February 26, 2018 / by Don Connelly / Managing the Relationship / 0 comments
Signing up a new client – any client – feels like an achievement, especially for new advisors. Keeping money coming in is after all the number one priority. Over time however you’ll find that you have two types of clients: Clients you actively look forward to speaking to i.e. those who are pleasant to do business with, make realistic demands on your time, and are fully onboard with your ideas. And then there are the others – the ones you come to dread dealing with.
As a financial advisor you should aim to only work with clients who are enjoyable to deal with and profitable. It’s not only acceptable to prune out bad clients – but essential to keep your business healthy.
So how do you know when it’s time to let go of a client?
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Why You Need to Be a Good Business Person to Succeed as a Financial Advisor
September 10, 2018 / by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments
A large percentage of financial advisors fail, not because they aren’t good at what they do, but because they lack the core competencies of running a business.
If you want to succeed in this profession, you need to become a business person.
Let’s look at what this entails.
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You Don’t Need to Be Better – You Need to Be Different
June 4, 2018 / by Don Connelly / Marketing Yourself / 0 comments
As Steve Jobs said, ‘Don’t do something better, do it different’. Facebook wasn’t necessarily ‘better’ than Myspace, it was different. Netflix wasn’t ‘better’ than any other movie-rental system – it was different. Make yourself authentic and you will succeed. Find out what it is that differentiates you from the competition and communicate it to prospects and clients.
Concentrate on developing superb soft skills and you will stand out in a crowded marketplace without trying to be ‘better’ than anyone else.
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Five Rules to Follow to Build a Healthy Business
January 15, 2018 / by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments
To get to the top of your profession you need to ensure you only work with the right clients – then retain them for the long term. Here are five steps that will help you achieve this.
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5 Things Financial Advisors Should Do to Make the Most of This Holiday Season
December 25, 2017 / by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments
As the year draws to a close it’s the ideal time to reflect, regroup and make plans for the New Year. What went right and what went wrong? What things can you do to make sure your career is in great shape going into the next year?
Here are five ways to help you hit the ground running next year.
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How to Develop a Repeatable Process
September 4, 2017 / by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments
If you want to make your life easier and become a truly elite advisor, make sure you have repeatable processes in place. This especially applies to tasks such as prospecting, presenting, following up and servicing your accounts. Remember: Repeatable processes produce repeatable results so make your goal consistency, not perfection.
In this post we’ll look at some practical steps you can take to incorporate repeatable processes into your working life.
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Five Reasons Why You Should Always Ask for Feedback
July 3, 2017 / by Don Connelly / Managing the Relationship / 0 comments
Feedback is essential if you are to successfully grow your career as a financial advisor. By regularly asking for feedback – from prospects, clients and influencers – you will be able to identify the areas you need to change for the better. Here are five reasons why you should seek feedback.
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To Be The Best Financial Advisor You Can, It’s Essential to Challenge Yourself
June 19, 2017 / by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments
There are two paths you can follow in your career: One that goes uphill or the easy one, which involves simply getting through the day. Not many people take the steepest and hardest path, which is why so few really achieve success. But if you’re prepared to challenge yourself and commit to hard work, practice and persevere, you will maximize your talent and do what unsuccessful people are not willing to do.
So, step out of your comfort zone and start creating your own success story. Here are a few important self-challenges.
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Take Back Control of Your Financial Advisor Career
May 1, 2017 / by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments
If you feel your career is at a crossroads, or that things are not going your way you need to adapt your attitude and learn to make better decisions. In the words of the late Earl Shoaff ‘Don’t wish it were easier, wish you were better. Don’t wish for fewer problems, wish for more skills”.
The only thing holding you back in life is you. You alone determine your future, not the outside world. So, if you don’t like where you are – get in the driver’s seat and take control.
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Procrastination Will Ruin Your Chances of Success
December 19, 2016 / by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments
Procrastination can take different forms. You may consciously procrastinate and avoid what you know you should be doing, or you may unconsciously put off your top priority tasks by attending to a series of ‘never ending fires’. Whatever type of procrastination you suffer from it can be ruinous to your business. Here’s what to do instead.
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