"You Make the Difference" is organized into fifteen chapters: (1) Fear Kills Everything; (2) Image is Not Everything, But It Is The First Thing; (3) What Do You Really Want?; (4) Turning Your Mission Statement Into Greater Commission Statements; (5) Do You Believe?; (6) You Have One Minute to Tell Your Story; (7) The Future Belongs To The Storyteller; (8) Don't Be Afraid--You Can Give A Talk!; (9) The Tape's Rolling--Be A Personal Performance Broadcaster To Your Clients And Prospects; (10) It's Your Turn In Your Town, And You're On Stage; (11) Be A Writer And A Powerful Marketer; (12) You Are The Brochure When You Tell Your Story; (13) I Am Grateful When You Recommend Me To Others; (14) The Marketing Rule of Seven Changes Everything; and (15) Break A Leg: A Challenge And A Benediction.
Although when you look at these chapter headings you get the sense that Hustad emphasizes style, it is style grounded in substance. Early in the book Hustad establishes a grid in which you consider yourself high-low in terms of both your mission orientation and your market orientation. Off of this he defines you as a Manhandler, Missionary, Mercenary, or Marketer. This alliterative continuum puts you and your approach to financial advising in perspective, with Hustad making his case for why you should want to be at the high end of the scale. The emphasis on storytelling certainly reflects the ways things work in society today. Debaters and lawyers are taught to tell stories just like movies and television shows from Hollywood, and the key is as much in the details as it is in the spirited telling of the tale. However, financial education focuses on substance, leaving it to those like Hustad to come in and find ways to polish up the facts and figures with some solid communication skills. There is no inventing the wheel here in terms of public speaking and group communication, just the practical application of ancient principles of rhetoric to the real world business situations of today.
In Stephen King's "Dark Tower" series the hero, Roland the gunslinger, often admonishes his companions with the stinging indictment, "You have forgotten the face of your father." This phrase has always stuck with me and I have transformed it in my mind to encompass something larger, namely the idea that we often forget important things that we have learned and we need to be reminded. Ultimately, "You Make the Difference," as with other books in this genre, are more reminders of things we have forgotten than lessons in things we never knew. If you are a Financial Advisor, then you are in a service industry, and if you have to be reminded of that facet of your vocation then you have truly forgotten the face of your father.
What this book is:
a thoughtful analysis of how a financial advisor can position him/herself as an INDIVIDUAL who attracts clients.
Why buy this book:
It can help an advisor improve and the regard and trust his/her clients have in them. It can help deepen and strengthen relationships in a genuine, sincere, ethical manner (not to mention increase income).
What is different about this book?
Mr. Hustad's background as a former high school educator and former international radio broadcaster is the basis for his approach to marketing financial services. As a former philosophy teacher he is a deep thinker and strategist, yet he is practical. Very much like a Jim Rohn or Brian Tracy specifically for the financial advisor. As such, the focus of the first book is the reader. It works on the theory that if you become a "better person and a better advisor, people will come to you and your business." This first part includes simple exercises and questions to help you define what you really want in life and what the mission of your business will be.
The second part of the book draws upon Stan's experience as a former broadcaster and dramatist Stan is very attune to public image and public performance. It is very much about outward "image work." It details how the broadcast arts are important to your success as a financial advisor. He presents fresh ideas on marketing to your clients. Its about taking the next step and creating one to one marketing with your clients.
This book is unique because it doesn't work on the principle that success in life should be simple or easy. This book is difficult in that it asks you to answer tough questions. The author guides you in answering these questions, keeping it practical to apply to real life. But this book's true value is in the approach to marketing. It doesn't reduce marketing to database management or a "numbers game," or a contest of slick and witty "closers." Instead it challenges the reader to use his or her unique talents to reach a target audience. The book is thoughtful, yet practical, and most importantly, genuine. It challenges the advisor to create something for his/her clients, something the advisor can hand to the client and say, "This is just for you."