Category Archives: Finance

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Ep. #7: Build a Successful Business Operating By Referral Only With Diana DeFrate CFP®, CLU® and Katriina Paavola CFP®

Education, Finance, Marketing, Speaking, Uncategorized, , , , , , , ,

Advisors often ask, “Is it possible to build my business that runs by referral only?”

The answer is, yes! 

However, not every advisory team has been able to create a “by referral only” business where the quantity and the quality of clients have been exactly the right fit.

Are you getting enough in-segment clients through referrals and introductions? 

In this episode, Bill Cates speaks with Diana DeFrate CFP®, CLU®, chief executive officer and founder, and Katriina Paavola, CFP®, founder at DeFrate & Paavola, LLC. Diana and Katriina share how their successful business operates by referral only, sharing how they do so WITHOUT asking for referrals.

Diana and Katriina discuss: 

  • How the changes in their target market have affected their business and caused them to make the decision to become “by referral only.”
  • The marketing strategies they tried that didn’t work, but led them to what does work.
  • Why you should have a ‘wow master’ on your business team to build client relationships
  • How they get referrals WITHOUT asking.

Connect With Diana DeFrate and Katriina Paavola:

Connect With Bill Cates:

About Our Guest:

Diana DeFrate: A former financial executive in media, Diana is a Certified Financial Planner certificate (CFP®), Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU®), CPA, and the second in a family legacy of wealth managers and financial planners. An avid wine enthusiast, Diana is a WSET Advanced Certificate holder, director and co-founder of the Geshtin wine club. 

Katriina Paavola: A Certified Financial Planner (CFP®), MBA, and former media professional, Katriina is a strategic director and financial consultant with specialties in retirement planning and investment management. A native of Finland, Katriina studied international business in London before coming to the U.S. as an executive strategic planner. 

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Ep. #6: Client Appreciation Events: Using Retirement Parties to Grow Your Business with Joe De Sena, CFP®

Education, Finance, Marketing, Speaking, Uncategorized, , , , , , , ,

Retirement is such a major milestone in everyone’s life. And while there is no shortage of ideas for client appreciation events, retirement parties are definitely one worth considering. Hosting one of these unique client events not only helps financial advisors create client loyalty for life, it also provides an excellent opportunity for reaching new qualified prospects.

In this episode, Bill Cates interviews Joe De Sena, CFP®, MBA, private wealth advisor at Siena Wealth Advisory Group, about how Joe has leveraged this event marketing strategy to build and extremely successful financial practice. 

Bottom Line: Joe De Sena’s retirement parties yield new clients almost every time. These are not just “feel-good” events. These are business-building client engagement, client appreciation events. 

In this episode, Bill and Joe discuss: 

  • The success Joe has found in hosting retirement parties for his clients – to help him exceed the $1 billion in AUM mark.
  • What it truly looks like to organize these client appreciation events, whether they are virtual or in-person.
  • How retirement parties lead to appointments with qualified prospects right at the event – without asking for them.
  • Other events Joe’s firm has used to enhance client engagement.

Connect With Bill Cates:

Connect with Joe De Sena

About Our Guest:

Joe De Sena CFP®, MBA is a private wealth advisor at Siena Wealth Advisory Group. Joe has been a financial advisor for 27 years. Joe is passionate about protecting his clients and their families from the unexpected. Joe loves to travel, read, run marathons and do charity work.

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Ep. #5: Use The 90-Day Dazzle for Client Onboarding and Win Referrals Fast with Bryan Sweet, CLU, ChFC

Education, Finance, Marketing, Speaking, Uncategorized, , , , , ,

Most advisors have an internal new client onboarding checklist, but few have discovered the value of a comprehensive client onboarding process that creates both a value connection and a personal connection. 

Done well, the client onboarding process will help your new clients feel great about their decision to work with you and make you super referable quickly.

In this episode, Bill Cates is joined by Bryan Sweet CLU®, ChFC®, founder and CEO of Sweet Financial Services, to discuss how he uses his program called The 90 Day Dazzle for client onboarding. He explains how implementing this program has drastically increased his referrals earlier in his new-client relationships.

In this episode, Bill and Bryan discuss: 

  • How The 90 Day Dazzle brings value to both the client and his firm.
  • The three small niches his firm works with that have kept his business thriving for 42 years
  • What other advisors are doing in the client onboarding process.

Resources: 

“Who Not How” by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy

Connect With Bill Cates:   

About Our Guest:

Bryan Sweet: Bryan Sweet, is a cultivator of opportunity and that is reflected in his passion for serving the clients of Sweet Financial Services. Beginning his career in 1979, Bryan has done more than create lasting wealth plans for wonderful clients. He has created a movement in this industry to help people realize just how much they are capable of and just how much they can put their money to work for them.

Connect With Bryan Sweet:  

 

 

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Ep. #4: Building a Financial Advisor Business Plan that Aligns with Your Ideal Life with Peter Oldziey CFP®

Education, Finance, Marketing, Speaking, , , , , , , ,

Most financial advisors get into this business to create freedom and flexibility in their lives. The problem is, very few actually achieve that. Instead, they are tied to their business. The business owns them.  Can you relate to the pain of this unhealthy scenario? If so, how do you create a financial advisor business plan that is actually in alignment with the life you WANT to lead?

In this episode, Referral Coach Bill Cates, CSP, CPAE is joined by Peter Oldziey CFP®, of Peter A. Oldziey & Associates. Peter discusses his vision for his ideal life and business, and how he executed a business plan that created both.

Peter discusses: 

  • What triggered his decision to pursue his dream business and ideal life. 
  • How he homed in on providing unique client experiences.
  • How his financial advisor business plan evolved into being “by-referral-only.” 
  • Why and how he used different forms of accountability to ensure his success.

