/ by Don Connelly / Managing the Relationship / 0 comments
The widely studied field of behavioral finance has firmly established that many investors’ mistakes can be attributed to their emotions, which can cloud their judgment and overpower their patience and discipline. Ben Graham, arguably one of the best investors of all time, said, “The investor’s chief problem—even his worst enemy—is likely to be himself.”
Many financial advisors think their most important function is to devise financial strategies and help their clients allocate their assets to help them achieve their financial goals. Certainly, that’s important. But that’s what advisors study and train for. It’s what they do.
However, I would argue that the most essential function—the critical role advisors must fulfill—is that of a financial coach. Above all else, a financial or investment strategy rooted in sound practices and principles requires discipline and patience. However, when emotions cause a client to break from the strategy, you are the only person who can keep your clients anchored and coach them through the momentary instinct to act irrationally.
Addressing these behaviors proactively can help your clients stay on track and make sound decisions. Here are five common client behaviors that financial advisors should be prepared to address and strategies to manage them effectively.
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Make It Your Focus to Be Referable
/ by Don Connelly / Prospecting / 0 comments
I don’t think any one method of prospecting works particularly well, but they all work. The idea is to pick one and stick with it. Whichever method you choose, give it a chance. Don’t bounce around. Get so good at the method you choose that getting referrals become as natural as brushing your teeth in the morning. Position yourself to be referable.
Watch this video or read the transcript below, adapted from the video, to learn how to make yourself referable.
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5 Client Behaviors Financial Advisors Must Put a Stop to and How
/ by Don Connelly / Managing the Relationship / 0 comments
The widely studied field of behavioral finance has firmly established that many investors’ mistakes can be attributed to their emotions, which can cloud their judgment and overpower their patience and discipline. Ben Graham, arguably one of the best investors of all time, said, “The investor’s chief problem—even his worst enemy—is likely to be himself.”
Many financial advisors think their most important function is to devise financial strategies and help their clients allocate their assets to help them achieve their financial goals. Certainly, that’s important. But that’s what advisors study and train for. It’s what they do.
However, I would argue that the most essential function—the critical role advisors must fulfill—is that of a financial coach. Above all else, a financial or investment strategy rooted in sound practices and principles requires discipline and patience. However, when emotions cause a client to break from the strategy, you are the only person who can keep your clients anchored and coach them through the momentary instinct to act irrationally.
Addressing these behaviors proactively can help your clients stay on track and make sound decisions. Here are five common client behaviors that financial advisors should be prepared to address and strategies to manage them effectively.
Read more
A Guide to Securing Second Meetings with Prospects: Turning First Impressions into Lasting Partnerships
/ by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments
It’s no exaggeration to say that the initial meeting with a prospective client is a make-or-break moment that sets the tone for the relationship and determines whether it will continue in a second meeting. The initial meeting is a crucial dance between the advisor and a naturally skeptical prospect who wants to know why they should work with you.
In a crowded field of financial advisors, the initial meeting presents a critical opportunity to differentiate yourself. Prospects are likely to meet with multiple advisors. You must make the prospect feel they’re making the right choice in working with you and that they should expect an advisory experience with you that they can’t get from anyone else. That’s a tall order.
But if you’re organized, practiced, and have the end in mind—a second meeting with the prospect—you can make each initial meeting a success.
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Explaining the Nature of the Relationship (Acapulco Cliff Divers Analogy)
/ by Don Connelly / Managing the Relationship / 0 comments
“Mr. and Mrs. Client, I want to give you a word of caution in the event we experience volatility and turbulence. Investing money can and often does feel counterintuitive. There will be times when I urge you to add money to your account when the market is going down. That’s not going to feel right to you even though that’s exactly the time we should be adding to your account. It’s important that you understand why I would do that. May I tell you a story?
Watch this video or read the transcript below, adapted from the video, to learn a great story and analogy to help cement the relationship with a client.
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Understanding Why Clients Might Seek a Second Opinion in Financial Planning and How to Avert It
/ by Don Connelly / Managing the Relationship / 0 comments
If you’ve been in this business long enough, you’re bound to encounter a client who wants to get a second opinion on some of your advice or a strategy you’ve developed. There’s no sugar-coating it—that can feel like a low blow—questioning your expertise and even your integrity.
While it might feel like a vote of no confidence, it’s often a symptom of a deeper need. Understanding these reasons and fostering a solid client relationship can help advisors minimize the need for external validation.
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Decoding Doubt: 6 Non-Verbal Cues Clients Might Be Giving You That Signal a Trust Deficit
/ by Don Connelly / Managing the Relationship / 0 comments
Trust is the bedrock of any successful financial advisor-client relationship. But how do you know if a client truly trusts you, especially when they might not explicitly say it? Beyond the spoken word, clients often communicate their feelings through non-verbal cues. Learning to recognize these subtle signals can help advisors address underlying concerns and build stronger, more trusting relationships.
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How Financial Advisors Can Be the Leader Their Clients Want
/ by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments
In today’s complex financial landscape, being knowledgeable and able to connect with people is not enough. Clients expect more from you as their financial advisor. They expect you to lead them to financial security. Individuals seek financial advice because they lack the knowledge and expertise to navigate their financial futures effectively. But they are not inclined to follow just any advisor—only those who can unequivocally inspire trust and confidence. Why bother with anyone else?
Advisors must work each day to demonstrate leadership qualities that inspire trust, confidence, and informed decision-making. Here are the critical areas advisors should focus on to become leaders in the eyes of their clients:
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How Financial Advisors Can Take Control Over Their Time
/ by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments
As a financial advisor, your most valuable resource is your time. If you are not in control of how you spend your time, then you are not in control of your results. Controlling your time and injecting your schedule with the right mix of high-payoff activities is vital to achieving your goals.
However, time is a diminishing resource, which is why it’s so valuable yet so challenging to manage. Advisors must find a way to maximize their critical high-payoff activities, such as client interactions, prospect meetings, and prospecting, while allocating sufficient time for other essential activities that need to get done, such as administrative tasks, marketing, and planning. Advisors must also be able to allocate adequate time for professional and personal development and ensure there’s enough left over for a healthy work-life balance.
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5 Scenarios When Advisors Should Fire Clients with Conflict of Interest
/ by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments
We’ve posted several times on the topic of conflicts of interest created by financial advisors when their objectivity may be compromised, and their interests are not necessarily aligned with their client’s best interests. We talked about the harm it can cause to the advisory relationship. Financial advisors caught up in ethical dilemmas, whether intentional or not, must be ready to take corrective action to save the relationship and keep the trust of their clients.
But what about when the tables are turned, and the client creates a conflict of interest or ethical dilemma? It happens more than you might think—when a client’s personal interests or values don’t align with their advisor’s. The conflict may not be egregious or illegal, but even if it just rubs you the wrong way, it might be time to cut the client loose.
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How to Help Clients Through Their Financial Anxiety
/ by Don Connelly / Managing the Relationship / 0 comments
Who among us has never had worries about money? You can expect that many of your clients have experienced money worries from time to time. We know that clients can become stressed during periods of increasing market volatility or economic distress. And we’ve shared how financial advisors can help clients deal with that stress and confront fears to prevent their emotions from controlling their decisions.
But what about financial anxiety? Not only is that different from stress, but it can be much more debilitating to the psyche, causing mental paralysis in the face of important financial decisions. While stress is typically caused by external factors, such as a crashing market or rising unemployment, anxiety tends to rise internally over fears or unhealthy attitudes about the world around us.
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