July 19, 2021 / by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments
Allow me another movie reference because it’s crucial for the point I want to make. If you haven’t seen the movie, Oh God! or if you haven’t seen it in a while, I encourage you to track it down. The film is excellent – funny, full of life’s lessons and a joy to watch. But it’s the last ten minutes that is worth 100 times your time and effort in trying to find it.
You remember the story: Jerry Landers, an assistant manager of a supermarket played by John Denver, is convinced he has visits from God, played brilliantly by George Burns, who asks him to take on some worldly responsibilities.
Now, imagine telling your spouse, friends, and co-workers that you’ve spent a few hours talking with God, and you describe him as Jerry did, as a short, old man wearing sneakers, a fishing hat, and smoking a cigar. That his wife threw him out, his friends ostracized him, and his boss fired him shouldn’t surprise anyone.
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For Clients Expecting 5-Star Service, Exceptional Communications Is Not Enough—Proactive Communication Is the New Standard
December 5, 2022 / by Don Connelly / Managing the Relationship / 0 comments
Top financial advisors understand that superior client communications are paramount to building a successful practice. That is supported by a widely published survey by Financial Advisor Magazine, revealing that 72% of clients cite poor client communications as the number one reason they leave their financial advisor.
If 72% of clients expect exceptional client communications as a condition for staying with an advisor, it’s no longer a differentiator—it’s merely table stakes for advisors who hope to compete for their business. So how can financial advisors who do focus on elevating the client communications game stand out to clients with higher expectations of what five-star service should look like?
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Why You Matter: Embracing the Difference Financial Advisors Make in People’s Lives
July 19, 2021 / by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments
Allow me another movie reference because it’s crucial for the point I want to make. If you haven’t seen the movie, Oh God! or if you haven’t seen it in a while, I encourage you to track it down. The film is excellent – funny, full of life’s lessons and a joy to watch. But it’s the last ten minutes that is worth 100 times your time and effort in trying to find it.
You remember the story: Jerry Landers, an assistant manager of a supermarket played by John Denver, is convinced he has visits from God, played brilliantly by George Burns, who asks him to take on some worldly responsibilities.
Now, imagine telling your spouse, friends, and co-workers that you’ve spent a few hours talking with God, and you describe him as Jerry did, as a short, old man wearing sneakers, a fishing hat, and smoking a cigar. That his wife threw him out, his friends ostracized him, and his boss fired him shouldn’t surprise anyone.
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Priceless Lessons for Financial Advisors from George Bailey
July 12, 2021 / by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments
“Each man’s life touches so many other lives. When he isn’t around, he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?” Angel Second Class, Clarence
For many of us, it took these words, proffered by a fledgling angel to a despairing George Bailey, to realize one of life’s most enduring truths. The timeless movie, It’s a Wonderful Life, is full of valuable lessons. But its central theme – that each of us is a hero in waiting – should remind us that it’s through our challenges that our superpowers and unique gifts are eventually revealed.
For me, the essence of the story is conveyed in a scene not usually associated with the classic moments people remember about the movie.
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Three Challenges Financial Advisors Face in Their Daily Work
September 12, 2016 / by Don Connelly / Managing the Relationship / 0 comments
A recent post on this blog outlined three challenges Advisors face when acquiring clients. This week I’ll outline three more chief challenges you are probably facing in your daily work, along with some tips on how to overcome them.
#1. Providing clients with reassurance when the markets take a downturn
Keeping clients on track when markets take a dive is a situation many advisors find tricky. But It’s essential to know how to keep clients invested for the long term.
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Three Major Challenges Financial Advisors Face when Acquiring Clients
August 22, 2016 / by Don Connelly / Marketing Yourself / 0 comments
Pinpointing the main challenges Financial Advisors face in their daily work is a challenge in itself, considering there are so many. But here are three of the most often cited pain points – with a few tips on how to address them.
#1. Getting referrals
If like a lot of other advisors, you often find it difficult to ask for referrals it’s because asking for referrals is essentially like asking for help to grow your business. And having to ask for someone’s help feels like admitting that your business is deficient in some way. Asking for referrals also means facing up to your fear of rejection.
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