How To Overcome Call Reluctance As A Financial Advisor

“What will I say?”

“How will they respond?”

“Maybe now isn’t a good time to call.”

These are probably questions and thoughts that have run through your mind at one point when debating whether or not you should pick up the phone.

Call reluctance is a very real (and quite frankly a valid feeling) when it comes to your role as a financial advisor.

However, overcoming call reluctance is a very necessary step, if you want a successful career. And unfortunately, that pit in your stomach won’t go away overnight – it requires dedication and a consistent effort. By adopting a positive mindset, setting achievable goals, refining your communication skills, and leveraging technology, you can transform call reluctance into a strength. Remember, effective client communication is not just about making calls; it’s about building lasting relationships that benefit both you and your clients.

 

6 Practices To Overcome Your Call Reluctance

Call reluctance typically stems from something. This could be a combination of factors, including the fear of rejection, anxiety about not having all the answers, or a general discomfort with the idea of making unsolicited (or even solicited) calls. 

Recognizing and understanding the hurdles relevant to your reluctance is the first step toward conquering this setback.

So how can you work towards this?

 

#1 Avoid Preconceived Notions

The ideas you put in your own head are likely the BIGGEST ones setting you back. And you know that’s true.

A preconceived notion is a personal belief or idea about something that someone holds without proof. This means we already have an outcome in our mind, without anything actually happening.

These ideas of beliefs might include:

• “This person might already have an advisor”
• “Their brother’s friend is a really well-known advisor”
• “Why would they work with me?”

Ok, wait a minute, why NOT you?

Even if your thoughts end up being true, let your prospect tell YOU no. If you always tell yourself you know, it will be very difficult to build your practice.

Practicing positive self talk helps you focus on the value you bring as a financial advisor. And while rejection is a part of the job, it’s not a reflection of your worth or abilities.

 

#2 Create A Compelling Script

This one is all about balance. While you don’t want to sound rehearsed, you also want to go into each call feeling PREPARED. And what better way to prepare than having a loose script. Your script shouldn’t be word for word (please), but should include notes in a few areas:

• Personal conversation/checking in
• Acknowledgment of concerns, if any
• Educational component
• Opportunities for open-ended questions
• How you will handle an objection
• Follow-up/next steps

The more familiar you become with a prospect, or even client for that matter, the more you can customize your script to best align with their interests, needs, and unique scenario.

 

#3 Track Your Interactions

Speaking of getting to know your prospects and clients. The questions, comments, and discussions that arise from following your script are the perfect antidotes to note in your acquaintance, prospect, or client’s file. Advisors at Consolidated Planning utilize SmartOffice to best track and manage their interactions.

This aspect is often overlooked but incredibly important when it comes to client acquisition and retention. That’s because the details matter. The interactions you track might include:

• Birthdates
• Mention of an upcoming trip
• Milestones
• Change in family dynamics

Tracking these matters is where you build relationships. And these relationships build your practice.

 

#4 Proper Utilization of Technology

Advancements in technology have done wonders for the world of financial advising. Properly and adequately leveraging these tools can make it easier when it comes to picking up the phone.

Often, there is hesitation because we aren’t sure how someone will respond or react to us calling them. Utilizing the right tools can enhance your communication process, making your (dreaded) phone calls a little easier. A few ways you can do this includes:

• Utilizing your CRM for tracking interactions (as mentioned above)
• Creating email templates
• Creating and scheduling social media posts
• Automated emails, reminders, and texts

Embracing these offerings available to you can help you identify not only when it’s the RIGHT time for a touch point but WHAT that communication should be about. These efforts help you maintain consistent messaging and open lines of communication. So, when it’s time to pick up the phone, you will most likely be on your acquaintances, prospects, or client’s radar to some degree.

 

#5 Mentorship & Support

Being a financial advisor can feel like a siloed career path at times. But, it doesn’t have to be. With the right balance and autonomy and support, your chosen firm can be an immense resource to you. 

With the mentorship program at Consolidated Planning, advisors are matched with advisors who have been where you are. What is a mountain to you (like making phone calls potentially), is now just a pebble to them. And that’s just what you need.

Your mentor will help you on your toughest days. They can help you talk through your self doubt holding you back and even role play with you, making it easier to just pick up the phone.

And at the end of the day, you really just need to pick up the phone.

 

#6 Set Personal Goals

Elon Musk was quoted saying, “If you give yourself 30 days to clean your home, it will take you 30 days. But if you give yourself 3 hours, it will take 3 hours. The same applies to your goals, ambitions, and potential.”

This sentiment couldn’t be more true when it comes to getting past your call reluctance.

For someone struggling with call reluctance, it can be easy to keep throwing the stone down the road and say you’ll call tomorrow. But tomorrow quickly turns into next week, then next month…then it’s too late.

Establishing a call schedule and weekly activity level helps you hold yourself accountable and pick up the phone. Because at the end of the day, YOU are responsible for you

Here at CP, advisors are encouraged to follow the 10-4-2 method. This method refers to:

• Collecting 10 names per week
• Setting 4 meetings from the 10 names, and
• 2 of the 4 meetings will move forward with you

By making this method the standard in your practice, you’re setting a high activity level for yourself.

And a high activity level = a successful practice.

 

Find A Practice That Helps You Get Past Your Call Reluctance

Ultimately, at the end of the day, if you don’t pick up the phone, you won’t have a financial advising practice.

However that doesn’t mean that an advisor with call reluctance can’t be successful. We’ve seen it happen. You just need the right tools and a firm with a planning philosophy that you can stand behind. Maybe that’s Consolidated Planning.

If you’re ready to learn to leverage your skills and build new ones, talk with a team member about what resources are available to you at CP.

 

 

2023-165052 Exp. 11/2025