In this category you will find blog posts with tips and shared wisdom about investing. Some posts are from Don Connelly’s experience in general and others are prompted by real-life people questions to Don.

Making Sure You Make the Most of Market Uncertainty – What Advisors Read the Most on the Blog

Market Uncertainty – What Advisors Read the Most on the Blog

As you very well remember, we had a quick and severe market downturn in March and April 2020, followed by the greatest stock market rally in the history of the stock markets. Naturally, clients are panicked because of the market uncertainty. Regardless of where the DJIA closes today, we know for a fact that there will be another bear market – we just don’t know when.

To help you prepare yourself and your clients for what inevitably lies ahead, we bring you the top 10 most-read posts on the topic of market volatility, falling markets and growing your business in a post-pandemic world.

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The Clock: A Great Sales Idea to Overcome Irrational Pessimism

The Clock: A Great Sales Idea to Overcome Irrational Pessimism

You may have heard me talk before about my good friend and successful Advisor, Mark Dick. He once said to me that ‘dividends are tangible evidence that good companies don’t use smoke and mirrors because dividend checks don’t bounce.’ That is a strong power phrase that gave me a great sales idea.

Listen to the audio episode or read the transcript below to learn what the clock sales idea and how to use it.

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Reasons Clients Need a Financial Advisor – Overcoming the Do-It-Yourself Objection

Reasons Clients Need a Financial Advisor – Overcoming the Do-It-Yourself Objection

We’ve all encountered them: The prospect or client who wants to go it alone. They want to manage their own portfolio.

Well, here’s one approach you can use:

First, ask the question, “Can I share something with you?” (I like this phrase because it’s non-confrontational. It doesn’t activate the prospect’s ego, leading to an argument you can’t win. It neutralizes it.

Then you can show them the latest DALBAR study.

It doesn’t matter much what year you use. The results for individual DIY investors are almost always dismal: According to the 2019 DALBAR Quantitative Analysis of Investor Behavior, the typical do-it-yourselfer achieved an annual real return of just 1.71%.

Compared with the S&P 500, do-it-yourself investors lagged the S&P 500 by huge margins:

• 4.35 percentage points, annualized, over five years;
• 3.46 percentage points, annualized, over 10 years;

The reason: Bad market timing decisions. People pile into the market at the wrong times, and then they panic and sell at the wrong times.

Why? Because people are irrational, and are hardwired to make sub-optimal decisions.

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Coronavirus: An Opportunity for Financial Advisors to Strengthen Client Relationships

Coronavirus - An Opportunity for Financial Advisors to Strengthen Client Relationships

As I write this after the market close on March 9th, 2020, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is down 1,800 points on the day, for a loss of 7.8%. The S&P 500 is down by 7.6% – the worst single day on for U.S. equities since the 2008 crisis.

This Monday loss follows some significant volatility late last week that already had a lot of investors on edge.

No doubt, most of you advisors out there are receiving some nervous calls and emails from your clients, wondering what’s going on.

This is where great advisors can earn their money. As a matter of fact, you as financial advisors may well not have as great an opportunity to add value for your clients for a very long time as you do today.

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A Reminder: The Trend Is Your Friend

Don Connelly audio blog - AskDON

I get asked a lot if I coach Advisors and the answer is “No, I don’t coach. I remind.” Literally. I think teaching is showing someone how to do a job. Coaching them is showing them how to get better. I think you get better by going backwards, by going back to the basics, so let me give you the most basic investing thought I can give you.

Watch the video or read the transcript below to learn the most basic investing thought and why the trend is your friend.

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Three Things That Clients Often Do – Even Though They Shouldn’t

Three Things That Clients Often Do – Even Though They Shouldn’t

During your career, you’ll find over and over again that emotions cloud clients’ investment decisions – clients are not always inclined to act in their own best interests. At times like these you need to step in and be a behavior coach for them – otherwise they’ll end up regretting their decisions down the line.

Here are three things that clients want to do – but shouldn’t, and how to counter them.

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4 Misconceptions about Market Volatility Your Clients Need to Be Aware of

4 Misconceptions about Market Volatility Your Clients Need to Be Aware of

As a financial advisor it’s your responsibility to get your clients to stick to their financial plan for the long term. This means you’ll need to change any pre-conceived notions they may have about market volatility. In particular, you need to get across that volatility does not equate to risk or loss.

Here are some common misconceptions about market volatility your clients may have and how to address them.

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4 Things Clients Need to Know about Volatility

When markets are volatile investors can get spooked and start to question their investment strategies. Especially if they’re new to the process of investing. This could prompt them to withdraw from the market and wait on the sidelines until things get better.

As their financial advisor you’re there to help them see things in perspective. By helping them understand the nature of volatility they will find it easier to stick to their plan.

Here are four things about volatility you need to explain to them right away.

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What Clients Need from You to Stick to The Plan

To get clients to stick with their long-term investments you need to get inside their mindset and understand how they think and feel. If you know how your clients will react in the face of market volatility, you’ll be ideally placed to counter their concerns. If you understand what they need from you in terms of maintaining a long-term relationship, you will know which soft skills to focus on.

Here are a few things clients need to help them persevere with their long-term investments.

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