While your clients will likely know how this process works, they’ll have friends and family members who are unaware.
Of course I’m not suggesting you give them the hard sell, but it’s reasonable to enquire after the wellbeing of clients’ families and perfectly acceptable – if it comes up in the conversation – to reiterate that there is no charge for advising on protection policies.
It’s likely that you’ll talk about Covid-19, the second wave and the worrying outlook for the economy in many of your conversations both at work and socially.
There’s nothing wrong with talking about the danger of being unprepared financially, or mentioning that most Britons don’t have adequate cover and that the fallout from that could be enormous.
You should also highlight the issue in your more formal marketing and comms and warn consumers about the dangers of the DIY approach.
DIY perils
Finances are precarious at the moment, job security is at an all-time low and the economy is tanking.
You can’t blame consumers for trying to save as much cash as possible, but you can use your resources creatively to help prevent them from making terrible – and costly – mistakes.
Why not write a blog for your website or Facebook page about the importance of getting advice before buying cover?
Point out which parts of your advice services are free. Make it clear what they are paying for and why it is good value for money.
Advice firms might also consider teaming up with other local groups and businesses to help you get the word out.
Think creatively. Are there any volunteer groups, clubs or other businesses who are also trying to support the local community? Could you write a post for a local news site or the local paper?
There’s no doubt that advisers have a vital role to play in educating the public about the value of advice and warning of the dangers of making a costly mistake that could have long term repercussions for a family.
But how ever we draw attention to this issue – as individuals or in larger groups – we need to tackle the bigger issue of which this is just the symptom.
That is: how we are perceived as an industry.
The future – both in terms of the economy and the virus – looks increasingly unpredictable, so providing a high-quality service is likely to become yet more challenging in the weeks and months ahead.
That’s why it’s so important to keep on top of your continued professional development (CPD).
You need to be confident and able to anticipate your customers’ needs and guide them as their circumstances change.
