Truth Telling

Feedback is tough, especially when it’s the truth. Yet sometimes it is just what we need to take that next step. We must ask and be willing to listen to consider the input, the other person’s perspective and what it means to the service we are providing. Soliciting feedback is not a casual or off-the-cuff undertaking. Careful thought needs to go into the questions we ask in order to solicit the feedback we need – …

Building a Client Experience

Seventh Article in the Series: Efficiency and Productivity Last week’s message focused on Serving It Up, that is, developing a process for ensuring your Ideal Client has a rich, personalized, meaningful experience with your firm. As every firm has a unique client base and service offering, the message laid out only general steps for a service plan. It is up to you to personalize that plan to meet your Ideal Clients needs and expectations. Do …

Future Advisor

Last week I attended the FPA Houston Symposium and was delighted to listen to Michael Kitces, CFP® (he has many more initials I’ve omitted for brevity) speak on the future of the financial advice industry. Yes, technology will impact how we as an advisor serve our clients, removing barriers such as geography. What then becomes even more important is how we differentiate our service and the experience we deliver. Early this week, I listened to a futurist …

The Big Hitter Client

Fifth Article in the Series: Efficiency and Productivity In our ongoing analysis of your client list, likely the most challenging conversation will be the one involving the Big Hitter Client. The Big Hitter Client is a great revenue producer. But at times, they can cost you more than the revenue produced. Here’s how: If the Big Hitter Client does not utilize most of the services you provide, and in fact, requires more and different services …

What Value Do You Add?

Last week I attended Bob Veres’ Insider’s Forum conference in Dallas, TX. The conference addressed three primary areas of focus for financial services firms: the CEO role and leadership; the CIO role and investments; and the COO role and operations. An overarching theme of the conference was the future of financial services firms and succession planning. We heard from those who have been succeeded as well as their successors and from consultants on what makes …

Unbound

You know what you want, yet it remains just out of reach. If only you could just stretch a bit farther, and there, almost…no. It remains just out of reach. Sometimes what hinders us is not our ability to stretch but our inability to release ourselves from the grasp of things that bind us. Sometimes physical, but most often mental, these ties that bind are simply ourselves keeping us from what we desire. Perhaps it …

Presence

“Labor Day is over. Time to start thinking about the holidays.” Yes, this a paraphrase of a marketing piece I recently received. On one hand, the company promoting this is correct. If you hope to accomplish something in your business by year-end, your plans better be in place fast. On the other hand, if you are living your life like this, it is time to stop…NOW! Stop now and be in the present with your …

Overcome Your Fears Through Commitment

Since mid-April we have been exploring and developing this concept of the Ideal Client. If you have followed along, you have a well-defined marketing plan for working with clients you enjoy, providing a service they value. You are finding that you have more time in your schedule; that your outreach efforts for new clients are “effortless” and you have more space and resources to do the other things you love in life. Oh, that hasn’t …

Wrapping Up Your Ideal Client

Sixth Article in the Series: Attracting Your Ideal Client The title of this week’s newsletter is a play on words. It is the end of this series on attracting your Ideal Client. Yet, it also represents a concept you need to embrace (I am full of word play today!) in working with your Ideal Client. The idea of embracing — wrapping up your Ideal Client — is what I am talking about here. No, I …

Build Influence

Fifth Article in the Series: Attracting Your Ideal Client This is a favorite of many financial advisors; those wonderful Centers of Influence (COI) who are already known, liked and trusted by your Ideal Prospects. A referral or recommendation from them to you can be golden. But how do you stand out among all the others who would love to be recommended by this Center of Influence? Here are a couple of different ways: Know your …

Get More Referrals

Fourth Article in the Series: Attracting Your Ideal Client We all want referrals, yet few of us have as many as we would like. Why? We don’t ask. We don’t ask because it is awkward and uncomfortable. We think that if the client is truly happy with our service, they will share that with people they know. Sometimes referrals happen spontaneously and the prospect is a great fit for our business. More often than not, …

Build Trust

Third Article in the Series: Attracting Your Ideal Client Here is where the rubber meets the road. It’s one thing to be active, get involved, contribute content and educate your Ideal Prospects. It is another to be consistent in those activities so that you build the bridge of trust that converts prospects to clients. Many people start off with great ideas, full of energy and commitment to finding prospects and getting known. You have all …

Your Ideal Client Community

First Article in the Series: Attracting Your Ideal Client The groundwork is laid. You hold the keys to begin reaching out to your Ideal Client. Now where do you find them? Go back to your detailed description of your Ideal Client that you prepared a few weeks back. This came out of the work you did on analyzing your current client base. That detailed description will provide the first clues as to where you can …

Make Your Ideal Day a Reality

Fourth Article in the Series: Making Work Play Doing the things you do best for 75% of the day is a sure-fire way to light you up, as well as your business. In the past couple of weeks, I have asked you to imagine your ideal day and identify the resources you need. If you have been following along, you may now be at a bit of an impasse. A realization that the business you …

What If?

Third Article in the Series: Making Work Play The last message asked, “What if?” What if 75% of what you did in a day reflected your passions, utilized your strengths and was in alignment with your values? What could you accomplish? Did you give some time to that last question, “What could you accomplish?” If not, then do it now. Consider all the possibilities if you could do the things you do best for most …

Overcome Your Biggest Hurdle

Second Article in the Series: Making Work Play In the message a few weeks back, “Living a Day Full of Passions, Strengths and Values,” I shared how a recent busy day energized me as I spent the day engaged and doing the things that make my heart sing. This series, “Make Work Play,” will address building a work life that inspires you to hop out of bed every morning, leaves you feeling energized after a …

Maximize Where You Are Now

First Article in the Series: Making Work Play Knowing your Passions, Strengths and Values give you powerful tools for living the life of your dreams. Yet making a living is what most of us desire to do on a daily basis. The premise behind knowing your passions, strengths and values is to build a business that reflects those elements, allows you to spend 75% or more of your time working in them and provides a …

Living a Day Full of Passion, Strengths and Values

Sixth Article in the Series: Passions, Strengths & Values I thought I would share with you how this all comes together. How knowing your Passions, Strengths and Values can power your days and make what you do flow with ease. Here is how a recent day transpired for me: 6:45 a.m. Women’s networking meeting 9:00 a.m. Call with referral from a client 10:30 a.m. Coffee with a new acquaintance from a networking luncheon 12:00 p.m. …

Solidify Your Foundation

Fifth Article in the Series: Passions, Strengths & Values Over the past several weeks you have been doing some personal work to explore your Passions, Strengths and Values. I hope you have found the process stimulating, exciting and profound. If you have not gone through the steps, check out the three messages (Stating Your Passions, Why You Should Know Your Strengths and Identifying Your Values Leads to Fulfillment) for guidance. It is important to have …

Identifying Your Values Leads to Fulfillment

Fourth Article in the Series: Passions, Strengths & Values Values are the third area we will explore in the series of Passions, Strengths and Values. Each of these topics are closely related and when your life engages and utilizes all three, you’ll discover that energy, excitement and joy fill your days. When one is missing or limited, you’ll notice that life bumps and grinds along, rather than flows. We started with Stating Your Passions as …