Become Brilliant at the Basics Archives - Page 2 of 4

Why Financial Advisors Must Embrace Technology Now

November 29, 2021 / by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments

In the third of our series of Critical Issues Facing Financial Advisors Right Now, we turn to the challenge facing advisors in adopting the technologies that will drive business growth for the foreseeable future. Financial advisors have seen the future, and it is now. Those who learn to embrace it will have a distinct advantage over those who continue to run from it.

We can complain all we want about the rise of robo-advisors but, the fact is, they only control a minute portion of the trillions of dollars held by wealth managers, advisors, and asset managers. Still, robo-advisors are on the cutting edge of technological innovations, and venture capital is flooding the financial technology sector with billions of dollars.

Our industry has reached a critical juncture where advisors must now choose to embrace technological change to get ahead of their competition and provide the level of service their clients have come to expect or risk obsolescence.

4 Critical Issues Facing Financial Advisors Right Now

November 1, 2021 / 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.

5 Cold Calling Mistakes Financial Advisors Must Avoid to Improve Results

October 11, 2021 / 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?

How to Become Top of Mind with Your Clients and Prospects

July 26, 2021 / by Don Connelly / Marketing Yourself / 0 comments

As a financial advisor, you can’t always be there when a client or prospect has a need. You can only hope that you’re the first person they think of when they want to discuss it or when one of your clients is asked to recommend an advisor. That’s where top-of-mind awareness comes in. If you can develop it effectively, your name is more likely to be the first to come to mind when they have a need.

Chances are, when you crave a cola, you think Coca Cola. That’s because Coke spends hundreds of millions of dollars on advertising to ensure you do. You want that same reflexive thought to occur with your clients and prospects, but you don’t have to blow out your budget to create similar top-of-mind awareness. The objective of a top-of-mind strategy is to be remembered, and you can accomplish that with five easy steps.

What Is Outstanding Work Ethic and How Financial Advisors Can Develop It?

May 17, 2021 / by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments

Let’s face it, not everyone is cut out to be a financial advisor for many reasons, but one of the top reasons is a “lack of work ethic.” Having a good work ethic is a bare minimum requirement for any serious consideration of a career as a financial advisor. For any chance at succeeding, financial advisors must have command of their time and their ability to multi-task, driven by a “can do” attitude.

Digital Marketing for Financial Advisors: It’s Time to Start a Blog

April 26, 2021 / by Don Connelly / Marketing Yourself / 0 comments

For financial advisors competing in a digitally wired world, thought leadership is essential for those who want to stand far above others in a crowded field. Financial advisors who are thought leaders are viewed as authorities in their field and recognized experts– traits that have become table stakes for advisors hoping to attract the attention of high-net-worth clients. An increasing number of financial advisors are finding that blogging is an affordable way to establish themselves as a high-profile authority and a credible source of financial information in a highly competitive arena.

How to Clearly Demonstrate Value so Your Clients Don’t Question Your Fees

April 12, 2021 / by Don Connelly / Marketing Yourself / 0 comments

As a financial advisor, you know you bring value to your advisory relationships, which, in your mind, justifies the fees you charge. Your challenge is that, from your clients’ perspective, value is difficult to define. It doesn’t make it any easier when you consider that a client’s assessment of value is subjective, which can vary from client to client. A study by Vanguard attempted to quantify an advisor’s value in terms of how the right advice—primarily keeping clients from abandoning their strategy—can potentially increase a client’s returns by as much as 3% annually. The problem is that difference in performance isn’t apparent in your clients’ statements.

So, how do you demonstrate value in a way that makes your clients not feel the need to question why they’re paying the fees you charge—that they are getting their money’s worth? It may be as easy as simply giving your clients what they want.

What Not to Do in Building Lasting Client Relationships

February 8, 2021 / by Don Connelly / Managing the Relationship / 0 comments

For financial advisors, building lasting client relationships is as essential as it is challenging. There’s really no more important aspect of an advisor’s practice to ensure sustainable growth. While many advisors try to focus on facets in their practice to bring more value to the relationship, they tend to gloss over what not to do, which can have an even more significant impact on their relationships – and not in a good way.

Here are four key “what not to do’s” all advisors need to proactively convert into a priority to-do list.

Digital Marketing for Financial Advisors – How Social Media Can Generate Leads

January 25, 2021 / by Don Connelly / Marketing Yourself / 0 comments

Financial advisors know how difficult it is to make contact with high-net-worth people through phone calls and emails. However, when they reach out to connect with the same people via LinkedIn or Twitter, they are often welcomed with open arms. From there, they simply become part of the conversation, which opens the opportunity to build relationships.

By actively participating in popular social media sites, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn, you automatically expand your online presence while building social capital. At the very minimum, your participation provides social proof to your target market that you exist and that you might actually have something of value to offer.

Educate Clients about Market Volatility so They Can Confidently Stick to the Plan

January 4, 2021 / by Diana Marinova / Best Practices, Connelly Corner / 0 comments

Happy New Year from all of us at Don Connelly & Associates! Hopefully everyone will enjoy good health during the new year, achieving great success both personally and professionally.

As promised, this week we’re posting the second part of the recap blog post, covering two more popular topics our community of Advisors was most interested in during 2020 – market volatility and how to communicate with prospects and clients about it. We’ll also share a few stories and analogies you can use to convince clients to stick to the plan, no matter the market conditions.

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