Questions are powerful, and the right questions at the right times can work wonders. Here's how a simple question can develop top-notch centers of influence and eventually lead to strategic networking alliances with other professional advisers.
Call your clients and ask them if they are happy with their present lawyer and accountant.
- If they say yes, get the lawyer and the accountants' contact information and put them on your "center of influence" list.
- If they say no, tell them they need to work with someone that you work with, namely the "Yes" list.
Invite the professionals from the "Yes" list to a breakfast or luncheon seminar about financial planning and how to incorporate estate planning and tax planning into the mix. Do this three or four times per year.
Keep in touch with your professional centers of influence by e-mail or newsletter, but most important, send referrals to each of them as frequently as possible, and when your name and reputation are firmly established, pop another question — this time about forming strategic networking alliances.
Want to Know More?
Visit Strategic Networking, Part I: Win/Win Situations, and Part III: Not Many Holes in the Cheese.
