Professional advisers — Advisers who work in the business and professional markets must be able to work with other professional advisers who have influence in the marketplace. CPAs and attorneys not only need your products and services, they have considerable clout with your business and professional prospects and clients. As a result, other professionals can also become powerful centers-of-influence. What's more, until they feel comfortable with you, they may be more willing to give on-profile referrals than they are to discuss their own financial security concerns.

The quickest and best way to establish rapport with other professional advisers is to meet them through the work you do for their business and professional clients. Build on these relationships, and send referral business their way before asking professional advisers to reciprocate.

Another technique is to learn which legal, CPA and financial planning firms are big hitters in your target business markets. With a specialty business, one or two of these firms may be experts in that industry. Talk to your General Agent, or contact your own attorney or CPA. Ask if they can refer you to contacts in these firms. Call them; get to know them; hand out advanced sales brochures explaining how you do business and what you offer to businessowners. Firms specializing in a business and professional clientele usually are among the best in any area, so building rapport with these leaders makes it easier to work your way into the market.

Back to Top | Next

Ohio National is not affiliated with, nor does it endorse or sponsor, any particular prospecting, marketing or selling system.

26