/ by Don Connelly / Managing the Relationship / 0 comments
If you’ve been in this business for any length of time, you know the cost, in terms of time, effort, and money, of bringing in a new client. You should also know that replacing a client who leaves with a new client costs five to 25 times more than retaining an existing one. Client retention is crucial to building a sustainable and profitable business.
How about when clients go dormant? They’re still on the books as clients but less engaged for one reason or another. They may still take your calls, but not necessarily your advice. If you track such things, you may find they no longer visit your website or respond to your social media outreach. They may have even pulled some business from you, leaving some to keep the relationship alive.
From a business standpoint, they may as well be a “lost” client. You either have to replace that lost business or find a way to reconnect and rejuvenate the relationship. The good news is these clients already know and trust you, so it should take less effort than starting from scratch with a new client. Additionally, proactively reaching out to inactive clients can uncover fresh opportunities and refortify the foundation of your relationship.
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7 Common Mistakes Financial Advisors Make that Repel Clients
/ by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments
To be successful, financial advisors must work tirelessly to master their craft while putting in countless hours to build their business. Some have an easier time of it than others because they avoid the many missteps that can drive prospects and clients away. Even the most well-intentioned advisors can sometimes engage in behaviors that unintentionally repel potential and existing clients, creating an enduring uphill battle to grow their practice.
You spend a lot of time and resources to gain a foothold in this business. But if you’re not aware of the crucial mistakes many advisors make in trying to build relationships, you are less likely to avoid them yourself, making your job much more difficult—maybe even impossible. Here are seven common missteps many advisors make that you must avoid to have any chance of success.
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Financial Advisor Branding—Elements to Focus On
/ by Don Connelly / Marketing Yourself / 0 comments
One of the most significant challenges facing financial advisors trying to grow their practice is it takes time, resources, and a well-conceived marketing strategy to get their stories out to the right audiences. While it involves strategically utilizing digital marketing and producing targeted and relevant content, the path must be paved by building a solid brand and reputation.
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Want Your Clients to Take Their Financial Plan Seriously? Keep It Front and Center in Your Relationship
/ by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments
It wasn’t so long ago that clients perceived financial plans as an extension of the prospecting process to entice them to open an account and hand over their money. Many financial advisors feigned the role as a financial planner to create the perception of objectivity with the recommendations they would make. Clients received a faux leather-bound financial plan that just took up shelf space, never to be revisited by them or their advisor.
Fast forward to today, and we see an increasing number of financial advisors who are committed to a more holistic approach to working with clients, making the financial plan a critical cornerstone of their relationships. That, of course, is in response to what more and more clients are looking for in their advisor relationships—a plan that addresses the entirety of their financial life to guide them in life-critical decisions.
Why is it then that the value of a well-conceived financial plan seems to wane among clients who, further into the advisory relationship, begin to question their advisor’s advice or express disenchantment because their investments are underperforming their neighbor’s or colleagues’ portfolio? What do advisors need to do to get their clients to refocus on what’s really important?
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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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You Don’t Have to Fear The Competition
/ by Don Connelly / Marketing Yourself / 0 comments
You, like many other advisors, may feel you work in a highly competitive environment where the competition is trying to outmaneuver you every step of the way. In reality, however this isn’t the case. As is true of any profession, most of your competitors are not fully engaged on most days. They show up for work each day unmotivated or with an ambivalent attitude. If you, unlike other advisors, develop superb soft skills, have a great work ethic, and exude positivity – you’ve already beaten the competition hands down.
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Three Challenges Financial Advisors Face in Their Daily Work
/ by Don Connelly / Managing the Relationship / 0 comments
A recent post on this blog outlined three challenges Advisors face when acquiring clients. This week I’ll outline three more chief challenges you are probably facing in your daily work, along with some tips on how to overcome them.
#1. Providing clients with reassurance when the markets take a downturn
Keeping clients on track when markets take a dive is a situation many advisors find tricky. But It’s essential to know how to keep clients invested for the long term.
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What to Look for in an Accountability Partner
/ by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments
Unsuccessful advisors may dream of success but they can’t seem to commit to or stick with their ideas. They tend to procrastinate or spend their time struggling to discern between high and low priority tasks. Successful advisors on the other hand have a clear roadmap incorporating concrete goals and they consistently hit their targets. They have discovered the art of “accountability”.
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