Christine Benz has been dispensing financial planning knowledge and impacting the lives of people around the world for decades. She’s written hundreds of articles for Morningstar on practical financial planning advice. In fact, she’s one of the best out there. But there are 3 articles that stick out from the rest. They deviated from her …
There’s a dilemma that every financial advisor eventually comes face-to-face with. It’s when you realize that you have too little time and need to be more efficient. At the same time, you also know that the real differentiator for your business is human-to-human connection. And you start wondering, “Can I still be efficient without sacrificing …
There’s an email you can send that actually: 1) Improves conversion ratios 2) Improves connection and receives responses like “You get me.” In other words, it wins clients AND their trust. Thus, it’s the most important email you’ll ever send. In this episode, we’ll look at: The psychology behind why these emails are so powerful …
After 18+ years in the industry, Justin Castelli decided to shift his business model away from traditional financial planning. Here’s his quote to explain why: “My clients were planning for the life they were told to live. Not the life they wanted to live.” Too often, our client’s life and money decisions are influenced by: …
“Behavioral Coaching” continues to emerge as the primary source of value in a relationship between an advisor and client. Yet, most advisors have never learned the skill set required to actually influence and change a client’s behavior for the better. It starts by first understanding the forces that influence client behavior both positively and negatively. …
There’s one communication technique in the skill set of FBI hostage negotiators that stands above the rest. One they describe as being the closest you’ll get to a jedi mind trick. It’s called “mirroring”. And, here’s what it does in conversation: Facilitates bonding and trust Creates connection and empathy Buys you time to regroup your …
The financial advice industry does an outstanding job of training and developing technical knowledge. The industry is full of advisors and planners who can sit down at a computer and calculate the time value of money with the best of them. But, financial planning done right isn’t just about technical answers. It’s about how those …
The intro meeting is the lifeblood of an advisory business. That 30-60 minute window with a complete stranger is either the most expensive or the most profitable activity you’ll ever engage in. Yet, I kept hearing advisors complain about these meetings. They would say things like: -“I never like the way I feel during those …
Morningstar research reveals a direct link between savings behavior and mental time horizon. In fact, the research says mental time horizon is more influential than their age, income, and education. Thus, the more vivid and clear your future, the more likely you are to change your behavior. So, when you’re working with clients and planning …
When financial advisors meet with clients, it’s easy to focus solely on the numbers and neglect the feelings they elicit. It’s easy to focus on dollars at the expense of emotions. But every single client you work with has a relationship with money that extends beyond data, numbers and dollar signs. It’s easy to overlook …