10 Telltale Signs Prospects Won’t Sign Up

Speaker – Antoinettte Rodriguez, MBA

You may have just finished the presentation or are in the prospecting stage. You have a lot to offer to these wealth management prospects, yet get the sinking feeling that they are not going to be a client. Here are the top 10 telltale signs that they won’t sign up, or at least not today:

#1 Lack of validation. The prospect doesn’t feel validated. Either you have not heard what they said. Or they feel you’re not listening. Is your body language consistent with your words? Is their body language showing that this is the quickest way to show the prospect now? Have you repeated back what you think they feel? Have you spent more time talking about yourself, rather than empathizing with their pain?

#2 Value proposition mismatch. They might feel your value is not incrementally higher than the cost. You may not have translated your value to their particular payment. Other competitors could simply be cheaper, even if not better.

#3 Timing mismatch. It’s a timing mismatch. If the person doesn’t have a deadline, money in motion, or a time-sensitive event, sometimes there’s no reason to partner right now. This particular resistance will be higher if you are meeting people casually at networking events or if the prospect is not pre-qualified.

#4 Lack of trust. They don’t like or trust you. You may have rubbed them the wrong way. Body language-related signs that a prospect doesn’t like you are resistance and crossed arms in front of their face. Agitation. Feet pointed toward the door as if they were looking at what they wanted to leave. A big smile, a polite but disinterested listening, interrupting you with argumentative comments, making motions to leave before you even finish speaking.

#5 Happy with current advisor. They’re happy with their first advisor. They could just be listening to you out of politeness or to see if they could cut a deal with you. Or they might just be trying to get a second opinion. And even more, they could just be ego-stroking, i.e., levy pinch them because they can. They can just want the free goodies you’re offering, such as food. Why a popular or expensive event?

#6 Communication style mismatch. Perhaps you talk too fast or too slow. Have you tried to close the prospect quicker than you should? Have you disparaged competitors? Did you cut the prospect of in-conversation? Have you talked over them?

#7 Fear of change. Even something as simple as changing their account number can cause people to not want to change Trump’s. The devil they know is better than the devil they don’t know. They may feel that the current firmware advisor offers more security simply because it happens.

#8 FA too slick. Sometimes having too fancy your car office, vacation photos, or luxury home is a turnoff to The Millionaire Next Door nonflashy prospects. They could feel that you’re trying too hard or not a good saver. They choose not to do business with you as a result.

#9 Partner doesn’t like you. It is possible that the deal killer is actually the partner to watch their body language over a recluse. Does your partner feel overwhelmed in other areas of life and perhaps wants to sabotage this crucial FAA decision? Does the partner have other advisors that they like or feel loyal to? Like a friend or family member?

#10 Control issues. You may not want to be controlled sometimes, especially if the client has never had an affair. They don’t necessarily like it, given that someone else is going to be telling them what to do with their money. They may be testing the waters by talking to you but are not quite ready to have a professional advisor After all.

How can you use these tips to help close more business? Watch your body language. Watch their body language, pre-qualified prospects, and most importantly, listen, listen,