For Great Financial Advisors, the Profit is in the Relationship

For Great Financial Advisors, the Profit is in the Relationship

The industry pressures that have weighed on financial advisors over the last few years will continue into 2021 and beyond, especially with the lingering effects of the pandemic. Fee compression, increasing regulation, heightened competition, and the commoditization of services are all part of an inevitable trend that threatens the survivability of many advisors. From now on, advisors who fall short of clearly differentiating themselves will have a difficult time bucking the trend, and advisors who fail to put their entire focus on their client relationships may be doomed.

Unfortunately, many advisors learn too late in their careers what I have stressed numerous times—that this isn’t a money business. It is a people business! For the first several years of an advisor’s career, the focus is almost solely on acquiring product knowledge, investment expertise, and planning skills. While that is essential for building necessary competencies, too few advisors come to realize that money management is not the lifeblood of their business—their clients are.

For financial advisors, the profit is not in the financial analysis or the transactions they conduct; it’s in the relationship.

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11 Must-Have First-Year Financial Advisor Goals

11 Must-Have First-Year Financial Advisor Goals

It’s tough making it through your first year in the financial advisor business. It’s going to be even tougher without some specific goals to give you focus. If you set goals though, you’ll have some framework for deciding how to manage your time and money.

Your first=year financial advisor goals should be as specific as possible – so you know when you’ve achieved them. And write them down: People who write down their goals are 33% more successful at attaining them than people who keep their goals in their heads.

Here are some of the most important objectives for your first year as a financial advisor.

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The 4 Pillars of Great Client Service

The 4 Pillars of Great Client Service

Great client service should be a given. But according to a recent study from Cerulli Associates, less than a third of advisors strongly agreed that their practices go above and beyond to serve their clients, or that their clients offer repeatable and consistent client experiences.

At the same time, 72% of advisory firm principals say client service is a key differentiator.

Folks, if 72% say great service is a differentiator, it’s no longer a differentiator. It’s now the industry standard.

That said, some firms are clearly doing a better job than others. And those are the firms that are attracting bigger clients, with more assets to manage.

Let’s have a look at what they do differently and what are some key components to delivering great client service.

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How to Turn New Clients into Loyal Clients

How to Turn New Clients into Loyal Clients

You have just opened a new account and you are excited to start working with this new client. Of course, you are more than qualified to provide them with the services they need, but how are you going to ensure that your relationship with them will flourish over time?

Here are few good ways to create a loyal bond between you and your client.

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How People Pick a Financial Advisor

How People Pick a Financial Advisor

When people choose a financial advisor, they’re looking for someone who’s not only qualified but someone they can trust. Without these attributes you won’t get hired. But in this crowded industry – one that’s projected to grow 15% more by 2026 – it will help if you understand other factors people may consider important in a prospective advisor.

Here are a few things to remember as important to people who pick a financial advisor.

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How to Be a Financial Advisor

How to Be a Financial Advisor

Working as a financial advisor is one of the highest ranked business careers according to a recent U.S. News & World report, advisors rating it highly for job satisfaction and prospects. As a financial advisor you can make a real difference to your clients’ lives, making this a rewarding profession to aim for.But if you want to be a financial advisor, you need to have two quite distinct skill sets.

Firstly, you’ll need to pass the relevant industry exams. Financial acumen is a must.

Secondly, and indeed more importantly, you should have a real desire to help people and have an ability to understand their goals and concerns.

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5 Creative Ways to Follow-up with a Prospect

5 Creative Ways to Follow Up with a Prospect

In an ideal world every prospect would sign up with you at the first meeting, immediately recognizing they are in need of what you are offering. In the real world however, prospects may not yet realize your value or understand that they can trust you.

Don’t leave things to chance on the basis they may get back to you. Always follow up. Make sure to call prospects and speak to them directly. You don’t have to feel that you’re trying to push products onto people who are not in the market for your services. Remember, they have indicated that they’re actively looking for a financial advisor.

People tend to get distracted easily however, so here are some additional ways to remind prospects of your worth.

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Becoming a Financial Advisor Is Not All About Getting Licensed

Becoming a Financial Advisor Is Not All About Getting Licensed

Naturally, you need to be sufficiently educated and qualified if you are to do the job of a financial advisor. But that’s not nearly enough. Financial advisors require a unique skill set that consists of not only technical knowledge and business skills but also excellent interpersonal ‘soft’ skills.

Many advisors enter the industry mistakenly believing the former skills are more important than the latter. That’s why so many advisors leave the trade in their first year – because they weren’t able to cut through the noise and attract enough clients.

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4 Tasks You Can Delegate to Grow Your Business

4 Tasks You Can Delegate to Grow Your Business

To grow your business, you need to focus on what’s important and this generally means prospecting and meeting with clients. There will be a host of routine tasks that don’t require your continual, personal, input. Hopefully, you work with an assistant.

Identify your non-revenue generating activities – as well as activities that lie outside your core competencies – and delegate them. In this post we’ll look at 4 tasks you can and should be outsourcing – leaving you free to take on key areas of your business.

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5 Traits You Need to Have If You’re to Build Strong Relationships with Clients

5 Traits You Need to Have If You’re to Build Strong Relationships with Clients

Your personal likeability and trustworthiness are more important than your professional knowledge when it comes to winning and building enduring client relationships. Professional credentials, while important, are only a backstop to the forging of strong personal connections. Focus on developing your soft skills.

Here are five traits you need if you want to create long-lasting relationships with clients and become more referable.

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