Use the "Sum-Up" Close
Before you agree to the next steps, say to your clients: "So let me sum-up what you want to accomplish." --Katherine Vessenes
The Sum-up Close:
Before you agree to the next steps, say to your clients: “So let me sum-up what you want to accomplish. If we can (work backwards through the flip charts):
1. Meet your expectations by contacting you by phone twice a month
2. Be accessible to you
3. Help you create a plan and stay on track
4. Create an investment plan
5. Give you some investment ideas
6. Help you put together a plan that will help you put your children through college
Then take a deep breath and ask: “Is this what you are looking for in us as your financial advisors?” What you are really doing is confirming the sale of the relationship. No one says no at this stage, because you are feeding back a list of exactly what they told you they wanted. At this stage you say: “Great, then our next steps are to create a financial plan for you. It takes about two weeks, and we should be ready to deliver it to you on May 13th. How does that date work for you?” Of course you write down the next steps on the chart that says “next steps.”
-Katherine Vessenes, in An Effective and Low-Cost Sales Tool for Advisors
and 