For Unit Trust Consultants – How to Convince Me (the investor) to Invest with YOU?

Wondering how to convince me to invest in a unit trust? Or to be exact, to invest in your funds?

Thus, I wrote this blog post based on my own experience. That is after being approached by a number of unit trust agents from different fund providers.

So, if you are a unit trust consultant, read on to find out how to convince me to invest in the unit trust.

In fact, money is a very sensitive issue. A typical salesman is another scary object. When these 2 things, Money and Salesman combine, they become an even bigger scary object.

Actually, I admit I don’t like to be bothered by an unwelcome salesman.

Because I just can’t stand their unprofessional sales nagging habits. And the way they talk more than what they deliver.

It is the same with unit trust consultants. Many of them are the typical salesman.

Table of Contents

• How to convince me to invest in a unit trust?
  • 1. Honesty
  • 2. Be professional
  • 3. Experiences and self history
  • 4. Show me how you can help me with my money
  • 5. Consider for long-term relationship
• Sensitive words and phrases unit trust consultant must avoid
  • 1. “I SURE you will make money”
  • 2. “I didn’t earn from selling to you”
  • 3. “Your existing Fund X from Unit Trust X (X = competitor) is not good, don’t invest in fund X. Invest in my funds”
• Final thoughts

How to convince me to invest in a unit trust?

If you are a unit trust consultant and you are interested to know how to convince me, the investor to invest in your funds, you need to read the following:

1. Honesty

Firstly, will you trust someone who is dishonest to care for your hard-earned money?

No, right?

Be honest with yourself, with your company, and with the product that is the unit trust funds that you are selling.

Because I highly value honesty before I can trust you with my money.

2. Be professional

Secondly, show me that you are a professional unit trust consultant.

Nowadays, your leaflets and hard copy of fund information are not impressive anymore. I need more proof before I can invest with you.

Perhaps bring along some investment-related articles or a laptop to show me online fund performance.

3. Experiences and self history

Thirdly, share with me how long you’ve been with your investment company. And tell me why you choose your current investment company.

I prefer to deal with people who know where they are heading. I hate it when the sales consultant is chasing after the short-term benefit of a sales commission.

4. Show me how you can help me with my money

Next, tell me how you can help me to make my money work harder for me.

After all, this is all investment is about right? To make more money from existing money.

Perhaps you can show me how your unit trust fund will be able to help me to reach my financial goal faster compare with my existing investment method.

How about some graph or statistics to show me the difference between my current investment with your funds? Because a picture says a thousand words.

5. Consider for long-term relationship

Lastly, don’t be missing in action after I invested RM20,000 with you.

I appreciate it if you can update me from time to time on the market trend. Or perhaps share with me the news on newly launched funds.

Or even can ask me – “Anyone else that you know who might need my help to help them to reach their financial goals earlier?”

I don’t mind sharing the good stuff with friends and family.

Sensitive words and phrases unit trust consultant must avoid

Below are some sensitive words and phrases which you must prevent when introducing your unit trust funds to me:

1. “I SURE you will make money“

Instead, say “I can assist you to achieve your financial goals“.

I remember a unit trust consultant once told me “I SURE you will make money. If you didn’t make money, I will compensate you for your loss“.

She sounded very confident, but overconfidence can be dangerous.

I am not looking for compensation, I just want to grow my money. Furthermore, no one can guarantee the return from a unit trust investment.

In the end, I didn’t invest with her at all. Although every now and then, she still asks me to invest in her unit trust funds.

2. “I didn’t earn from selling to you“

Instead, be honest and say ‘I am helping you to make more money. It’s fair for me to earn a small percentage for my assistance and professional help“.

I don’t believe you didn’t earn from selling to me. The question is whether it’s worth it or not for me to pay you to take care of my investment.

So, make sure you do your part and help me to monitor my funds. Else, I might as well invest through a robo-advisor such as StashAway with a much lower fee.

3. “Your existing Fund X from Unit Trust X (X = competitor) is not good, don’t invest in fund X. Invest in my funds“

You are not from Unit Trust X company. You don’t know much about fund X. How can you say Fund X is not good?

By saying so, you are humiliating me by saying that I made a wrong decision by investing in unit trust X.

Instead, tell me the differences between Fund X and your funds.

You should encourage me to find out more information about fund X and prove to me that it is not worth investing in fund X.

And not simply telling me to sell off my existing unit trust and invest in your funds.

Final thoughts

To be successful in the unit trust industry, the unit trust consultants or advisers must always remember that their main role is to help their clients to make more money and to achieve their client’s investment goals.

As a unit trust consultant, you need to place your clients’ goals ahead of your own goals such as sales commission and other incentives.

If you are able to do so, you won’t be surprised when your potential customers call you, instead of you approaching them.

Lastly, I hope my sharing above can serve as a guideline while you’re preparing to meet your prospects.

Read more: Unit trust investment: 11 concerns the novice should know

photo credit: ValueWalk Benjamin Graham_FINAL via photopin (license)