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The car you drive isn’t just a status symbol. In the age of digital communication, Bluetooth and wired vehicles, advisors can use their cars to drive leads by converting boring downtime during a commute into active prospecting.
As I say in my motivational podcast episode Shoot the Ball, you have to shoot to score. Even the best jump shot shooter won’t win the game if he or she doesn’t take enough shots at the hoop. This analogy applies to advisors who want to build their practice; take more shots if you want to score more clients. The math is that simple. Use the time spent in your car as a prospecting opportunity.
Here’s how.
Create a car video blog (vlog)
People love to watch other people driving in their cars. It’s a weird little facet of human psyche. The backdrop of a car is intriguing because it puts you in an intimate setting with the person you are watching.
Here’s another great thing about car vlogs.
If you don’t have time to create videos, just hook up your camera to the dashboard and tape while you commute. At the very least, talk about your day, what’s on your mind and what you’re going to do when you get into the office. Make it sincere and interesting, human-to-human, as if you were talking to a friend sitting in the passenger’s seat. Use humor.
Most people would rather hear about what you do in your life as an advisor then what you actually do as an advisor. Plus if you’re driving through an interesting part of town it could really be fascinating to people, especially if they’ve never been there.
Way more interesting than some boring conference room!
Take sales trainer Grant Cardone’s car blog with motivational expert Tai Lopez. The two converse about entrepreneurship while Tai sits in the passenger seat of Grant’s car. It’s real world, down to earth and says to the viewer that this is not some infomercial or advertorial; it’s letting you in on the real conversation two people would have while driving in the car.
Listen to iTunes podcasts of successful people
With the popularity of Bluetooth in cars, vehicles are getting smarter than ever. Take advantage of it by using your commuting time as a way to scout out prospects who have podcasts. They tend to be leaders in their field, highly motivated and successful (for example, author Tim Ferriss).
People who have podcasts will often reveal things about themselves while hosting their shows. A great way to make an effective sales pitch to a famous person is to be a follower who knows something about them.
Do you know how many people pitch their services to me with no idea, I mean literally no idea, of what I do for a living? And I’m all over almost every form of public communication.
What kind of coffee do they love? What sports teams or players are they obsessed with? Maybe they mentioned it on a show once. So if you’re calling up and trying to get an appointment with him or her, maybe you should tell his or her administrative assistant that you’ll promise to bring them a gift you know they will love, making the admin look great in the eyes of the boss.
For example, the entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk loves the New York Jets. In almost everything he does on social media he mentions his goal of buying the franchise one day. It’s close to his heart. I know this because I follow his YouTube videos. But he also has a podcast that people could listen to in their cars.
One of my clients told me that they want me to get them a meeting with Gary V. Am I going to somehow find a way to factor the Jets into the pitch? You bet I am!
Do a drive by
I don’t get out much because I have three kids ages four and younger. I work almost entirely from home. So when I do get the time to have a meeting in Manhattan, I make a full day of it, even dropping by unexpectedly to the offices of prospects who haven’t agreed to work with me yet.
Bold? Yes indeed.
But if you don’t have the courage to stare somebody in the face and tell them point blank that they need to stop what they’re doing ASAP and pay attention to you, life as an entrepreneur is going to be pretty tough. I didn’t always have this ability and the fact that I now do has been one of the biggest drivers of my success. It has resulted in its fair share of painful moments but the more you do this, the more you get immune to rejection.
Do a drive by politely, cordially and correctly. But do the drive by.
Stock up your car with copies of a book you think other people will like, a copy of a blog you wrote, whatever you can give that you feel will add value to someone’s life. Then while you’re driving to your next meeting, call up three prospects you know who live or work close by and drop them off. You might as well, if they’re located en route.
Those chachkies aren’t doing any good in the box!
Join a car club
Did you know that there is a BMW Motorcycle Owners of America Group on LinkedIn? There is also one for BMW car owners.
If you own a car, join a car club. Many manufacturers offer these as a way to promote their brands. Even if you aren’t fired up about the model you own, it’s a wonderful way to meet people who have something in common with you.
It doesn’t hurt if it’s a luxury type car club, either.
Oh Sara! How could you?
I hear the APViewpoint comments now. You know me – my articles aren’t for the faint of heart.
Create useful car content on your blog
Do you know how many people have no idea how to go about the financial aspects of owning a car? Financing, insurance, etc.
As a New York City resident, this isn’t something I have to worry about. But if it ever were, I’d be totally overwhelmed. There must be other people in the same boat.
Create a blog about buying a car and describe the process you went through when you bought yours. This is a light topic that people love to talk about, so you can invite people to be guests on your blog to make it more interesting.
You can interview subject matter experts such as your car salesperson or a higher up person at the dealership. Or, you can interview someone who recently bought a car about the financial questions they faced.
Hint: the people you interview on your blogs can become great prospects if you stay in touch with them. Use the blog as a networking opportunity. People are flattered and grateful when you ask them to be a guest on your blog. They appreciate the attention especially if they own a business or are in sales.
All of you advisors who target business owners, take note! That was a gem of advice I just dropped on you.
Sara’s upshot
You have to maximize every single moment of time to show your value. Try these car prospecting techniques and let me know how they go. You can also follow my podcast here if you enjoy hearing about unusual and fun ways to grow your advisor practice.
Sara Grillo, CFA, is a top financial writer with a focus on marketing and branding for investment management, financial planning, and RIA firms. Prior to launching her own firm, she was a financial advisor and worked at Lehman Brothers. Sara graduated from Harvard with a degree in English literature and has an MBA from NYU Stern in quantitative finance.
Read more articles by Sara Grillo
Advisor Perspectives welcomes guest contributions. The views presented here do not necessarily represent those of Advisor Perspectives.
