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When I was an advisor, I had tremendous success meeting prospects while my kid was swinging on the jungle gym. Here’s the method to use to meet new clients while your kid is at soccer practice (or tennis, basketball, etc.)
Get on the scene
You want to be in the right community. If you want to meet ultra-high-net worth prospects, then why not hang out where they do? Find the most affluent place within a reasonable distance and sign up!
You’re not paying the cost of living there, you’re just playing soccer there. Why not put your $200 league dues to work in the middle of the highest level of wealth per capita possible? Your kid will thank you for it once they realize this is paying their college tuition.
As you may know (because I’m not ashamed of this in the least), I do not live in a rich part of New York City. When Antonio and I started living together, we just chose a place where the best deal was. Then we had four kids in five years and there was no time to move. In the meantime, the place somehow grew on us, resulting in a strong emotional attachment to it (quite strangely). I could well afford to move to a better neighborhood, yet I have no desire. This I never would have imagined this given the prevalence of pit bulls, drug dealers, etc.
On the weekends, I am in the habit of traveling 30 minutes to visit parks in nearby neighborhoods where the highly affluent people live. We’re as regular there as the families who live there, and have become friends with them. This has led to both personal and professional opportunities. To this day, although I am no longer an advisor, people from this community still ask me to review their finances for them.
It all happened naturally, but here’s what made this a success. This had nothing to do with any marketing pitch and everything to do with showing people what’s in my heart, and that I’m someone who takes initiative, is responsible, and cares for other people.
Cheer for other people’s kids
This has to be sincere.
We put our oldest child into soccer this fall. Saturday mornings, I drag all four of our kids (all of whom are younger than six years old) to practice with her and we stand there on the sidelines. I had to find a way to prevent my three-year old from clobbering my two-year old. So I started having them cheer for their sister as well as all the other kids on her team.
Next thing I know I’m cheering for everyone. “Boot it, Carlton! Nice dribbling, Marianne!” Honestly, I had so much fun. I love kids and would have 300 of them if I could.
It did not occur to me that Marianne’s parents would hear this. They decided to return the favor when my two-year old ran away to chase a Golden Retriever while I was nursing my baby. They tracked her down and returned her to me and we started a conversation.
There’s nothing more appealing to a parent than when someone shows kindness towards your child. Don’t just do it with the business in mind; do it from your heart. Show the world that you are a loving person through sincere acts of kindness and there’s no way they’ll overlook it.
Assume photo leadership
There is not a parent alive who will turn down a photo of their kid. Take leadership by organizing a Facebook group for your soccer league. With parents’ consent, post the kids’ pictures there. Then become “Facebook friends” with the parents who visit the group. On your Facebook page, always have a posting about your business at the top of your feed and clearly state in your profile that you are an advisor serving their community. Include the link to your website.
Or, if they’re not on Facebook, ask for their email and send them the pictures with your full company info in the signature. Again, make sure your website is there.
Be the bailout parent
In any group of parents there is always that one mom or dad who is the go-to person for everything you need in a pinch? Kleenex, Band-Aids and sunscreen. You can even expand it to food and toys.
In your Facebook group (see above), show leadership by posting about things like rescheduling when there’s a rainout, when registration opens for next season, etc.
Doing all these things will show people you are organized, forward-thinking, and responsible – and most of all that you are a leader.
Cast off the clinging spouse
You may have in-laws or a spouse who wants to come to soccer practice. Inform them that they are to leave you alone while you operate. If they whine about this, then just explain that if they interfere with your strategy you’ll have to cancel the family trip to the Bahamas this December.
Sara’s upshot
Community networking can be taken to a new level using Facebook, which is one of the topics we discuss in my membership. What is the most creative way you’ve met new clients? I would love to hear from you on APViewpoint.
Sara Grillo, CFA, is a marketing consultant who helps investment management, financial planning, and RIA firms fight the tendency to scatter meaningless clichés on their prospects and bore them as a result. Prior to launching her own firm, she was a financial advisor and worked at Lehman Brothers.
Read more articles by Sara Grillo
Advisor Perspectives welcomes guest contributions. The views presented here do not necessarily represent those of Advisor Perspectives.
