Many advisors and agents ask their Insurance Marketing Organization (IMO) “What's your favorite product?” I've always been perplexed by this question. What's your favorite product? Really? It's as if financial advisors and insurance agents have been conditioned to ask that question, which would lead me to believe that most IMOs are pitching products and not asking questions.

Besides the obvious things like desks, chairs, internet, shelving and cabinets and a television, you’ll want to organize your financial services office space to optimize efficiencies. Most of your processes should be handled by your assistant or office manager and you’ll want to give them the tools to create the most efficient process possible.

As a financial professional, taking a team approach is a smart move. It’s much better than the alternative of trying to convince your prospects and clients that you're a jack-of-all-trades. It's just not credible or trustworthy. There is strength in numbers as a financial professional, and filling your roster with other skilled players will win more clients.

When we discuss the topic of presentation or workshop preparation the first statement that comes to mind is “everything matters”. That may seem like a broad statement but it’s true. We must take a lot of things into consideration, especially who we're talking to.

When you work with a prospect and guide them towards making a financial decision and take action, you assume a leadership role. For many financial advisors, you make a commitment to lead them to and through retirement. However, many financial professionals have failed to have a scheduled maintenance process in place to review their clients’ plans and adapt them to life and lifestyle changes.

When you meet with clients, do you use any tools besides pen and paper? You and your clients can benefit from implementing new technology in your financial services office. Here are a few ways you can easily improve your office by using technology. 

If you have a slim marketing budget, workshops and seminars can seem like they cost more than they're worth. There may be ways to find prospects that cost less cash, but you end up paying more in the long run. The monetary cost of finding prospects isn't the only expense.

I have talked to many advisors in my career and I have lost count how many times I have heard “I only sell annuities” or "I only sell life insurance”. There are several things wrong with this picture. Agents that think like this are not fully helping their clients. They are leaving cracks in their financial plans and as an advisor they are leaving dollars on the table. 

Many of the financial advisors and agents we speak with who struggle with prospecting aren't willing, or able, to spend on marketing and prospecting. They think that by avoiding the high cost of prospecting programs they are saving money. Remember, you can spend time, or you can spend money, but you need to spend on marketing and prospecting. 

If you're a financial advisor and don't have anybody to see, you're basically unemployed. But not everybody you meet is a fit for you. Therefore, not all suspects are going to make great prospects and in turn, great clients. You must identify the best potential clients when prospecting so you don't waste your valuable time.