In the September 23, 2013, issue of Investment News, various advisors were asked how they respond to the question: “What do you do for a living?”

Out of the eight who were quoted, two began with: “I am a CFP,” and “I am a professional.” Three began with: “We are, We believe, or We help.” And only one began by asking if he could first ask a question.

So what are the most effective elevator speeches or holiday party conversation starters? The first step is to be clear about who you serve (your ideal clients), why you serve them, and what value you provide to them. Next you need to create starters to ensure that your message resonates with the person you are talking with. For example, if you are talking with a retired couple and you work with this niche by creating a plan for them that ensures a bright financial future, you need a conversation starter.

In this case, when asked: “What to do you do for a living?” you could respond by asking: “Do you know how retired couples are faced with a variety of decisions on what to do to ensure their financial future is bright and that they don’t outlive their money? I help them design a plan to ensure they make the best choices for a bright future.”

So why is this approach more powerful than “I am” or “We believe”? First, when we begin with “I am” or “We believe,” the other person either tunes us out or puts his defenses up because he thinks he will be sold, persuaded or convinced to do something. Instead, when we ask a question, we engage the prospective client and encourage him to participate and tune into a conversation with us. We dramatically increase our odds of continuing the conversation, which allows us to learn more about them and determine if a follow up meeting makes sense.

So before you get your party attire on, take a minute and write out your new holiday party conversation starters and practice them. Master your starters until you have a winning dialogue that will engage prospects in a conversation. This will dramatically increase your odds of getting to know your prospective clients and provide you with an opportunity to continue discussing what you do and the value you provide.

If you would like to improve your holiday party conversation starter or elevator speech, access our MillionaireSeries.com Resources & Training.

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By Annette Bau

Annette Bau is the founder of MillionaireSeries.com and AdvisorMarketingPractices.com, and the author of several books.

To find out more, visit About Annette Bau. This site is not designed to give you investment or financial planning advice. By visiting or access anything on this site or another site that MillionaireSeries.com is linked to, you agree to consult with your own advisors and review your situation.