Tag Archives: Client Relationship

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Episode #50 How Advisors Can Reverse a Client’s Negative Relationship with Money with Ellen Rogin, CPA, CFP®



To say that people have an emotional relationship with money would be an understatement!

While you may be a CFP, or a ChFC, or any number of the many certifications available in this industry, perhaps the most important thing you could do to serve your clients is obtain an PhD in psychology.  (Smile)

Today, my featured guest and I are going to talk about some of the emotions both YOU and YOUR CLIENTS have around money – especially when the market and/or the economy are sagging or volatile.

Much has been written about the beliefs and emotions around the relationship with money that our clients bring with them, and its impact on the work we do.

That being said… YOUR beliefs and emotions around money will shape your thoughts, decisions, and ADVICE. For you and for your clients, these beliefs and emotions are often unconscious, but need to be considered in order to create the best possible plans and recommendations for your clients.

Your clients bring their money stress to you. How you receive that stress, how you handle your own money stress, and the energy you bring to youe client meetings can help you build the strongest possible client relationships. 

In this episode, Referral Coach Bill Cates interviews Ellen Rogin CPA, CFP®, Abundance Activist, Financial Intuitive, and a New York Times best-selling author. This interview is an exploration of how your clients’ emotions and beliefs interact with your own emotions and beliefs – to either reduce or increase client stress.

Bill and Ellen discuss: 

  • The biggest mistake advisors make during client meetings.
  • A study that demonstrates that when a client is fearful about their money, their IQ goes down, along with their capacity to make intelligent decisions. 
  • The emotional aspects of people’s relationship with money, and how it affects both advisors and clients.
  • Why a down or volatile market can be the best time for acquiring new clients.
  • How most advisors stay on the surface with their clients when digging a little deeper will serve both the client and the advisor. 
  • Why advisors should regularly check in on clients’ fears and concerns to provide ongoing support and reassurance. 
  • Why advisors need to bring intentional energy to their client meetings.
  • How advisors can thrive and grow their businesses during economic downturns.
  • The benefits of practicing gratitude, such as lower stress, longer life, better health, and increased income.
  • How your acts of generosity can reduce stress and attract more business.
  • …And more!

Resources: 

Connect With Bill Cates:

Connect With Ellen Rogin:

About Ellen Rogin:

Ellen Rogin is a money expert and financial intuitive who helps people transform their relationships with money so they can have happier, more abundant lives. Her book, Picture Your Prosperity, was a New York Times bestseller, and her work has been featured on CNBC, ABC, NPR, TIME, and Oprah Magazine.

As a CPA and CFP®, Ellen worked for many years as a traditional financial advisor before selling her successful wealth management firm. She now combines her intuitive abilities and financial experience to connect with the energy of money and deliver “Messages from Money” to her clients. Sounds weird? It did at first to Ellen, too! Yet people worldwide have found her understanding of their relationships with money to be uncanny.

Ellen’s consultations help people gain insights on how to grow their businesses, expand their wealth, and bring an increased sense of peace around money. She is also a sought-after speaker and has trained and coached thousands of conscious financial advisors and entrepreneurs worldwide to use the “Art of Prosperity” to grow their businesses and their wealth.

Ellen serves on the Board of Directors for Metropolitan Capital Bank and Trust and The Ghana Scholarship Fund. She earned her MBA at NYU Stern School of Business.


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Episode #45 How to Revolutionize Digital Marketing for Financial Advisors with Stephen Beach



Digital marketing for financial advisors can be an overwhelming and/or confusing topic for many.

Financial advisors are often challenged by what marketing strategy is right for them, how to communicate their value, and what outside resources might be right for them.

Can you relate? 

While Bill Cates is the recognized expert and supreme advocate for growing through referrals and personal introductions, there are certain tactics and strategies in the world of digital marketing for financial advisors that shouldn’t be ignored.

This is a Case Study Episode of Top Advisor Podcast.

In this unique episode, Referral Coach Bill Cates interviews Stephen Beach, Co-Founder of Craft Impact, about their work with Burney Wealth Management. They discuss Burney Wealth’s marketing struggles prior to working with Stephen, and how he and his firm helped them develop effective messaging, a results-generating website, and greater overall clarity in their marketing. All of this work has served as a turbo charger to the referral culture Bill had already helped Burney Wealth develop and implement.

