For every delighted client you have, there are plenty of consumers out there who will never seek financial advice because it’s just not on their radar and there are others who actively avoid financial help. And then you have those who go out of their way to put down the services those in our industry provide... 

My daughter will soon be graduating high school and is in that stage of life where she’s puzzling over which career path to take. Being in the financial services industry, I asked if she’d considered becoming a financial advisor¹. Her response? 

We hear it all the time from good insurance producers, they say, "I'm pretty successful, so why in the world would I ever need a coach?"  Well, consider one of the greatest basketball players to ever step on the court, Michael Jordan.  This legendary player accomplished so much in his time in the NBA, that very few would argue he wasn't "good." In fact, I argue he was the greatest all-around player the game has ever seen, but that's another discussion entirely.

As an independent financial professional and a small business owner, you must leverage every minute you have and every dollar you spend to maximize your efficiency and profitability. One of the best ways to gain resources is to partner with the right IMO (Independent Marketing Organization) that has a skilled staff designed to support your business. 

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.

A basic principle of investing is that you should gradually reduce your exposure to risk as you get older. Generally speaking, a younger investor has a longer time horizon and therefore can absorb more short-term investment risk. An older investor has a shorter time horizon and therefore doesn’t have as much time to absorb short-term investment risk.

Case design and illustration requests are common daily events that Independent Marketing Organizations (IMOs) handle for advisors they work with. Many of the advisors we work with do a great job of fact finding during the first meeting with a client. Getting the facts and details up-front are extremely important for putting together a good, strong recommendation that can be presented during your next meeting.

As I work with advisors on a daily basis, I’m hearing one question that stands out the most: “Can you help me get in front of more qualified prospects?” There are many ways to put yourself in the same room as higher-net worth and better fit prospects. Your tools can include seminars, direct mail campaigns, fundraisers, and referrals. 

Are you a financial services supplier or an architect? Your clients may be viewing you as one or the other. When it comes to building homes (or financial plans) the raw material supplier and the architect both play a significant role in the construction of a home. Neither is necessarily bad or good, better or worse. They have very different roles to play, and they have very different perspectives.