They ask " What do we need to do to get started".  This usually signals that they have understood how we can meet their need and that we can meet their need...now the want to know the process.. we don't usually get this question unless they are ready to proceed...

I walk them through next steps through the court system and next steps through my office... and then make sure that what is said happens

Prospects frequently ask about the money.  (If they don't ask, I offer!)

All networking associations have expenses in three columns.

1: The cost of membership. (For PowerCore this is $144 a quarter, and everyone joins quarterly to start with. After that Members can continue renewing quarterly, and we have discounted six, 12, and 24-month options.)

2: The cost of the meeting. (Each PowerCore Team chooses their own location, and shares the meeting cost. I include the Member's cost in my invitation to visit, even though most Teams don't charge Visitors, because I think it's essential for them to know all the expenses.)

3: The cost of getting to know each other. (Social etiquette says the person inviting pays. This is business etiquette - which says we come together as peers. We each pay our own way. If you're going to pitch me, then you'll try to bribe me by buying my lunch. PowerCore's purpose is referrals. So we meet as peers, not prospects.)

My prospective clients want to know more about how I am different from a doctor or a registered dietitican.  One of the main differences is that I want to hear from my clients every day ... MULTIPLE times per day.  I want to be in a continuous conversation with my clients so that I can support them when they are feeling their most susceptible to making an unwise choice after a stressful day, or feeling unsure about how to manage a craving or a food-related social situation.  That kind of need for support can't wait a week for an office appointment.  It must be addressed in the moment with caring and compassion.  My software provides an easy tool for my clients to reach out to me and get a quick response.  Our conversations, photographs of their food, and their accountability progress with their daily habits is all stored in one place for us to review at our twice monthly in-person meetings.

Many clients call asking if I represent more than one carrier.  They are typically with an agent who is captive to one carrier, and these clients are looking for options in terms of their insurance needs. 

Others ask if I am able to write insurance outside of GA., as they are looking to buy a secondary home in another state.   Yes, I can and that is a huge bonus for my clients!

A few will ask if we are able to write commercial insurance and again the answer is yes!  Depending on the size and scope of the risk, of course.

Clients ask if I can write high value homes, and yes I can.  I work with carriers that these clients fit into like a glove.

"Are you able to write the unusual or high risk?"  Yes, as I have access to niche markets that are a great fit for the risk that is a bit outside of the standard markets.

At the end of the day, my goal is to find the perfect fit for each client, and their individual  needs.  

I often get asked, "What are my options?" because many prospects want the most bang for their buck, or they want the most coverage for the least amount of premium.  I seek to understand why they want a policy or certain investment - it's imparative I understand where they are coming from so I can make the best recommendation for them, or shop their situation.  

Other questions I get are questions about the inner workings of a policy or investment.  "What is the difference between Term Insurance and Whole Life?" or "What is my yield or rate of return"?   "Is this guaranteed or how does that Rider work?"  It's important that prospects and clients are educated so they can understand how these things work and tie in with their situation.  While I feel it's important that I explain all that, I still bring the conversation back to the value of what the policy/contract will do and how it will benefit them.  Education is very important, and I want to make sure they understand the details and nuances. 

Prospects and clients usually give me clear signals of "I'd like to know more" or "I've been curious about that"... it's at that point we either have time to discuss everything, or we set time aside to have a fully present converstation and appointment is made.  I like to be sure we have enough time to go over all their questions and concerns, however sometimes the prospect or my client is quick - they know immediately what they want, and their response is as simple as "I like that - it works for me".  

The most asked question is usually "how much is my house worth?" My answer is "Let me come over and look at your house and I will tell you."  This information is so important to homeowners of course because they want to sell for the most money!  This visit to their house  affords me the opportunity to build a relationship with the sellers! My business is all about relationships. 

Most of our clients call us in crisis.  My laptop just bricked, I was ransomwared, my system crashed, and they are looking for a quick fix.  Most clients, while possibly in crisis, are not "Tech savvy" so questions are general at best and we proceed to answer their immediate question and then proceed to fill in the knowledge that they might not be aware of.  An example of this would be a prospect struggling with internet speeds, internet looking like it is crashing, client calls and zoom meetings failing, and they are asking to get new internet vendor quotes.  

After asking a few questions, I find that they have good speeds, a good internet vendor, but have grown and recently added a VOIP phone system that is taking up extra bandwidth.  I walk them through what the average employee needs for a good connection and find out that an old switch in their network is slowing their speeds down from 200Mbps to 12Mbps.  By simply buying a new switch, their network is now working optimally without alot of change.  Generally, this is when they have seen that we are looking out for their best interests and budget and then start asking more about our managed contract, so that we can help them proactively.

My future customers are often in a distressed situation by the time we go see them.  They are typically either unhappy with their current cleaners, and are looking to make a change.  One of the top questions we get is when would you be able to start?  That question takes two paths.  In some cases, they are seeing if we could start very quickly, as either their old cleaner is doing such a poor job that they want them gone soon, or they may have left already. In other cases, they want to see if we could start in 2-4 weeks (our preferred path) to allow them to give notice and to facilitate a smooth transition.

Prospective clients often ask me if they should hire a personal injury attorney immediately.  The short answer is yes. 

Some prospective clients wait to hire a lawyer because they hope that their injuries will resolve without further medical care.  They tell me that they don’t want to “make a big deal out of something small.”  While these prospective clients have the best intentions, unfortunately this line of thinking may cause irreparable harm to their potential cases.  For example, some cases require that notice is sent to other parties within the first months following the incident.  Witnesses can disappear and evidence can be lost or altered.  In short, there are numerous reasons to retain my services immediately.

A final consideration, there is no harm in hiring me immediately.  If the case turns out to be something truly small, I can still resolve the case—often without the need to go to Court.  I would rather prepare a case thoroughly from the beginning and not need the evidence and additional information than have a client wait and lose valuable time and evidence.   

A typical questions is "how long will we be working with you?"  

My initial coaching package is for three months which works out to 7-8 sessions depending on when things start.  After that initial period, typically 80% continue with some sort of accountability and growth after that.  The structure of this  part really depends on their progress on the goals & dreams along with their confidence level on moving forward without added accountability. 

One of my biggest questions I get from potential clients is how much does does a roofing claim affect their insurance premiums? 

my answer is simple, 

The state of Georgia considers all storm damage claims to personal property (wind or hail damage) to be considered in the "Act of God" clause. This means that the damage is not preventable and therefore the homeowner is not affected directly as a result from making the claim. The reason the insurance premiums go up is due to the amount of claims made within a certain timeframe within the zip code "area". The more storm claims made in one area makes it a higher risk area for insurance. This is what affects the premiums as a whole for the region/area. 

Prospects frequently ask about interest rates on a mortgage and whether my company has the best interest rate.  I often tell them that the interest rate is important but that it is somewhat a subjective factor.  I then often ask them what their comfortable monthly mortgage payment is for them. That should be the focus. We then discuss what makes my company the best choice for them-customer service, quick turnaround and prompt responses to their questions.  After learning about their homeownership goals, if we are compatible, we move forward with the application.  The borrower and I are a team working toward their goal.