WHY is this meaningful to you?

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At this point, you and the client have mutually decided to work together and you are both enthusiastic about getting the process under way.  Congratulations!  Now, you need to gather all information necessary to begin formulating your recommendations for implementation.  But, that’s not entirely what this appointment is about. 

 

What makes this appointment particularly unique and powerful however, is the reinforcement of who we are and what we do, as well as, the upfront discussion how to introduce others to you.  Remember, these new clients have only met with you once before and will likely appreciate the reminders about you, your approach and your organization.  To be truthful, we don’t even know how much of the first meeting they heard.  Not only might they have been in a state of surprise from your unique ‘FIT’ approach in the first meeting (this is a good thing), they were likely thinking of great people they could introduce to you.

 

The Introduction Process is, for most Financial Planners, the single biggest challenge within the Fact-Finding Phase.  However, it is also one of the key elements for creating significant results.  This forthright and professional approach to educating your clients about how to introduce others to you sets the stage for receiving a stream of quality introductions from your new clients.  And, that is why you will remind them of this process on a regular basis. 

 

You are familiar with the Fact-Finding aspect of a client meeting.  Be sure you have a data collection process or approach that can be consistently applied to every client.  Since the review of yourself and your Introduction Process should take no more than 10 minutes or so, this leaves the balance of the meeting to focus on your client.  The Fact-

Finding Meeting should take no longer than 45 minutes to one hour.

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WHO is this proven strategy designed for?

 

For those who want to conduct comprehensive fact finding through a detailed, professional and highly structured discovery method to promote maximum engagement of the new client.

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WHAT should you expect?

 

You will: 

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• Continue to demonstrate you have a process for bringing on new clients

• Introduce the new client to your Introduction Process (how to introduce or recommend others to you)

• Gather as much financial information as required to begin formulating professional, suitable recommendations to be presented in the next phase of Implementation

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WHAT you need to know

 

• What You Can Expect from this Best Practice

• Understand the Flexible Fact Finding Options

• The Psychology of Referrals

• Zen & the Art of Referrals

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HOW to Take Action & Implement Successfully?

 

Familiarize yourself with the purpose and flow of the Fact-Finding Meeting.

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Refer to Step 9_Fact-Finding Meeting Agenda and the Step 9_Fact-Finding Meeting Script to become familiar with the different areas being covered and the general flow of the meeting.

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• You will need to personalize and customize this script and be 100% prepared.

• It is important you become thoroughly comfortable with a structured and professional approach to conducting this Fact-Finding phase.

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Before the Fact-Finding Meeting

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1. Send the Fact-Finding Confirmation Letter.

   • Refer to the sample letters provided as follows:

     • Step 7_Fact-Finding Confirmation Letter – Option 1

     • Step 7_Fact-Finding Confirmation Letter – Option 2

   • This is to be mailed or emailed out and received by the new client.

   • This correspondence confirms meeting time and date as well as, outlines all documents your client must bring to this Fact-Finding meeting.

2. Call the potential client two days in advance of the scheduled Fact-Finding Meeting to confirm the details of the appointment.

   • Refer to Step 8_Fact-Finding Confirmation Call Script.

   • Remind the potential client to bring the necessary documentation to this meeting.

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The Fact-Finding Meeting

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After the initial greetings and brief rapport building portion of the meeting (no more than five minutes) you can signal the business part of the meeting by sliding the Fact-Finding Meeting Agenda across the table to each meeting participant. 

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This will be the second time that your client is exposed to an agenda driven meeting. The effect of this consistency is familiarity for your client which helps to manage their expectations for the next hour.

 

The next few steps will explain the flow of the meeting. Try to visualize what this process might look like for you as you work through each step.  Note:  Each of these steps is described in much more detail in the 2nd Appointment Script.

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1. Meeting Overview

   • Preview the items you would like to discuss during the meeting and provide a time frame to manage your client's expectations.

2. A Brief Review of Our Approach to Financial Planning

   • As you recall, these 3 items have been discussed with your client during your "FIT" phase. Therefore, during the Fact-Finding meeting, you will review a condensed version. 

   • The purpose of reintroducing the concept of Critical Financial Events and the Personal Financial Policy Statement is to remind them about who you are and what you do. 

   • This is also the meeting where you will be educating new clients about your Introduction Process for the first time. 

     • Do NOT delete this topic from your Agenda.

     • It is an important part of educating your new clients and creating a stage of readiness. This means when your new client encounters people they know who are dissatisfied with the current Financial Planner and/or Financial Institution they know exactly what to do.

     • If you have customized the scripting it will be natural and comfortable for you.

     • Refer to Step 9_Introduction Script Samples.

     • Be matter-of-fact and forthright.

   • Remember, this is never an ‘ask’ and always an ‘educate’. Refer to Step 9_Our Introduction Process during this part of the meeting.

3. Review Your Current Goals  

   • Review the goals and objectives you gathered from your new client during the first appointment. Occasionally new goals may come up. If they do, you can simply integrate it with the others.

4. Where You Are Today - The Fact Finder & Items You’ve Brought with You

   • Gather all information necessary from the client to put together a comprehensive wealth management plan (Personal Financial Organizer).

     • For basic Fact Finding use this Questionnaire from NaviPlan.

     • For comprehensive Fact Finding use this Questionnaire from NaviPlan.

   • Use your fact finder to collect information consistently from all your new clients.

   • Note: If clients arrive to the Fact-Finding phase without the documents requested, you need to consider rebooking this meeting. If the new clients continue to be reluctant to provide you with this information or are not forthcoming with their disclosure during the Fact-Finding portion of the meeting, you may have to reassess whether they are in fact a good fit for your approach to comprehensive financial planning.

5. Meeting Wrap Up

   • At the end of the Fact-Finding meeting you should have all the information necessary to formulate recommendations for your next phase: Implementation.

   • Schedule the Implementation Meeting one to two weeks out to ensure you have sufficient time to review the information gathered, formulate the recommendations and organize them for presentation at your next meeting.

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Remember to:

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• Refer to The Fact-Finding Meeting steps on the New Client Checklist.

• Ensure that each step is implemented at the appropriate point in the process.

• Consistently use every aspect of the process with all new clients.  

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Watch Here to Learn More

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