Rationale:  The professional or business owner you are approaching has earned professional designations during their career.  They view them as qualifications to do the job.  You have earned and maintain the right qualifications.

2. The reputation of your firm.  Imagine yourself walking into a Mercedes or Porsche dealership.  You are looking over the new cars on the showroom floor.  Your interaction with the salesperson will focus on questions like "How much will it cost?" and "When can I get the car?"  You will not be very concerned about how long they have been in the job.

Rationale:  The prospect knows what they want to buy. They know the product as well as the person with whom they are negotiating the sale.  They are buying the product based on the reputation of the firm providing the product.  The age of the salesperson is not an issue.

3. You are a subject matter expert.  This ties in with professional certifications.  Your prospect has a certain need.  It might involve the insurance aspects of estate planning.  You hold the relevant designations.  Other agents do not.

Rationale:  You know older people who say: "My new doctor looks like he is too young to start shaving."  But they rarely walk out and say: "Give me an older doctor."  They accept the younger doctor is credentialed, qualified to dispense medical advice.

4. They know your parents.  This is a form of referral.  Your parents know their neighbors very well.  They announce their daughter has passed all her tests and is now a licensed insurance agent.  They trust the parents.  They trust your firm.  They are comfortable doing business with you because they know you are ethical.

Rationale:  Friends, family and neighbors want to be supportive of each other.  They usually will at least sit down and talk business with you.  If they wonder "how much you know" they might buy a product with a few moving parts.

5. You are already their customer.  Think about it.  You spread your "custom" around.  You are a customer to many business owners.  If you have been doing business with them, they know you pretty well and are comfortable with you.

Rationale:  There may be an age difference, but business has successfully been flowing in one direction for some time.  They should at least be open to talking business as a sign of respect.

6. Their children do business with you.  This is another form of referral.  They have a high opinion of their children.  They talk about their successes constantly.  They look to their children for advice, especially in areas like technology and other subjects they don't understand.

Rationale:  The prospect's children serve as advisor to their parents.  If their children tell your story and position you as a professional, that may be all the encouragement they need to do business.

7. You share the same interests.  You are involved with the same nonprofit or share the same hobby.  They see you at meetings and events all the time.  They sense your interest is genuine.  You and they share the same values.

Rationale:  People do business with people they like.  You have connected with this HNW individual through a shared interest.  They like you.

8. Your previous career overlaps with theirs.  You might have history because you both worked at the same firm.  You might have been employed in the same industry before you changed careers.  Both of you might have engineering backgrounds.

Rationale:  Because of the shared background, they assume you both share the same thought process.  Put another way, they like the way you think.

9. You graduated from the same school.  You are both alumni, but from different years.  The school played a big part in your lives.  You are both active in the alumni association.

Rationale:  The "Old School Tie" is like a private club.  They feel a graduate would never take advantage of a fellow graduate.  Trust is a byproduct of the alumni connection.

10. Introduction through a mentor.  This is another form of referral.  You have someone in your life who has given you career advice.  It might be a college professor, an uncle or an aunt.  They are established in their career and social life.  Put another way, they know people.

Rationale:  Since you look to them for advice, they are invested in your success.  They want to help, so they keep you in mind.  When a friend mentions they have a certain need, they bring up your name.

Age is not a barrier to gaining access to HNW prospects.  Which approaches seem like a good fit for your situation?

Bryce Sanders is president of Perceptive Business Solutions Inc. He provides HNW client acquisition training for the financial services industry. His book, "Captivating the Wealthy Investor" can be found on Amazon.

READ MORE:

• Why you need to embrace the give-to-get philosophy
• When your client's business is also their biggest asset
• How your firm's reputation helps you close business