The Financial Wholesaler Podcast Episode 7: 6 Gems to Closing the Sale

Feb 2

Written By Jessi

In Episode 7, Mitch Santala is joined by Darren Cde Baca to unpack the mindset and skillset behind truly effective sales conversations. From mastering the art of storytelling to understanding how people process information, Darren lays out six specific gems every wholesaler can use to build trust, add value, and secure the next meeting.

You’ll learn how to:

Use education as a tool to obligate future conversations
Adapt your language to match how your advisor thinks - visually, vocally, or emotionally
Show up with storyboards that make your value unforgettable
Do the hidden work that sets elite wholesalers apart

Whether you’re looking to sharpen your pitch or deepen advisor relationships, this episode is packed with insight and strategy you can use right away. Watch now!

Episode Timestamps: Six Gems to Closing the Sale

0:00 – Introduction: Mitch sets up the conversation with Darren Cde Baca, focusing on key principles that separate top wholesalers from the rest.
01:05 – The power of curiosity and asking the right questions instead of selling.
02:45 – How Darren learned to lead with questions and build trust with advisors.
04:30 – Why showing up as a partner, not a pusher, builds stronger relationships.
06:00 – Gem 1: Do your homework before the meeting.
07:20 – Gem 2: Lead with thoughtful questions, not product brochures.
09:30 – Gem 3: Learn how each advisor prefers to communicate (visual, vocal, or emotional).
11:15 – How misalignment in communication styles leads to missed opportunities.
13:00 – Gem 4: Match the advisor’s language and lean into their style.
14:20 – The concept of “talking with an advisor” vs. talking at them.
15:50 – Gem 5: Observe body language and adjust your energy accordingly.
18:00 – Darren explains how mirroring helps you earn trust quickly.
20:05 – Gem 6: Deliver value with clarity, not clutter.
21:45 – Why authenticity always outperforms a polished pitch.
23:30 – Final thoughts on what it means to be invited back.
24:40 – Mitch’s closing: six gems to win trust, build rapport, and open more doors.