Resources: 

Connect With Bill Cates:

About Our Guest:

Early in Peter Oldziey’s CFP® education career he realized he was an entrepreneur at heart and embarked on a career as a financial advisor. Peter has had his own practice in Dover, Delaware since 1986. Along with building a flourishing practice, Peter has put a high premium on professional development earning the designations of Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) in 1990 and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certificant in 2000.

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Ep. #3: How a Business Friendship Can Turn a Loyal Client into an Advocate with Lester Matlock CFP®, CRPC®, APMA®

Education, Finance, Marketing, Speaking, , , , , , , , ,

Many financial advisors like to keep an arm’s length distance between themselves and their clients, keeping everything strictly on the professional level.

But many of the most successful financial advisors are doing the opposite.

In this episode, Referral Coach Bill Cates, CSP, CPAE is joined by Lester Matlock CFP®, CRPC®, APMA®, private wealth advisor. Lester discusses his Bucket List Campaign and how he creates a business friendship with clients, so they become his biggest advocates. 

Lester discusses: 

  • Why he sold part of his practice to focus on a more targeted market.
  • How he got started helping his clients accomplish some of their Bucket List items.
  • What the Bucket List Campaign is and how it works.
  • An example of how his business friendship with one of his clients made a huge difference for her and her family.

Connect With Bill Cates:

Connect With Lester Matlock:

About Our Guest:

Lester Matlock’s CFP®, CRPC®, APMA® first passion is being a financial advisor and mentor. Mentoring students has afforded him the ability to pay forward the guidance and counseling he received as a student. Extreme fitness and mixed martial arts are his most common pastimes when he and his wife are not traveling. He’ll confess, collecting cuff-links (especially vintage) has fast become a favorite hobby of his.

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Ep. #2: The Benefits of Narrow Target Markets for Financial Advisors with Adam Cmejla CFP®

Education, Finance, Marketing, Speaking, , , , , , , ,

You’ve undoubtedly heard about the benefits of highly-focused target markets for financial advisors. But perhaps you have reservations and worry that if you go too narrow, you’ll be missing out on valuable opportunities.

If you’ve been considering a specific target market, then perhaps this interview will tip the scales in that direction for you.

In this episode, Referral Coach Bill Cates is joined by Adam Cmejla CFP®, president of Integrated Planning & Wealth Management. Adam discusses his decision to focus on a very specific target market, which has brought him to an extraordinarily high level of success.

Adam discusses: 

  • How he started by targeting “white coat professionals,” but eventually narrowed his focus.
  • Why he believes strongly in the value of hyper-specific target markets for financial advisors.
  • The two bullseyes Adam shoots for that has enhanced his reputation and increased his revenue.
  • Why he launched his podcast, 20/20 Money, and how that as worked as a magnet to attract more ideal clients.

Resources: 

Connect With Adam Cmejla:

Connect With Bill Cates:

About Our Guest:

Adam Cmejla CFP®, has been a financial advisor for 13 years. He helps optometrists nationwide make smart and informed decisions with their money in their practice and in their lives. Host of the “20/20 Money” podcast. Named to Investopedia.com’s 100 Top Financial Advisors of 2019 and Investment News’ 40 Under 40 for 2021.

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Ep. #1: From Receptionist to Rockstar: Helping a Team Member Become a Financial Advisor with Alanna Morey, CFP®, AMPA

Education, Finance, Marketing, Speaking, , , , , ,

In this episode, Bill Cates is joined by Alanna Morey, CFP®, APMA®, private wealth advisor at Siena Wealth Advisory Group. Alanna shares her inspiring journey that took her from living in her car to becoming a financial advisor generating $1.2 million in revenue this year.

Do you have a promising team member who you’re grooming for more responsibility, in the hopes they will become a financial advisor? Are one or more of your team members a diamond in the rough waiting to be discovered?

Alanna discusses: 

  • How she transitioned her life from living in her car to becoming an administrative assistant position to becoming a successful financial advisor in her own right.
  • What encouraged her to take a big leap and become a financial advisor.
  • How her mentor, Joe DeSena, believed in her more than she did in herself.
  • A checklist for creating the right work environment that you can follow to move any and all of your team members forward in their own careers.

Connect With Alanna Morey:

Connect With Bill Cates:

About Our Guest:

Originally from Rochester, NY, Alanna now lives in Naples, FL with her fiance Eric and their Golden Retriever, Wrigley. Alanna’s relationships are very important to her, she loves spending time with her close family and friends. She also loves to cook and try out new recipes in the kitchen. Fitness is a passion of hers’ she enjoys CrossFit, biking and running. Exercise helps her to clear her mind and stay present.

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Premiere Episode – Introducing The Top Advisor Podcast!

Education, Finance, Marketing, Speaking

Are you a successful advisor with plans for additional growth, and you’re just looking for some fresh insight on how to supercharge that growth? You are in the right place.

Welcome to The Top Advisor Podcast!

In this debut episode of The Top Advisor Podcast, join your host Bill Cates, Referral Coach, as he introduces the show and shares new ideas with others about how to successfully curate knowledge.

In this episode, you will learn:

  • A sneak peak of the possible topics covered and guests for the episodes to come
  • How it is possible to have 100% of your new clients come from referrals
  • How the book ‘Radical Relevance’ by Bill Cates helps solve so many problems for advisors
  • And more!

Tune in to learn more about what you can expect from The Top Advisor Podcast, with your host Bill Cates!

Resources: Bill Cates | Referral Coach Website | Contact Bill Cates | Radical Relevance

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