Developing Your Value Proposition

If you want the best results from this exercise, involve your staff and other producers in a high-energy brainstorming session, but don't be afraid to get professional help. It's that important.

• How do financial services providers in your marketing area do business, especially the way they deal with prospects and clients?
• How do you operate and deal with prospects and clients? List your strengths and weaknesses as a financial adviser, communicator, marketer, entrepreneur.
• What do your 'differences' mean to your clients? How do they benefit from working with you?
• What is unique about your products or services compared to your direct competitors?
• Which of these factors are most important to your prospects?
• Which of these factors are most difficult for your competitors to imitate?
• Which of these factors can be understood most easily by your prospects?

This exercise will prepare you to build your professional identity brand, which you'll use in your market strategy, on your Web site, in advertising and in your other marketing efforts. Position it prominently in all communications and then watch your client acquisition costs drop while your lead conversion rate climbs.