Paraplanning Services
Nitum99
Member
Hi All
New to the outsourced paraplanning space just on here looking for tips on acquiring new clients. What did you guys do to source good decent clients when you started out? I have a few clients but the problem is getting regular work from some of them. Any tips/guidance/advice would be appreciated from those more experienced ones out there 
Thanks
Nitu
Comments
Hi Nitu
I started with two clients (you know one of them!!), and it was like that for the first couple of years. Fortunately they were able to keep me busy through lockdown and beyond.
I was doing pretty much 50% DB transfers and 50% the other. When the DB transfer work dried up I had already acquired a couple of other clients, so was able to begin to bridge the gap and cover what I was losing.
I have picked up my clients from a number of sources. LinkedIn and Facebook have been a source of some of them. One I picked up not through a direct post of mine, but a comment on someone else's! On Facebook I'm on the Lifetalk group, and that is fairly active. I got recommended by an existing client when someone said they were looking for some additional help.
I'm also on the Paraplanner Directory, which has yielded results.
A few others have been through mutual acquaintances, and others were previous employers and places I interviewed at in the past for a job.
I did try calling a few IFAs but I hated that and it wasn't very successful. Knocking on doors may be useful, there are plenty of IFAs in your neck of the woods, and they may appreciate someone local.
I hope that helps a little, and please feel free to call if you want a chat
Hey Andy
How's you? Yes i certainly do know one of them (unfortunately) no longer thank god!
Yes the clients i have are previous people i worked with and others have been through referrals but just so difficult to get regular work from them thats the struggle LOL.
Yeah I am no good at cold calling hate all that and have been active on Lifetalk but feel like you never get a look in with the 'big boys' on the scene so to speak.
I tried the directory but gave up too soon i think might give it a go again.
Thanks for the tips its really useful always good to know whats working and not for others who have done this.
Thanks i may take you up on that call if i continue to struggle
Hi Nitu,
I was lucky when I first started. I got a 3 day pw contract with a firm for 6 months and another outsourced firm offered me some subcontracting work until I was on my way. But, the market was much smaller then than now, so I suspect getting to client number 1 was easier five years ago.
Becoming a visible expert in the places where my clients were was a great marketing strategy for me. I recall @richallum calling me out as the 'unofficial nextgen planner technical expert' at an event. He'd seen that I made sure I was there to answer technical questions quickly and accurately for people.
Try and be first, show up every day, and be consistent with it.
Good luck.
Awww thanks Ben you are always so helpful... everyone has s'@t days I guess I am just so impatient that's the problem. There is defo more competition now than ever and its like I said when the bigger players are on the market the smaller ones don't get a look in ... oh well I will defo keep on it and be consistent, not about to give up just yet !