No advisor needs to be told there are dozens of different ways to approach selling. Although the sales techniques you adopt and feel comfortable with will depend largely on your personality and business model, the reality is that many advisors struggle for years to find the right approach. Some try using “hard sell” techniques based on overcoming objections or instilling a sense of urgency. In our experience, the more effective approach for most financial advisors is a customer-led sales process that is more like judo than karate.
While both are martial arts, karate is all about punching, kicking, and blocking. It is forceful and aggressive, with opponents alternating between offense and defense. By contrast, judo is all about enticing your opponent to lean toward you and then using their momentum to your advantage.
Telling Isn’t Selling
Applying these different approaches to sales, think about a situation where you recommend a financial strategy or product to a prospect, and he raises an objection. That’s a punch and a block. Then you raise a point to overcome the objection and the prospect doubles down. That’s a kick and another block – and on it goes.
So, how is a judo-like approach different? Well, for starters, the matter of a specific product or strategy should never even come up until after the prospect has already agreed to become your client. How is that possible? It’s possible because you’ve strategically used the prospect’s own momentum to lead him on a discovery process that has helped him realize not only that he has a problem, but that you are the right advisor to help him fix it.
But how do you get to that point with a judo-based sales process? The answer is largely by asking strategic questions. Remember, telling isn’t selling. Telling a prospect that he has a problem is karate; asking him strategic questions that allow him to discover the problem for himself, is judo.
Creating Momentum
But what are strategic questions? Well, many of us have been taught that open-ended questions are better than closed-ended questions in sales. But in our experience, the opposite is true. Why? Because with open-ended questions, you don’t know if the answer will get the prospect leaning toward you. But by asking enough closed-ended questions, like “Do you prefer A or B?” or “Would you choose C or D?” you’re more likely to get at least one answer that creates momentum toward you.
Here’s an example: Don’t ask the prospect, “How much annual income would you like your assets to generate during retirement?” Instead, ask something like, “If you could choose a strategy that might generate as much as $85,000 in annual income or as little as $20,000, or a strategy you could count on to generate $65,000 in income every year, which would you pick?”
That’s a judo-like question. Using this approach, you avoid confrontation and guide the client through a smooth, collaborative process. This builds rapport and trust, making your sales process more effective and less adversarial.
Customer-Led Selling
None of this is new or revolutionary, of course, but today, more than ever, financial advisors are discovering the benefits of having a customer-led selling process. Rather than pushing a product or overwhelming prospects with an in-person “commercial” about how great you are, you’re letting them take the lead. You’re less like a salesperson and more like a consultant or coach, uncovering needs, clarifying goals, and aligning solutions to what the customer truly values. This, of course, is as it should be for a financial advisor!
But why is a judo-based approach based on customer-led selling more effective nowadays than ever? Here are four reasons:
- Prospects Are More Informed Than Ever
Thanks to the internet, today’s prospects often show up with research in hand. Customer-led selling respects this and builds on what the prospect already knows, rather than trying to override it.
- It Builds Trust Faster
When you let the prospect drive the conversation and the meeting, they feel heard and respected. That emotional connection translates into trust, which is arguably the most critical ingredient in closing a sale.
- It Uncovers Real Needs
By asking thoughtful, strategic questions and following the prospect’s lead, advisors can get to the heart of the problem and ultimately better connect with the prospect on an emotional level. This leads not only to more sales but to more tailored solutions and long-term relationships.
- It Reduces Sales Pressure
A customer-led sales process feels less like a sales pitch and more like a strategic discussion. This lowers defenses and encourages honest dialogue, making it easier to build that momentum that leads you toward the close!
Final Takeaway
Using a customer-led selling process based on judo instead of karate is all about giving prospects the space to share what matters most to them. In doing so, you not only differentiate yourself from competitors but also create solutions that stick. In a world where trust, personalization, and emotional connections drive buying decisions, letting the prospect lead and using their momentum to convert them into clients is a surefire strategy for ongoing success!
