Follow Through Consistently

If you want to build a business that provides you dependable results take some advice from the pros. In this case, we mean the Golf Pros. If you want to improve your golf fame the pros will tell you that following through with your swing is critical. The key is to do it consistently so your game can be more dependable.

When you apply this advice to your financial services business, it still has the same message: consistently follow through to have a business that is dependable. But what does it mean to follow through as a financial services professional?

A Leadership Trait

Follow through is a leadership attribute. An attribute that can be learned and improved. It is the execution to a task. For example, successful financial services businesses have the next steps defined before ending a meeting:

• Before ending a meeting with the team, everyone knows what to monitor and report on after the meeting.
• Before ending a client meeting, the next meeting is scheduled, the next action is agreed on, or the next step of the plan is reviewed.

A Dependable Presence

To be a dependable presence means both your physical and mental presence in the business are consistent. This is done through your attitude and demeanor, which should reflect your intention to your team. Being a dependable presence motivates your team and models the behavior you expect of them.

Organization and Delegation

Another attribute to always following through is having a set, regular schedule. This doesn't mean you need to be a prisoner to the calendar, it means you need to know your top priorities and focus on those priorities consistently. This, again, is setting the example for your team. A team that is focused on their priorities consistently yields a higher return on their time.

Commitment to Clients

Follow through is also a business owner's commitment to your clients. When they see you follow through on a consistent basis, then the relationship you have with them develops further and trust is formed. When clients can trust you will do what you say, they are more likely to buy from you again and again, also refer you to others. Needless to say, this creates a more profitable business and one that is more enjoyable because of the relationships you created with your clients.

Success

If a financial services professional doesn't follow through, it diminishes the agent/advisor's credibility and creates distrust. It leaves his/her business vulnerable and unpredictable. Therefore, a commitment to always following through results in a successful business.

We challenge you to determine the level of follow-through you have in your business and identify what needs to be different to design a more dependable business - consistently. A business that allows you, the owner, to say - I always follow through!