How to Introduce Yourself as a Financial Advisor

Knowing how to introduce yourself as a financial advisor is an important skill. Whether you’re meeting with prospective clients or other professionals, you undoubtedly want to make a strong first impression. The most effective introduction allows you to build a connection that can open the door to a deeper conversation.

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Why Introductions Matter for Growing Your Business

Psychological research suggests that people can form a judgment about you and your character within 0.1 seconds of meeting you. Assuming that’s true, there’s some merit to the idea that you never get a second chance to make a first impression.

How you introduce yourself can set the tone for the entire interaction you have with a prospective client. You have a tiny window of time to:

Tell the person you’re speaking with who you are
Make an initial connection
Display authenticity and relatability
Instill trust
Turn the attention back to the client

It’s a tall order to fill, but when done correctly, your introduction could lead to new leads and more clients.

Why? Because an introduction that sends positive signals can help prospects feel more comfortable – and more inclined to keep talking. If your introduction is overly “sales-y” or you come off as arrogant or self-centered, that may be the first and last conversation you ever have with them.

How to Introduce Yourself as a Financial Advisor – Examples

The way that you introduce yourself to a prospect depends on the situation. Here are a few examples of financial advisor introductions that work.

Introducing Yourself in Social Settings

You may find yourself in a social setting where you’re likely to encounter your ideal client. For example, you might be attending a charity event that attracts wealthy donors. Here’s a script you might use after exchanging greetings and names.

Prospect: So, what brings you to [event name]?

Advisor: Well, it’s a cause my firm believes in and some of our clients are on the [charity name’s] board of directors, so I’m here to show support.

Prospect: And which firm do you work for?

Advisor: I’m an advisor at [XYZ Firm], I work with high-net-worth investors to help them preserve wealth and develop strategic plans for giving. It’s fulfilling to see those plans come to life, which is why I’m here tonight. And you, what do you do?

Why it works: This kind of introduction is short but specific, and it tells the prospect exactly who you serve. You also give them an opening to turn the conversation back on themselves and ask follow-up questions.

Introducing Yourself via Email

Your first introduction to a prospect may come via email if someone is reaching out to you to schedule a chat because they’ve filled out a contact form on your website or opted into your email list to get your lead magnet.

Here’s how an introductory email might go.

Advisor: Hi [their name], I saw that you recently [filled out a contact form/joined our email list] and wanted to issue a personal welcome to you. If you don’t know who I am, I’m a financial advisor who specializes in helping investors like you create realistic plans for building wealth and pursuing financial freedom.

Working with an advisor is a big step and I’d love to learn more about you and your journey. When would be a suitable time to schedule a chat?

Best,

[Your name]

Why it works: In this introduction, you’ve set a warm tone and offered a concise description of who you are and what you do. You’ve also expressed interest in the prospect and given them a gentle but clear nudge at the end to continue the conversation.

Introducing Yourself to a Referral

Referrals are an invaluable resource for advisors, and they’re a sign that your existing clients trust you and the advice you offer. Here’s how you might introduce yourself to a referral from a current client.

Advisor: Hello, I’m [your name]. It’s nice to meet you. I understand that [referrer name] put you in touch with me. Did they tell you a little about what I do?

Prospect: They mentioned that you’re an advisor and that I might want to talk to you about [financial issue/challenge].

Advisor: Well, they’re right that I’m an advisor. As far as what I do, I work with investors like you to build financial plans that work for their lifestyle and their goals. Could you tell me a little bit about what you’re hoping to get out of this meeting today and why you’re interested in working with an advisor?

Why it works: This introduction establishes a common connection (the referring client) and gives you room to tell the prospect a little about yourself. More importantly, it gives them a chance to expand on why they’re meeting with you and what they might need help with.

What Comes After the Introduction

Once you’ve introduced yourself, the goal is to elicit information from the prospect. In other words, get them talking about themselves, their financial situation and their goals.

During the conversation, you can ask open-ended questions to glean more information. For example, instead of asking, “Do you have an advisor?” you could ask them how their financial plan is going or what their biggest money goal is right now. The more they talk, the better you can guide the conversation by asking targeted questions.

What if they have objections? Specifically, what if they give you the standard, “I already have an advisor” line?

That doesn’t have to shut the conversation down and, in fact, it could help you keep things flowing. The next question you might ask them is how satisfied they are with the service their current advisor is providing. That’s a lead-in to asking if they’d like to schedule a meeting so you can review their portfolio.

Tips for Introducing Yourself to Clients

There are certain mistakes to avoid when introducing yourself to prospective clients. Remember, first impressions matter.

Here are some tips for successful introductions:

Be authentic and approachable
Ask open-ended questions as much as possible
Make good eye contact
Practice active listening and repeat what the prospect is saying back to them to make sure you understand
Avoid jokes that could be misconstrued
Don’t make assumptions about the prospect’s financial situation
Highlight what you do and who you help, but don’t brag or make the conversation all about you

Practicing introductions can help you get them down, so you’re not tongue-tied when meeting a practice. You can practice alone or enlist the help of someone on your team to act as a prospect while you fine-tune your intro.

Bottom Line

The importance of knowing how to introduce yourself as a financial advisor can’t be understated. These example introductions can be used as a template to craft your own introductions so that every time you meet a new prospect, you’re poised to grab their attention and draw their interest.

Tips for Growing Your Advisory Business

As an advisor, you need a strong marketing plan to promote your brand and grow your business. Partnering with an advisor marketing platform can help you connect with your ideal clients, without taking time away from the clients you already have. SmartAsset AMP uses a holistic approach to help independent advisors match with prospective clients. Schedule a demo to learn how you can use it to grow your business.
Once you’ve made initial contact with a prospect, it’s essential that you follow up. Following up can help keep you fresh in the prospect’s mind and it’s an opportunity for you to ask questions that can help you better understand what they need.