say it so it makes a difference Archives - Page 7 of 9

Am I Oversimplifying Things?

/ by Don Connelly / Managing the Relationship / 0 comments

Brad from Southern California is a Merrill Lynch advisor. He sent me an email, which is in a way, funny, but poses a very serious question nonetheless.

“Don, I have a strange concern. I’m concerned that in my attempt to make things simple I go too far. There are times when I feel I’m patronizing people by talking what I call ‘baby talk’. I literally get embarrassed sometimes. I know what you’re going to say, keep it simple. But when’s enough enough?”

Listen to Don’s answer or read the transcript below.

Common Mistakes New Advisors Make – Ones that Could Ruin Your Business

/ by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments

There are many pitfalls to face when you’re first starting out as an advisor and mistakes are easy to make. Look out for these potential mishaps because they could halt your business in its tracks before it even gets off the ground.

Why Being a Good Advisor Is No Longer Enough to Succeed

/ by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments

Few industries have become as commoditized as the financial services industry. It’s become more and more common to see a personal touch replaced by ‘cookie-cutter’ automated solutions.
On the bright side it’s clear that technology cannot replace the service of a really great financial advisor. Clients still crave advice that’s customized. They need the services of an advisor who can look at the ‘big picture’ and understand the complexities of their lives in terms of their aspirations, family and careers.
If you want to succeed you need to be more than ‘good enough’. You need to prove you are prepared to go that extra mile and provide a service that’s above and beyond your clients’ expectations.
How do you get to become an Elite rather than a “good” Advisor?

Storytelling for Financial Advisors – Acquiring High Net Worth Clients through “Storyselling”

/ by Diana Marinova / Connelly Corner, Storytelling, analogies and power phrases / 0 comments

Nowadays “storyselling for financial advisors” is a big search trend. I found a book with that title but I doubt that’s what people in the industry are looking for. My guess would be that they are after high net worth clients with yet another “modern technique”. Truth be told, storyselling is just a catchy name for good old storytelling that Financial Advisors so rarely master completely.

Investing, Self-awareness and Tolerance to Risk

/ by Don Connelly / Investing Wisdom / 0 comments

Before you can embark on any financial plan on behalf of a client it’s essential that you understand their tolerance for risk. You must also know what their goals are, ensure they are achievable and keep them committed to the plan for the long term.

What’s the Journey of the Successful Advisor Like?

/ by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments

Developing a career as a financial advisor is not for the fainthearted. There are plenty of pitfalls to look out for along the way. New advisors often lack the essential soft skills they need to hit the ground running while others embark on the journey without a clear roadmap or measurable goals to guide them.

Here’s a look at how successful advisors navigate their way to success.

Five Analogies Financial Advisors Can and Should Use with Clients

/ by Don Connelly / Storytelling, analogies and power phrases / 0 comments

What we find very easy clients often find difficult to digest. Even when you think you’re getting across your points well clients can be baffled by your financial knowledge. To get across your ideas so that clients will understand, use analogies.

Advisors who use storytelling and analogies to convey strategies and concepts have a competitive advantage over those that don’t. Analogies help to paint a powerful mental picture that connects to a client’s emotions. Using vivid analogies also helps to leave a powerful impression once clients have left the office – both of you and of the message or takeaway.

Good Stories Don’t Need to Be Long to Be Effective

/ by Don Connelly / Storytelling, analogies and power phrases / 0 comments

Let me tell you a couple of cool things about stories. For one thing they don’t need to be very long to be effective.

The shortest inaugural address ever was George Washington’s. It was just a hundred and thirty-five words. Now compare that to William Henry Harrison. In 1841, in his inaugural address, Harrison talked for two hours, he said 9000 words, and it was freezing. A month later, he died of a cold and pneumonia.

Watch this video or read the transcript below to learn more about short stories effectiveness and to hear a couple of stories from Don.

Personalizing Your Services Will Help You Succeed as a Financial Advisor

/ by Don Connelly / Managing the Relationship / 0 comments

All financial advisors generate income in the same way, by offering similar platforms at essentially the same price. The job description: to help people simplify their finances and get peace of mind that they can reach their goals. Naturally achieving this task is of the utmost importance but if you want to stand apart from the crowd and win more businesses you need to do more; you need to personalize your services.

By treating each client personally and making them feel important you will not just meet their expectations but exceed them. If your clients feel they’re just a number to you they won’t rate your services and they will be unlikely to refer you to others.

How to Become a Better Listener

/ by Don Connelly / Managing the Relationship / 0 comments

As Calvin Coolidge once said “No one ever listened themselves out of a job” so why do so many advisors find it difficult to stop talking and listen to their clients?

In order to become a great advisor, you need to be a good listener. It’s the only way you’ll get to understand your clients’ and prospects‘ goals. It’s the only way you’ll be able to overcome their objections. Plus, the more people are given the opportunity to talk the more they will feel that you’re interested in them. And they will like you for it. Listening will help you start a client relationship and keep your existing relationships on a firm footing.

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