The Financial Wholesaler Podcast
Episode 7: Six Gems to Closing the Sale
Darren:
Can you imagine? I mean, this is what goes on every day. For decades, financial advisors, when they make an appointment with a wholesaler, know they’re going to be sold something. So if you change the dynamic and elevate yourself by leading with listen or learn, with open-ended questions, you already start to set yourself apart.
Mitch:
Before we jump in, I want to pause for just a moment and ask for your help. We are many episodes into this podcast and we have a growing group of listeners, and we want to say thank you, but we don’t quite know who you are. So instead of guessing, we’ve opened what we’re calling the Financial Wholesaler Podcast Listener Circle.
Head to our LinkedIn page at Executive Scheduling Associates and look for the pinned post called The Financial Wholesaler Podcast Listener Circle, and answer this question: what’s the hardest part of closing inside a one-on-one meeting? One sentence is perfect.
We hope to shape future episodes from the ideas you share with us around the meetings you’re having every day. On that note, let’s get into today’s episode.
Today we get into the nuance of what causes a financial advisor to say yes. You may have the right product, say all the right things, and still fail to close. I’m sitting down again with Darren Cde Baca to unpack what he calls the six gems to closing the sale. From how you show up in the conversation, to how you earn advisor confidence, to final questions that move them to say yes, welcome to The Financial Wholesaler Podcast, conversations about meetings that matter.
Darren:
The six gems to closing the sale are gems that, as you integrate them, even just one of them, you begin elevating yourself. If you integrate all six, your elevation level and your closing rate increase rapidly.
Clients who have worked with me will tell you this works because they’re doing things the average wholesaler does not do. Memorability sets in. They set themselves on a higher professional ladder. So let’s dive in.
Mitch:
Let’s do it. Let’s start with the first gem.
Darren:
The first gem is talk with your advisor. Learn how to talk with them, not at them. Adjusting is a must.
As human beings, there are three primary ways we form opinions. Visual content, vocal content, and how we feel about things. All three combine to shape decision-making, but each person tends to lean toward one more than the others.
Some advisors are visual. They’ll say, “I see what you’re saying,” and they want something they can show their team or clients. Others are vocal. They’ll say, “I hear what you’re saying,” and prefer conversation over materials. Others are feelers. They’ll say, “This feels comfortable to me,” and respond emotionally to ideas.
Once you understand where they lean, you start talking the same way. You start acting the same way. That’s what it means to talk with an advisor. If you’re speaking vocal and they’re visual, you’re speaking a different language.
Mitch:
A different language.
Darren:
Exactly. You’re just trying to get on the same bus. If you get that right, you’re already doing what the best do and what the average do not.
Mitch:
I resonate with that. I’m visual. I picture things immediately. My wife is more of a feeler, and there’s often a gap there. How does someone actually bridge that gap in a meeting?
Darren:
It’s part of the craft. You have to practice becoming a chameleon. If you’re visual, you need to practice being vocal. If you’re vocal, you need to practice being visual. You adjust deliberately and smoothly so it doesn’t feel awkward.
Mitch:
And you’re paying attention to cues.
Darren:
Exactly. Start today. Listen to how people talk. Listen for visual, vocal, and feeling language. Train yourself in every conversation.
Mitch:
That ties directly into learning styles. People arrive at conclusions differently.
Darren:
And it’s not easy. Being the best takes work. Adjusting is a skill that must be practiced.
Mitch:
Alright, move us to the next gem.
Darren:
The second gem is listen or learn. Understand who you’re meeting with.
Tier-one and private wealth advisors want to be listened to. They’ve already done it all. They’re proud of what they’ve built. Lower-tier advisors often want to learn what others are doing to grow.
So adjust accordingly. Be interested in them, not interesting to them.
Mitch:
Most wholesalers already know production metrics before walking in.
Darren:
Exactly. Come in prepared to either listen or teach. That mindset shift builds trust faster.
Mitch:
That leads perfectly into the next gem.
Darren:
The third gem is open-ended questions. These questions invite advisors to talk about themselves, which builds trust.
Ask questions like, “What are you most excited about in capital markets over the next few months?” Or, “What concerns you most right now?” Then let them speak. Say, “Tell me more.”
Open-ended questions create trust far more effectively than data dumps.
Mitch:
That trust-building is essential before guiding.
Darren:
The first three gems have nothing to do with the product sale.
Mitch:
It really changes the atmosphere when someone listens instead of selling.
Darren:
Exactly. Advisors expect to be sold to. When you change that dynamic, you stand out immediately.
Mitch:
Let’s move to gem four.
Darren:
Gem four is the unforgettable storyboard. This is not a data dump. It’s five simple elements.
You start with the open-ended question that identifies the need. Then a concept word that defines the asset class. Then the three pearls everyone knows about that asset class. Then how your firm elevates those pearls. And finally, “How does that sound to you so far?”
Advisors need to repeat this story to their clients. If they can’t, it’s forgettable.
Mitch:
That requires deep product mastery.
Darren:
Yes. The story already exists. You just have to do the work to mine it and rehearse it so it becomes natural.
Mitch:
And when they own the story, they’re telling your story.
Darren:
Exactly. When you educate, you obligate. You create the reason for the next meeting.
Mitch:
Let’s move to number five.
Darren:
Gem five is urgency. Why now? Every product should have a reason to act now. If there’s no urgency, forget it.
Urgency could be market cycles, interest rates, positioning, or risk mitigation. You must articulate why now.
Mitch:
And the final gem?
Darren:
Open-ended closing questions. Ask things like, “How do you see this fitting into your book over the next month or two?” Or, “Which clients does this make sense for?”
These questions guide the close without pressure.
Mitch:
You’re opening them so you can close them.
Darren:
Exactly. These questions separate you from everyone else.
To summarize: talk with an advisor, listen or learn, open-ended questions to start, an unforgettable storyboard, urgency, and open-ended closing questions.
Mitch:
What do average meetings miss?
Darren:
They miss talking with the advisor and they miss the storyboard. And they rely on closed-ended questions. Open-ended questions build trust. The best wholesalers elevate themselves by mastering these gems.
Mitch:
Thank you for sharing this. If someone needs help with storyboards, reach out to Darren.
Darren:
Thank you. I appreciate you creating this space for wholesalers to elevate their craft.

Meet the Coaches

Mitch Santala

Mitch Santala is the CEO and co-founder of ESA with over 30 years of entrepreneurial leadership. ESA supports over 500 sales men and women in the financial industry with world class appointment setting services.

Contact ESA →

Darren Cde Baca

As the founder of DCB Strategies, Darren Cde Baca brings over 40 years of leadership experience to help professionals grow with intention. His mission is to equip individuals and teams with the mindset, tools, and commitment to become who they’re meant to be.

Visit DCB Strategies →