Bill and Stephen discuss: 

  • Why a website can be a financial firm’s most important digital asset along with some specific, implementable strategies.
  • Why Burney Wealth decided to offer a sample financial plan template to visitors of their website and how this strategy has exceeded their expectations.
  • Craft Impact’s approach to messaging, including internal workshops using the StoryBrand framework and external interviews with clients.
  • The importance of messaging on a website, specifically the banner, and how it should be emotionally appealing to potential clients.
  • The definition of cognitive fluency and Stephen’s method of helping advisors explain their process in a visual manner.
  • The importance of providing relevant information, checklists, or other tools valuable enough that potential clients are willing to submit their contact information on the website in order to receive them. (Often called, “Lead Magnets.”)
  • …And more!

 

Resources: 

Connect With Bill Cates:

Connect With Stephen Beach: 

About Stephen Beach:

Stephen Beach co-founded a growth and communications agency for a few reasons, among them: to create a successful company that offers employment opportunities, to be a role model to his son, to grow from the challenges of creating a sustainable business, and to help other small and medium size businesses grow their revenue and teams through inbound marketing. 

After graduating from the University of Notre Dame and working for a large pharmaceutical advertising agency, Stephen knew he wanted to create a new kind of marketing agency- one with fresh ideas, personalized support, and proven ROI without the big agency prices and overhead. 

Stephen continues to be a Notre Dame college football fan despite attending the university during the underwhelming Charlie Weis era and the more recent years of disappointment. He loves golf, craft beer (of course) and traveling with his wife, and being a father to his children Auggie, Lola, and Oakley.


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Episode #44 Holistic Financial Planning for Women with Craig Richman, CLU®, ChFC®, AIFA®, CDFA®



The evidence is in and it’s compelling.

  1. Narrowing a target market to focus on financial planning for women has proven to be a successful move for many advisors.
  2. (Most) Women approach financial planning differently than men. 

“Just the facts mam.” 

  • Women currently control one-third of total U.S. household financial assets – representing more than 10 trillion dollars.
  • By 2030, women in the U.S. are projected to control much of the $30 trillion in financial assets that baby boomers will possess.
  • Since women are living an average of five years longer than men, 90% of all women will be managing their own finances during the final years of their life.

Both female and male advisors are thriving by attracting and serving primarily women.

In this episode of Top Advisor Podcast, Bill Cates interviews Craig Richman (founder of Richman Capital Management), about motivation to become an advisor who focuses on financial planning for women, and why he’s chosen to build a “lifestyle” practice.

Bill and Craig discuss: 

  • Craig’s highly unique journey from professional dancer to financial advisor.
  • When Craig realized that serving female clients and focusing on financial planning for women was the right path for him.
  • Craig’s perspective on what he calls, Intentional Wealth that is much more than managing assets and risk.
  • How his targeting a specific market has benefited both himself AND his clients.
  • Craig’s efforts in building a lifestyle business where he is able to enjoy a successful business that doesn’t come at the expense of truly enjoying life.
  • …And more!

 

Resources: 

Connect With Bill Cates:

Connect With Craig Richman: 

About Craig Richman:

Craig Richman is the founder and private money manager at Richman Capital Management. Craig earned his undergraduate degree from Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. He holds the Chartered Life Underwriter® (CLU®) and Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®) certifications from The American College in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania that address insurance, tax, estate, and financial planning.

In addition, Craig has received the Accredited Investment Fiduciary Analyst® (AIFA®) designation from the Center for Fiduciary Studies and the University of Pittsburgh’s Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business which address best practices for fiduciary guidance. 

Craig also has completed the dividend analyst course from Morningstar, Inc., which addresses key education in dividend-paying stocks.

He has completed a mentorship for trading with the Senior Managing Director of Equities from Simpler Trading.

Craig is also a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst® (CDFA®) from The Institute for Divorce Financial Analysts to educate and guide clients to navigate divorce as their advocate.

Craig affiliated with and became a Registered Representative and Investment Adviser Representative of Commonwealth Financial Network®, an independent, privately held broker/dealer that has no proprietary products and an open architecture for advisors to build their businesses. Richman Capital Management is now celebrating its 25th year of working with Commonwealth.

Craig served the community as a board member and past chairman of the Florida Atlantic University’s (FAU) National Alumni Association. He also served as past president of the Rotary Club of Boca Raton and trustee member of the Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce.

Craig is a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT*200) through Yoga Alliance and has continued advanced studies in vinyasa yoga. He is also certified to teach yoga to veterans through the Connected Warriors not-for-profit organization. He also enjoys golf, walking, fine dining, and single-malt scotch.   


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Episode #41 Client Experience vs. Engagement: Strategies To Take Your Business To The Next Level with Julie Littlechild



Client Engagement!  Client Experience!  Creating “Wow!” 

What’s all the fuss?

Did you know that client service, client experience, and client engagement are NOT the same things?

Julie Littlechild, founder of Absolute Engagement and author of The Pursuit of Absolute Engagement has focused her business on showing advisors how to move their clients from satisfied to engaged. Why? 

