“I was at a wedding, someone asked and then probed me on exactly how I do what I do, who I am with. It allowed me to ask them questions and the conversation led to an appointment and now I manage their business, their personal assets and a foundation that they chair.” —L.S., Houston, TX

The Elevator Conversation 100% Risk-Free Guarantee

When you integrate the Elevator Conversation approach and use it to guide how you interact with people formally and informally, you'll have a more relaxed, open and productive way to engage people.

Answering the question “What do you do?” won't be time to “push the play button.” Rather, it'll be a chance to connect with people in a way that sparks interest, even possibly lead to business. That's why we've created Elevator Conversation. So advisors will more confidently engage in public and handle the “what do you do” question. That's why I can make this guarantee:

Use Elevator Conversation as your chief approach to overhauling how you engage the non-client public in your community. Take a full year to implement the Elevator Conversation Starter approach. If after 12 months you don't feel that your approach to answering what you do for a living is more fun, more natural and more effective than it is now, we'll completely refund 100% of your purchase price—guaranteed, no questions asked. Just call and tell us you're returning the Elevator Conversation report to Horsesmouth at: Horsesmouth, 21 W. 38th St., 14th Fl., New York, NY 10018. Phone: 212-343-8760, Extension 1.

Order Elevator Conversation Today

Now's the time to overhaul the way you talk to people about what you do.

Most advisors struggle with creating an effective way to answer what they do for a living. But you can learn techniques to create memorable and successful conversations that will help you connect with people and ultimately do business.

So take control of this important aspect of presenting yourself in everyday life. By ordering you get, Elevator Conversation: The New Way for Advisors to Talk Naturally About What They Do, a new Action Research Report from Horsesmouth that will guide you through the steps of creating an “Elevator Conversation Starter” model to frame your conversations with people you meet.

This Action Research Report is designed specifically to help advisors. Instead of memorizing a speech, we will teach you techniques that you can apply to many different situations. It's all about creating meaningful conversation.

 Plus, you'll get examples of ineffective Elevator Statements from other advisors to learn what not to do.

Make now the time you decide to improve your ability to speak with others by ordering Elevator Conversation: The New Way for Advisors to Talk Naturally About What They Do now.

There are really few things more personal and more urgent than how you answer the question “What do you do?”

That's why I urge you to act now and learn the framework laid out in Elevator Conversation. Follow our guidelines and begin having more natural conversations that will lead to the kind of results you deserve.

 For $97—just 26 cents a day—you'll learn how to redesign your Elevator Conversation to gain:

• More clients. With the majority of advisors answering what they do for a living several times a week, implementing a new set of Elevator Conversation Starters can help you connect more deeply with people who are interested in what you do and need your expertise.
• Effective Elevator Conversation Starters. Learn how to apply your starters to different situations and create conversation, rather than an approach that comes off as “salesy.” Elevator Conversation guides you through the process of creating custom Conversation Starters that work for you.
• Confidence. Traditional elevator speeches give many advisors anxiety. Learn how to be more confident and sincere when meeting people and talking spontaneously about what you do.

Now is the time to commit to revamping your most important message.

You deserve to have more meaningful conversations about the great things you do and Elevator Conversation: The New Way for Advisors to Talk Naturally About What They Do will deliver much better results that you've had in the past.

There's never been a better time for you to improve this important aspect of your business. So don't procrastinate on this risk-free offer. Order your copy today.

Best,

Sean M. Bailey
Editor in Chief
Horsesmouth
21 West 38th Street
New York, NY 10018
888-336-6884 ext. 1

P.S. Spitting out a “one-size-fits-all” elevator statement is what most advisors have been taught. That approach is very NON-ADVISOR SPECIFIC. (It's like cold calling in person and doesn't work.) That's why so many advisors hate their own Elevator Statements. That's why we've created  Elevator Conversation: The New Way for Advisors to Talk Naturally About What They Do. It's an approach created specifically for you. And it's guaranteed. Learn more and order here.

About Horsesmouth

Since 1997, Horsesmouth has been helping financial advisors succeed by providing timely guidance on key topics such as business development, practice management, financial planning and investment strategies.

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