You’ve previously read about how advisers and planners should record 12 data points for every enquiry they receive.

We’ve even developed an enquiry recording template that firms, as well as individual advisers/planners, can use. It’s still available and we’re very happy to share it with you. Click here if you’d like a copy.

Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, we’ve noticed that many advisers/planners are still making basic mistakes when it comes to recording new enquires.

Those mistakes will:

• Reduce their conversion rate… costing them money
• Stop them from making evidence-led decisions about their marketing… costing them money
• Prevent them from effectively nurturing prospects… yes, you guessed it, costing them money.

So, to help, here are seven common mistakes we see advisers/planners make when it comes to recording new enquiries.

1. Not recording data contemporaneously

Picture the scene: a lead comes in, and the adviser/planner picks up the phone to call them. When the call ends, they get distracted by another, after which an email pops into their inbox that needs an urgent response, and then it’s time for a brew.

The chances of the new enquiry (whether it was good, bad, or indifferent) being recorded are slim and getting slimmer.

The answer is simple, get into the habit of recording the enquiry before making contact.

That way, it gets done every time and nothing is missed.

2. Not explaining to their team why enquiries need to be recorded

We’ve noticed that the quality of enquiry recording is generally lower in multi-adviser/planner firms.

Some advisers/planners diligently record every new enquiry, others will do it sporadically, and some not at all. The result is incomplete data which causes problems with nurturing and decision-making.

The reasons this happens will be specific to each firm.

However, there’s huge correlation between people knowing why they need to do something and them actually doing it.

To help solve the problem, make sure every member of your team understands the benefits to them as an individual, and the wider business, of recording every new enquiry.

Then:

• Build robust processes to ensure that enquiries are recorded
• Introduce double-checking to make sure the original process is being followed. That might include someone in your team sitting down each month with every adviser and going through each prospect individually. It might sound labour-intensive, and it is, but it’s worth the effort. It will also solve mistake #4 below
• Incentivise your team for recording all enquiry data
• Call out the culprits (they’re letting the side down).

3. Only recording certain enquiries

We know some firms that only record enquiries that are ”right fit”, attend a first meeting, or become clients.

We can see why it’s tempting, but it’s a mistake.

Only recording “good” enquiries doesn’t accurately reflect the results of your marketing strategy.

It also means the decisions you make will be based on incomplete evidence.

The only way to get a true picture of your marketing is to record every single new enquiry – the good, the bad and the ugly.

4. Not updating newsletter databases

Recording new enquiries means you can nurture those you want to work with, but who don’t immediately become clients.

Your newsletter (remember, send it monthly, not quarterly) is a key part of that nurturing process.

However, we regularly see firms fail to update their newsletter database with new prospects.

That means:

• The prospect won’t get the valuable content you’re putting out
• You won’t demonstrate your expertise and knowledge to the prospect
• You will ultimately fail to position yourself as a go-back-to expert, reducing your long-term conversion rate.

The answer?

Build a process that ensures every new enquiry is added to your newsletter database.

Remember, if you’re a Yardstick client, you can easily do that through our online portal.

Then monitor that it’s being done by recording the number of people who receive your newsletter on your marketing KPI dashboard.

We’ve previously created a free dashboard template, so click here to request your copy.

5. Not updating the data as things progress

We see many firms develop great habits when it comes to recording new enquiries, but then fail to add any updates as things progress.

Arguably, six of the data points we recommend recording for each new enquiry need to be added at a later date.

That means whoever is responsible for the data needs to regularly revisit the records to ensure they are updated and accurate.

If that doesn’t happen, decisions, again, will be based on poor quality data.

6. Confusing source as the method of contact

One of the most important data points we recommend collecting is the source of the new enquiry.

Recording this data helps you understand which marketing tactics are producing the highest quantity and quality of new enquiries.

Examples of “source” could be:

• Recommendation/introduction from an existing client
• A directory such as Unbiased
• Specific marketing campaigns
• Social media platforms
• Your online scorecard.

You get the picture.

However, we often see the source recorded as “telephone call” or “email”.

That’s not the source.

It’s the method of contact and pretty useless when it comes to understanding what’s working with your marketing and what isn’t.

7. Not analysing the data

There’s no point recording the data if you’re not going to analyse it and use your findings to improve your marketing.

But that’s exactly what we see many firms do.

Coincidentally, it’s often the same firms that don’t add new enquiries to their newsletter database.

The solution is simple: set time aside each month to update your marketing KPI dashboard (did we mention that you can click here to get a copy of our template?) using the enquiry data you’ve collected.

Then, use both to make evidence-led decisions that will improve your marketing.

Recording all new enquiries – not easy, but worth it

We get it. Recording all new enquiries isn’t easy, but the pay-off is huge.

Firms that record new enquiries:

• Have the highest conversion rates
• Spend less money on marketing
• Are more efficient and profitable.

Each month, we analyse the data our clients produce, and we use it to update their marketing dashboard.

Then, we use that information to refine and improve their marketing strategy.

If you’d like to know more about how we help firms develop marketing strategies, then analyse the results, we’d love to hear from you.

Email hi@theyardstickagency.co.uk or call 0115 8965 300.

In the meantime, we hope this week’s blog will help you record all new enquiries more accurately.