Because her research shows that while satisfied clients are extremely loyal, there’s a low correlation between that satisfaction and providing referrals and making introductions.

So, who does provide referrals and make introduction? Engaged Clients! 

In this episode, Bill and Julie dive into the important topic of client engagement and what it can mean to your clients and to your business.

Julie and Bill discuss:

  • The distinction between client experience and client engagement and how you can measure client engagement.
  • The importance of personalization in all phases of your communication with prospects and clients. 
  • How client engagement goes beyond just clients to include prospects as well. 
  • The mindset challenges clients face when it comes to financial planning, and the importance of personalization in addressing these concerns.
  • The Absolute Engagement Engine, a tool that helps financial advisors understand clients on a deeper level by gathering relevant data throughout their journey with you.
  • How the future of client engagement will be co-created by clients and advisors, personalized, and informed by data.
  • …And more!

Resources: 

Connect With Bill Cates:

Connect With Julie Littlechild : 

About Julie Littlechild:

Julie Littlechild is a recognized expert on the drivers and evolution of client experience, client engagement and referral growth. She is responsible for: designing the firm’s strategic vision and product roadmap, conducting on-going investor and advisor research, driving firm growth and representing the company on conference stages around the world.

Julie has worked with and studied successful financial advisors and their clients for more than twenty-five years. Prior to founding Absolute Engagement, she launched and ran one of the industry’s leading research firms, focused on client engagement. She is the author of The Pursuit of Absolute Engagement.

Julie sat on the national board of the Financial Planning Association, currently sits on an Investment & Wealth Institute advisory board, was twice identified as one of the 25 Most Influential People in Financial Planning, and won an industry Influencer Award in practice management. She holds an MBA from the University of Toronto.


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Ep. #35 Before you ask for referrals, get your mindset right with Bill Cates, CSP, CPAE



Your ability to ask for referrals – to get more new clients through personal introductions – has to start with your mindset. This means that before you ask for referrals and introductions you must first eliminate any limiting beliefs and mistaken assumptions. Without the right thinking and perspective, you’ll be unlikely to use the methods proven to work.

Most previous episodes of Top Advisor Podcast involve Bill interviewing a top advisor or top consultant – to bring forth their brilliance for you to put into action.

In this episode, Bill’s conversation is with YOU – designed to flip the switch in your brain so you can begin to ask for referrals without begging or pushing.

No, you can’t answer through the podcast, but we guarantee this episode will get you talking to yourself about your own current perspective around referrals and personal introductions. 

In this conversation with you, Bill discusses:

  • The 4 strategies that allow you to ask for referrals and create introductions without looking like “That Cheesy Referral Guy.”
  • The limiting beliefs and mistaken assumptions that hinder many advisors from creating a highly successful referral-only business. 
  • An example of how one advisor achieved phenomenal growth once a switch inside his brain flipped into the right way of thinking.
  • … And much more!

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Ep. #34 “Growing Wellthy”: The Importance of Holistic Financial Planning With Stevyn Guinnip



6% of retirees say that health is more important than wealth.

Are you helping your clients (regardless of their age) with their most important asset – their health? 

There are two ways you can be of value to your clients in terms of holistic financial planning:

  1. Be a purveyor of great information in this area. Your clients will appreciate this added value. 
  2. Be a role model of someone who is – as our featured guest would say – wellthy.

In this episode, Referral Coach Bill Cates interviews Stevyn Guinnip, “the girl named Stevyn”, Founder & CEO of Grow Wellthy about holistic financial planning. Bill and Stevyn discuss how many financial advisors are creating value and building stronger relationships with their clients by helping them with both their financial wellness and physical wellness – guiding their clients to become wealthy AND wellthy.

Stevyn discusses with Bill:

  • What role wellness plays in holistic financial planning. 
  • How advisors are helping their clients turn their health into their most valuable asset.
  • The two ways she helps financial advisors, and their clients improve their state of wellness.
  • What steps advisors can take to protect their own health.
  • How advisors can comfortably offer health-related advice to their clients AND the impact of doing so.
  • How you can offer “Wellth Webinars” to your prospects and clients.
  • …And much more!

Resources: 

Connect With Bill Cates:

Connect With Stevyn Guinnip:     

About Our Guest:

Stevyn Guinnip, MS, CWC is the founder & CEO of Grow Wellthy™ and the creator of the Wellth Academy™. She grew up a financial advisor’s daughter & enjoyed 20 years as an exercise physiologist and certified wellness coach in the US & Australia. Now Stevyn has blended the world of finance & fitness, helping financial professionals & their clients earn back their health so they can retire ‘wellthy.’