When Selling to Women, Connect with Your Prospects in Conversation
Perhaps you’ve taken my advice that women are amazing prospects and have started selling financial services to women. Great! The first step in prospecting women is to inspire a connection and start your relationship.
There are three things you need to know about connecting with women in conversation.
- Find something you have in common
- Be careful not to one-up
- Followup after the conversation
Find Something You Have in Common
Women have very little use for “getting down to brass tacks.” If you’re going to be her financial advisor, she wants to know and understand you. Let go of your PowerPoint deck for awhile and find something personal you both have in common. Ask about her latest vacation, family, or what’s keeping her busy these days. Perhaps you will discover that both of you love Italy and take most of your vacations there.
Be Careful Not to One-Up
In male gender culture, it’s natural to emphasize your assets and successes. But female gender culture emphasizes togetherness and equality. When you find something you have in common with a woman prospect, don’t mention how you are the best or most capable at it! If she’s visited Italy five times, don’t tell her you’ve been there seven times. She’ll view this one-ups-manship as tiresome and annoying. Open up, share your foibles, and she’ll be more likely to open up her wallet.
Followup After the Conversation
Women appreciate details. Show that you care and are detail-oriented by sending her a personalized token and written note after the conversation. For example, send an Italian cookbook with the note:
“I know you enjoyed eating your way through Italy as much as I did! These are some of my favorite recipes that remind me of Tuscany.”
Do these three things, and your affluent women prospects will think of you less as a salesperson and more as a friend who is enjoyable to talk with. Doesn’t that sound like the start of a prosperous relationship?