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One of the keys to becoming a top advisor is mastering prospecting language, but not for the reasons you probably think.

Most of advisors think that the importance of language is that it will land an appointment or make a sale. While there may be some truth to this, the reality is much deeper and more personal to you.

Great language gives you confidence. It allows you to speak with enthusiasm, tone inflection, and maintain strong body language. You can focus more on your clients and less on choosing what you need to say. You stop “winging it,” saying one thing to one client and then something entirely different to the next one, which leads to a roller coaster of results.

During my 12 years as an advisor, I dedicated myself to honing my prospecting language. And, as a leader and trainer, I’ve spent the last two decades training thousands of advisors across the country on prospecting language in Prospecting Mastery Workshops and my Sales Cycle Mastery programs.

Through these experiences, I’ve mastered my own prospecting language to the point that you could wake me up out of bed at midnight and without blinking an eye I could deliver it to you. The good news? Mastering prospecting language is not rocket science. With proper practice, any advisor can do it.

How Top Advisors Master Prospecting Language

Having trained and coached so many reps on their prospecting language, I can tell you that there’s a simple difference between advisors that absolutely nail their prospecting language and those who are average at it. That reason is hands down repetition.

While some advisors are naturals when it comes to prospecting and can get by on talent alone, those advisors are the exception to the rule. Most advisors need to practice over and over again to get their language down. Repetition is the mother of all learning. Mastering prospecting language is simple, but not easy.

Think about it from a golf perspective. Professional golfers like Phil Mickelson spend thousands of hours practicing three-foot puts. It looks easy when you see it on TV, but it takes work to get it down. And, it’s mastering these fundamental aspects of the game that distinguishes the elite from the amateur.

There’s a Navy Seal saying that says, “we don’t rise to the occasion; we fall to the level of our training.” Essentially, what this means is that even once you feel you have your language down, keep practicing, because you need to be able to deliver when the pressure is on.

What if you had to deliver your language in front of an audience? What if I woke you up in the middle of the night to do it? You goal is to become so good at it that you could nail it in these situations. When you reach that level, doing it in front of your clients is easy.

Get Rid Of The Filler

The best advisors use language that is concise and compelling. One of the fastest ways for this to fall apart is when filler language is injected into your speech. The obvious example is “um” and “ah.” These make it seem like you don’t really know what you are talking about.

However, there are other common language issues that plague advisors. One is the word “just.” You probably aren’t even aware that you are using words like “just.” For example, when presenting an agenda to a client that includes time at the end for prospecting, an advisor who has not mastered prospecting might say:

It may seem innocent, but the italicized words are major turn offs. You don’t ever want to “just” do anything. The word “just” has a negative connotation that you are minimizing or apologizing for what you are asking for. Additionally, the words “little bit of time” and “might be willing to give to me” show that you’re coming from a self-defeated mindset, not an empowered one.

Your mindset should be that you are not asking for a favor when you are prospecting. You are giving your clients the gift of an opportunity to help their loved ones achieve financial security too.

Lastly, advisors often try to say too much when they don’t have their language down pat. An example of this is asking too many questions like, “What’s the best way to get in touch with Mr. Prospect? Does he prefer email? Text? A phone call?” As an advisor, it’s your job to LEAD the client. You tell them the process and the next steps and they will have more confidence in you.

The Next Steps

With these tips, it’s up to you to work on mastering your language. For my exact language, I recommend signing into P2P Academy, or subscribing if you’re not a member already, and going through our prospecting course. In this course, I share my exact language for how to feed a name, ask for a favorable introduction, and overcome the top 3 – 5 objections that clients most often respond with.

Secondly, I would watch those videos over and over again. Don’t try and reinvent the wheel. Work to deliver my prospecting language exactly as I deliver it. Once you’ve got it down, practice with a peer or manager that will hold you accountable. Ask them to grade you on how closely you matched the version that I deliver and give you feedback on how you can improve.

Most of all, make a commitment to practicing throughout your career. Too many advisors train early on in their career, and then stop after a year or two. The best advisors are always looking to elevate their skills and have a growth-focused mentality. With the right training and a commitment to professional development, you can truly transform your potential into real performance.