Want Trust? Then Expose Yourself!
Open any newspaper and you’ll see that investment scams of all shapes and sizes continue to grab headlines. Recently, securities regulators and consumer watchdog groups alerted millions of investors to the fact that insurance agents (and former agents or brokers) currently are being actively recruited to market and sell investment scams at record levels. Therefore, regulators and senior groups alike have issued stern warnings to thoroughly investigate new investment opportunities and the advisors that sell them before handing over their money.
For investors, these warnings produce doubt, suspicion, fear, and can ultimately render many incapable of making a buying decision, even if it is in their best interest to do so. So what can you do now to engender trust and establish credibility within your specialized marketplace?
Expose yourself. Executive recruiters Heidrick and Struggles stated recently that “In this new era for business, glamour and glitz are out. Transparency is in.” To be “transparent” in this sense means to openly expose who you really are, personally and professionally, to your prospects and clients. What is one way that you can do this?
The Professional Profile
A professional profile, (or agent bio) is one of the most important, yet under-utilized tools that you can create to enhance your image and establish credibility. In today’s world, an effective one-page overview that showcases you as a trustworthy advisor is a must for anyone working any market in the financial services industry, and can make the difference between a prospect and a client.
Create Your Own Professional Profile
Here are some important tips to help you create your own Professional Profile. Remember, there’s nothing wrong with presenting yourself dynamically, but honestly, BE HONEST.
Your professional biography should be a series of paragraphs typed onto one letter-size sheet of paper. Always write in the third person, that is, refer to yourself by your name and “he/she” as appropriate. For example, “Janice has a state-regulated license to offer insurance and financial services and she is regarded as a local expert in such topics as…”
Open with your name, your title, the name and background of your business and a description of the services that you offer. Here is your opportunity to tell your story – how you got involved in the industry, your years of experience, your goals and achievements, your mission statement and business philosophy. Be sure to include family information too, write something nice about your spouse and list all names of children and pets.
- List Licensing, Education and Associations
If you have a college education, be sure to list it. If not, don’t worry – list all the continuing education courses that you have completed, as well as all regulatory licensing and specialized areas of training that you have received from industry organizations. This includes all designations, memberships, special associations, volunteer groups or charity organizations that you support.
Your picture, (smiling headshot preferred) located in the upper right-hand corner, is essential. Also include your complete contact information, including website.
The names of satisfied clients, along with their contact information, speak volumes regarding your credibility. Prior permission from your clients is necessary, and if you wish for them to remain confidential until needed, just write - “References gladly given upon request”.
Remember, the purpose of the professional profile is to make a statement that speaks “integrity”, which boosts your credibility. So take a proactive approach and meet this current climate of mistrust head-on by exposing yourself, allowing your prospects to make the connection between what you have chosen as your career and who you truly are as a person. Advisors who do will prosper, not just financially, but personally as well.
Published in: Senior Market Advisor Magazine - May, 2005 — SMA Website
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