Have you ever wondered how successful advisors keep reaching the next level? Some people might say that it is about luck, while others might say it’s about skill. I believe that it really comes down to one simple but powerful thing that successful advisors apply each and every day. It’s all about having efficient and productive business habits!
James Clear, the author of the book, Atomic Habits, said it best, “Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become." And, I believe that’s true!
Let’s look at seven habits that can change your business and your life.
Habit #1: Be Protective of Your Time
All successful advisors know that their time during any given day is limited. Sure, we all have the same 24 hours each day, but it’s what we do with our time that is important. Successful advisors have learned to be proactive and not let interruptions dominate their day. With the clients that I coach, I use the Two-Part Formula for Mastering Time Management. It goes like this:
Structure to the Day + Having a System to Manage Tasks and Interruptions = Efficient Time Management
Habit #2: Stay Positive
Let’s face it, this is not an easy business. And, it’s even harder if you focus on negative situations or negative people. Over the years I’ve noticed that successful advisors have a high resilience towards setbacks. They just don’t let anything or anyone get them down. How do you make “staying positive” a habit? You do this by focusing on activities that help you become positive and stay positive. In other words, do what you love and love what you do!
Habit #3: Stay Motivated
If you want to truly be successful, you need to be motivated to take consistent action and not let it burn you out! Now, that might seem like it’s not possible, but it is. In fact, it all comes down to doing what successful advisors do, which is, turn action into a game. What this will do is not only help you get and stay motivated, but it will help you enjoy the journey while moving towards the destination of accomplishing your goals!
Habit #4: Strategically Prospect
Successful advisors know how to prospect! They do this by being strategic about every step of their prospecting process. And, they don’t reinvent the wheel. Rather, they learn tools and techniques to make sure that they add people to and move them through their sales pipeline. When you learn how to strategically prospect, you take the guess work out of success which makes finding success less of a challenge.
Habit #5: Being Able to Ask Great Questions
One of the most important habits that successful advisors do is being able to ask great questions.
I’ve said it before and I will say it again, “People hate to be sold to, but they love to buy!” and, they will buy when they come to the conclusion that they want to buy. The way to do that is to ask great questions to get the prospect or client to come to that realization on their own. This process is called S.P.I.N Selling. Once you learn this process you can help people have their won “a-ha moment” that you have solutions to their challenges.
Habit #6: Be Able to Listen
In order to create great connections, you have to be a great listener. But, how do you let the others know that you are a listening? It’s by getting in the habit of using Empathetic Listening. Empathetic Listening is a process of letting the prospect or client know that you hear them. It’s what you say after they have responded to your question.
There are four levels of Empathetic Listening:
Habit #7: Have No Fear of Rejection
Now, this is probably the most important habit of all! Most people who fail in the business, fail because they couldn’t get past their fear of rejection. How do you become rejection proof? It’s by learning what rejection is really about. And, it’s not about you!
In fact, it’s what I call, “The Art of Rejection Perception,” which is that rejection is not about you, it’s about the value they think you can bring. All you need to do is increase your value in their mind and prospects and clients will more readily see what you offer them is worth it.
Why the 7 Habits of Highly Effective Advisors Works
The reason why The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Advisors works is because each habit can have a lasting positive impact on your success! In Advisor Solutions Podcast Episode #131 The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Advisors, you will find a much more detailed account of advisors and agents that have applied each habit and how it has had a lasting impact on them. And, it could have the same effect on you!