Sales

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson, the fourth in our series on financial English. In this lesson, we’ll focus on pitching a new opportunity to a client.

In certain ways, selling financial services is just like selling any other kind of product. You connect with people and you match your solution to their needs or desires. And, of course, you show how that solution is worth the money it costs. But with financial services, these activities are usually much higher stakes.

Working with other people’s money requires you to work on maintaining a strong relationship. It’s not a one-off purchase, but an ongoing transaction. You need to let them know how their investments are doing and show clients you understand them as people, including their concerns.

Then, when the time is right, you can pitch new opportunities. If you’re smart, you can set up a real win-win situation with your clients. If they earn more money, then you earn more money, and you both end up better off.

In today’s dialog, we’ll listen to a conversation between Robert, an investment advisor, and his client Jessica. Robert wants to give Jessica an update on her current investments before introducing a new opportunity involving a hedge fund.

Listening Questions

1. What expression did Jessica use previously that Robert now brings back up in order to pitch her a new opportunity?
2. What does Robert say is the main benefit of a hedge fund?
3. How does Robert respond when Jessica expresses concerns that a hedge fund requires a big investment?

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Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson, the third in a three-part series on how to sell financial services.

For people with money, choosing a wealth manager is a high stakes decision. They want to be able to sleep well at night, knowing their hard-earned money and assets are in good hands. They want to choose a financial services professional – or a firm – they can trust.

To build the trust required to sell financial services, you need to ask the right questions and provide the right information. To develop rapport and understanding with a potential client, you might ask about their major financial concerns. And you might have to answer tough questions about your performance to convince them that you’re the right choice.

In our last lesson, we learned a lot of great collocations, or common expressions, related to financial services. Some expressions are well-known, but you may find yourself explaining some jargon or special terms to a potential client. And at a certain point in the discussion, you’ll have to find a diplomatic way of introducing the topic of fees.

In today’s dialog, we’ll rejoin a conversation between Robert and Jessica. Robert works for Vickers Wealth Management as a financial advisor. Jessica is a potential client. She’s looking for someone to help manage her assets. Now, they’re nearing the end of their first conversation in Robert’s office.

Listening Questions

1. What are Jessica’s biggest worries about?
2. What is Robert going to send to Jessica to help her understand his company’s performance?
3. What special wealth management term does Robert explain to Jessica?

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Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson, the first in a three-part series on selling financial services.

A wise person once observed that sales isn’t just about selling. It’s about building trust and educating. Nowhere is this more true than in world of professional services. And one of the highest stakes professional services to sell are financial services.

Convincing someone to let you manage their money is no easy task! Just think of your own savings, assets, and investments. You probably wouldn’t just entrust them to a faceless business entity. You want to know who’s managing your wealth and you want to know you can trust them to do a good job. Indeed, it’s all about trust.

So, when you’re meeting a potential client considering your financial services, it’s important to start by building personal rapport and establishing credibility. From there you can begin asking questions about a person’s priorities and level of wealth. Discussing these topics will set you up for looking more deeply into the person’s situation and demonstrating you’re the right one to manage their wealth.

In today’s dialog, we’ll listen to a conversation between Robert and Jessica. Robert is a financial advisor with a company called Vickers Wealth Management. Jessica is a working professional looking for financial help as she plans for her future. Robert and Jessica have been introduced by a mutual friend. Now they’re sitting down for the first time in Robert’s office.

Listening Questions

1. Why does Robert mention when the company was founded and their advisors’ qualifications?
2. What does Robert want to ask about before discussing Jessica’s current situation?
3. What does Robert want to get a “rough idea” about?

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Download: Podcast MP3