People you must talk to.  Every practice has problems.  Sometimes it's telling a client bad news.  Other times it's listening to them complain.  Make those calls first.  You are still in your upbeat "blank canvas" mood.  They should be too, first thing in the morning.  Try to see things from their point of view.

Do your best clients know you love them?  Sometimes we overlook the people who never complain.  It's good to give these firms and people attention.  Try developing a personal relationship in addition to the business one.  People do business with people they like.  They will be thinking about referrals because they want to help you succeed.  It's hard to fire friends.

Let people know what's new.  Has anything changed in the benefits business?  Benefits Pro is running those stories all the time.  Your clients at various firms likely hear the news, but don't have your depth of knowledge.  Call and tell them something new.  Maybe it's an email.  You are trying to build a cause/effect relationship.  "Every time I hear from (you) I learn something I didn't know before."

Who haven't I spoken with lately?  Some clients and prospects fall through the cracks.  The news you just discovered is a reason to call, even if the news doesn't apply to their situation.  You tell them exactly that.  The result:  They know you are thinking about them and understand why their situation is different.

What about LinkedIn?  Are you building your network of the right professional contacts at client and prospect firms?  Are you posting?  Commenting on their posts?  Visiting their groups?  You want to establish yourself as a subject matter expert.  There are plenty of "salespeople" out there.

The agent as short-order cook.  You've seen the grill at a busy diner.  Lots of burgers and eggs cooking at once.  Some are ready to come off, others need more time.  This is the way your prospect pipeline works too.  You have a path from the first conversation to booking business.  How far along are different prospects in the pipeline?  Who needs attention?

New business, competitive situations.  Companies often send out Requests for Proposals (RFPs).  Seeking them out is a form of prospecting.

Got a success story?  You help people.  You find products that meet a need and are a good deal.  Have you had a really good sale lately, a situation where the client got a great solution?  Find a way to share that news, maintaining appropriate confidentiality.  It might be a reason to call prospects.  Think about the postcards realtors send you: "We sold this house in your neighborhood for (high price) in six days!"

Are you keeping score?  I try to end each day tallying accomplishments.  What are the good things that happened?  What other (bad) things happened?  How did I drive future business today?

It's important to love what you do and understand how you are making people's lives better.

Bryce Sanders is president of Perceptive Business Solutions Inc. He provides HNW client acquisition training for the financial services industry. His book, "Captivating the Wealthy Investor" can be found on Amazon.

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