I recently attended a conference with about 40 other investment advisor representatives. As successful business entrepreneurs, they hold themselves to a high standard and are passionate about their profession. Oh, and did I mention that they toss around the acronym "IMO" like it's a swear word?

When my firm first started hosting workshops, our attendance was average, and the amount of attendees scheduling visits with us was about 40 to 50 percent. Learning five important lessons from workshop prospects increased the number of attendees meeting with us to nearly 80 percent.

How well do you think you know your clients? What about their complete financial profile? If you have been in the industry for a while you may believe you know everything. However, most financial professionals who confidently tell me this are kidding themselves. Why can I confidently say this?

What does it take to get a saver to move their money? Apparently not that much. According to an insurance company representative, they are writing new business hand over fist because their company offers the highest guaranteed fixed rate of interest for a specific number of years within a deferred annuity.

I don’t think there’s a workshop PowerPoint on the planet that directly results in sales of financial products. So far, I’ve never seen a financial presentation end with the presenter passing out applications for financial products and attendees getting out their checkbooks to buy. Solid workshop and seminar presentations can result in the right fit prospects raising their hands to meet with you.  

In the past, financial professionals have relied on a well-balanced portfolio of stocks and bonds to manage a client’s risk versus return. While the concept is widely accepted, if you ask 50 different financial professionals what a well-balanced portfolio of stocks and bonds looks like, you'll likely get 50 different answers. 

Being rejected by a prospect does not have to be a total loss. There are many things that can be learned from a prospect who said "no" and a chance you could improve your financial services business. 

One of the most engaging topics that I cover in my Social Security education class is the impact of taxes. Most attendees at my workshops don't know that their Social Security benefits may be subject to tax. Of those few who do know, many are unsure as to how it is determined, and how much tax they are likely to pay.

Even when your clients have significant retirement resources, it is important to create a comprehensive strategy specifically for them. If you do not do your best to help each unique client, you risk your client's future as well as your own.

Every client has different goals and resources as they prepare for retirement. There are five important details to consider when working with clients. These are not the only necessary details required for helping clients plan for retirement, but they should not be overlooked.