/ by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments
In the year and a half since the beginning of the pandemic, the financial advisory industry has undergone massive change, impacting the way financial advisors practice their trade as well as the behaviors and habits of clients. Much of that change was underway before COVID but has accelerated or come more sharply into focus because of it.
Advisors have done well to adapt to changes precipitated by the pandemic—becoming adept at virtual communications and navigating the uncertainties of a troubled economy. However, in the wake of these changes, several issues continue to overshadow the industry, requiring advisors to switch from survival mode to aggressively managing them not just to survive but to thrive.
In the next couple of weeks, we will delve more deeply into some of these issues, the challenges they present, and how advisors can meet them head on for a greater chance at success. Among the many vital issues advisors are facing right now, here are four they must contend with in the immediate future.
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How Advisors Can Inoculate Themselves from Fee Compression
/ by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments
In our last post, we highlighted four critical issues financial advisors face in the aftermath of the COVID pandemic, impacting the way they approach their businesses and the way clients are responding. In the next month or so, we will take a deeper dive into these issues, the challenges they present, and how advisors can meet them head-on for a greater chance at success.
At the top of the list—an issue familiar to all and well-covered here in past blog posts—is fee compression.
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4 Critical Issues Facing Financial Advisors Right Now
/ by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments
In the year and a half since the beginning of the pandemic, the financial advisory industry has undergone massive change, impacting the way financial advisors practice their trade as well as the behaviors and habits of clients. Much of that change was underway before COVID but has accelerated or come more sharply into focus because of it.
Advisors have done well to adapt to changes precipitated by the pandemic—becoming adept at virtual communications and navigating the uncertainties of a troubled economy. However, in the wake of these changes, several issues continue to overshadow the industry, requiring advisors to switch from survival mode to aggressively managing them not just to survive but to thrive.
In the next couple of weeks, we will delve more deeply into some of these issues, the challenges they present, and how advisors can meet them head on for a greater chance at success. Among the many vital issues advisors are facing right now, here are four they must contend with in the immediate future.
Read more
Here’s a Four-Pronged Plan to Become a Highly Referable Advisor
/ by Don Connelly / Prospecting / 0 comments
Most financial advisors find it difficult to ask for referrals. That we know because less than 11 percent even bother to ask. Maybe that small cadre of advisors knows something the other 89 percent don’t—that nearly three-quarters of high-net-worth clients say they would refer friends or colleagues if their advisors asked. That’s quite a disconnect, so I’m wondering if there is something else going on that’s preventing advisors from tapping this precious and obvious source of new clients.
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Are You Prepared to Guide Your Clients Through Life-Changing Events?
/ by Don Connelly / Managing the Relationship / 0 comments
It’s going to happen. You can count on it. I’ve written in the past why it’s critical for advisors always to be prepared for ‘what ifs,’ particularly as it relates to a stock market crisis. That’s when your clients need you most. Having a plan of action to help your clients through difficult times is essential if you expect to maintain their trust and confidence. But what about other crises—the unexpected, life-changing kind that can engulf your clients personally, like a divorce or the death of a spouse or child. Are you prepared with a plan of action to help your clients through the most challenging times of their lives?
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5 Cold Calling Mistakes Financial Advisors Must Avoid to Improve Results
/ by Don Connelly / Prospecting / 0 comments
For many financial advisors, cold calling does not play a dominant part in their marketing plans. Many feel it can be replaced by other prospecting methods, such as email campaigns, social media networking, or trade shows. But would it surprise you to know that cold calling still generates better results than those other methods? When you ask advisors why they avoid cold calling, you often get responses like, “It’s not working for me,” or “It’s a waste of time,” or “no one wants to talk to me on the phone.”
No one ever said cold calling is easy. But if your efforts aren’t producing results, have you ever considered it’s not the method, but how you’re executing it that’s not working?
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3 Situations When Financial Advisors Should Use a Prospecting Script
/ by Don Connelly / Prospecting / 0 comments
If you’re like most financial advisors, you probably started out with a phone script, whether calling strangers, LinkedIn contacts or referrals. Prospecting scripts are critical for new advisors because they help them keep organized and stay on track for the brief time they have in that first interaction. No doubt, using phone scripts can serve inexperienced advisors well if they work at it. They can also make experienced advisors even more effective when used in certain circumstances.
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Overcome the Fee Discussion by Focusing on the Things that Matter to Your Clients
/ by Don Connelly / Marketing Yourself / 0 comments
Among the many trends affecting the way financial advisors must operate these days, fee compression has been the most impactful. The discussion of fees charged by advisors has moved to the forefront due to the low costs and transparency of digital advice platforms and the highly competitive arena in which they find themselves. As a result, clients are more willing to confront their advisors on the subject of fees and the value they receive in exchange for them, catching many advisors off guard.
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Finding the Right Mentor
/ by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments
Financial advisors must bring with them some essential traits. They need to be ambitious, courageous and thrive on hard work. That’s just the minimum required to survive the early years. From there, the learning curve is steep, with much to learn—technical and analytical skills, product knowledge, and critical soft skills—all while riding a wild rollercoaster of ups and downs. Those who choose to go it alone struggle mightily to get to the next level. But those who develop a successful relationship with the right mentor often flourish.
Mentors are vital to financial advisors’ growth and development, helping them achieve all their goals and prepare them to face even the harshest of markets with equanimity.
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Five Reasons Why Financial Advisors Should Include Direct Mail in Their Marketing Strategy
/ by Don Connelly / Marketing Yourself / 0 comments
In a digitally dominated world, your clients and prospects are overwhelmed by emails, text notifications, pop-up ads, and other forms of instant communication. With many financial advisors adopting a digital-first approach to marketing, it may be time for advisors to go back to the tried and true—direct mail. While it’s true that digital marketing has become the sleek and shiny way to attract clients, it may not be the most effective.
Direct mail is far from dead and, in fact, might be your salvation for reviving your lead generation. Here are five reasons why that may be.
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Zoom Fatigue: 5 Steps Financial Advisors Can Take to Overcome It
/ by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments
Living in a virtual world as we have for the last year and a half has had its benefits as well as its drawbacks. COVID-19 accelerated the adoption of technology that has helped financial advisors become more efficient and productive with greater outreach to clients and prospects. But it seems that advisors are reaching peak “Zoom fatigue,” an actual medical condition that can have a debilitating effect similar to depression. If you think you may be suffering from Zoom fatigue, you can make some simple adjustments to adapt to the conditions that cause it while enhancing your virtual presence.
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