Building a personalized third-party referral ‘message’

Larry Mathis • Lake Oswego, OR
Pearson Financial Group • SII Investments, Inc.

I have some fairly aggressive growth goals for my practice in terms of building assets under management. I am looking to work with a select number of new clients who will appreciate my approach to financial planning and active portfolio management.

I have found over the years that obtaining referrals from centers of influence is perhaps the most effective way to be introduced to a new client. It is already known in most cases that these individuals have a desire to learn more about the services offered by a qualified financial advisor. Being referred by a trusted third party also helps establish a certain level of credibility going into the process.

This is a two-way street, and I certainly try to reciprocate with referrals of my own. When I do that, I ask the person who is receiving the referral to help me specifically craft a message that I can deliver about their practice and services. I also like to help people who are referring my practice with a specific message about who I am, my experience, and the services I can offer.

The people I work with in this fashion are all local professionals: realtors, CPAs, estate planning attorneys, property and casualty insurance experts, and so on. I have built a tightly knit group of professionals I can rely on, and I am certain they think of me in the same way. These connections can come through organizations we all belong to, through my personal network of contacts, through shared charitable activities, or just by doing business together through the years.

As part of this process, I sit down with people and talk about several things: my background, the types of clients I have worked with, the services I can provide, my philosophy on client relationships, financial planning, portfolio management, and my involvement with community and charitable activities.

I recently met with a successful real estate group in our area and had this kind of conversation. They said they would position me as part of the professional network they would send their friends and family to, which was very gratifying.

Disclosure: Larry Mathis is a registered representative of SII Investments, Inc. Securities and advisory services offered through SII Investments, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC, a registered investment advisor. Insurance services offered through Pearson Financial Group, which is not affiliated with SII Investments, Inc., or registered as a broker dealer or investment advisor.

Post-publication note: Mr. Mathis has been registered with SagePoint Financial Inc. since 2020.

Photography by Joni Kabana