Tag Archives: Referrals

Episode #76 The Power of Total Client Relationships: Transforming Client Engagement for Exponential Growth with Tyson Ray, CFP®, CExP®, CIMA®

Client Experience & Loyalty, Creating Advocates, Education, Finance, Leadership, Marketing, Practice Management, Prospecting, Speaking, Top Advisors, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Building robust client relationships can lead to an increase in referrals, better client retention, and ultimately, a thriving business.

Do you do your financial planning in a vacuum, or do you consider all aspects of your clients’ lives as you work with them? 

In this episode, Referral Coach Bill Cates interviews Tyson Ray, the CEO and founding partner of FORM Wealth Advisors and author of the book The Total Relationship: Four Steps to Breaking the Mold, Transforming the Financial Advisor-Client Partnership and Building True Wealth.

With a nearly $1 billion portfolio, Tyson shares his innovative approach to planning that shifts everyone’s focus from performance metrics to building total relationships with clients. In this insightful discussion, learn how Tyson nurtures a client-centric culture, leverages team expertise, and drives engagement within his client relationships through a comprehensive and caring approach.

Bill and Tyson discuss: 

  • Tyson’s mission to shift the financial advisory industry’s perspective from performance to what he calls The Total Relationship with clients.
  • How Tyson starts all new client relationships using his 4 Key Pillars of The Total Relationship and how that impacts the client experience.
  • How Tyson has created an elite team that helped him capture almost $1 Billion in assets.
  • His decision to only work with clients willing to invest ALL of their assets with his firm and why he believes that’s best for the client.
  • How his practice changed once he realized he need to bring in a COO to manage his team of 17.
  • …And more!

Resources: 

Connect With Bill Cates:

Connect With Tyson Ray:

About Tyson Ray:

Tyson Ray first learned about investing and the stock market during an economics class in his sophomore year at Badger High School, and at 16 years old, he decided to invest $100 into two different mutual funds. This was his first step on a path he continues to traverse today: using financial strategy to help make people’s lives better. He started his career in financial services after graduating from the Honors program at the University of West Florida and returning to Southern Wisconsin, where his family has lived for generations.

Over the past 25+ years, Tyson has sought to expand his knowledge and expertise through Yale School of Management, Investment Management Theory & Practice, CIMA Certification Registration Education Program, including obtaining the Certified Investment Management Analyst® (CIMA®) Certification and through the College for Financial Planning for the CFP® Certification, including obtaining CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Certification. Tyson received his Certification in Business Exit Planning to better help entrepreneurs and business owners make the transition of selling their life’s work.

Tyson has been named a 2018-2024 Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisor, 2021-2024 Barron’s Top 1200, and a 2005-2024 Chairman’s Council Advisor. He’s also a member of the Financial Planning Association of Wisconsin, and has been recognized for his many philanthropic endeavors in the community, including the Invest in Others Global Community Impact Award and REP. Magazine’s Advisor with a Heart Award for Sustainable Charity for his ongoing work with the Ray’s non-profit, Children’s World Impact.

Tyson is devoted to his wife Jenny and their three children, Nelson, Austin, and Carson. When he has the opportunity, he enjoys spending time outdoors, hunting, fishing, and playing golf.

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Episode #74 How Target Markets and Work-Life Balance Drive Client Growth with Chad Hufford

Education, Finance, Leadership, Marketing, Prospecting, Speaking, Top Advisors, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

If you think work-life balance is hard to achieve, you’re probably right.

With that said, THIS advisor has done it. His path to success is amazing!

The strategic decisions he made early in his career have allowed him to build a practice and a life that many aspire to.

In this episode, Referral Coach Bill Cates interviews Chad Hufford, owner of Veritas Wealth Management and bestselling author of “Forging Financial Freedom,” to discover how he built a successful financial practice that prioritizes both high achievement and personal freedom through work-life balance.

Chad reveals the critical early decisions that shaped his business, the importance of having a specific target market, and his unique approach to client responsiveness.

Bill and Chad discuss: 

  • How Chad established work-life balance as a priority at the beginning of his career and made some hard choices to fully live out his vision.
  • The importance of a well-defined target market for achieving exponential growth.
  • Chad’s unique perspective on being responsive to clients without being constantly available. (You will probably envy what he’s created here.)
  • The role of podcasting in Chad’s marketing strategy, and his plans for future growth.
  • …And more!

Resources: 

Connect With Bill Cates:

Connect With Chad Hufford:

About Chad Hufford:

Born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska, Chad grew up in the financial industry, learning under his father, Steve. Chad graduated from the University of Alaska, and seeing the great need for holistic financial advice and coaching, he opened his own financial service practice in 2007 in Anchorage, Alaska, and now serves clients and their families across the US.

He founded Veritas in 2014 as he continued to expand his team and services. Soon after Veritas opened its doors, Chad began his relationship with Ramsey Solutions as Dave Ramsey’s SmartVestor Pro and is the longest-tenured Ramsey SVP in Alaska.

With a strong background in athletics, Chad brings a coaching mindset and the heart of a teacher to financial planning and investing as he strives to both empower and educate his clients on their journeys to financial freedom and independence.

Chad and his wife, Tiffany (also a life-long Alaskan), have been blessed with six wonderful children. Tiffany stays busy homeschooling the kids, and the whole family is very involved in their church and local community.

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Episode #73 3 Strategies for Success: Referrals, Target Marketing, and Celebrating Advocates with Yohance Harrison BFA™, CRPC®

Education, Finance, Leadership, Marketing, Prospecting, Speaking, Top Advisors, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Yohance Harrison has hit the trifecta for success. He’s focused on a clear and profitable target market. He’s getting a ton of right-fit referrals. And he’s identified and nurturing his advocates in a fun way.

He’s also become a master at bringing financial education to clients who think they already know it all. 

In this episode, Referral Coach Bill Cates interviews Yohance Harrison, Founder and CEO of Money Script Wealth Management, PLLC, about the journey from financial illiteracy to financial empowerment. Yohance shares his methods for educating clients, the importance of targeting a specific market, and his powerful approach to generating referrals by nurturing client relationships. 

You’ll learn actionable strategies for increasing client engagement and multiplying referrals by fostering strong connections and delivering compelling value.

Bill and Yohance discuss: 

  • Yohance’s transition from a financially troubled upbringing to a thriving financial advisor.
  • Insights into the behavioral finance concepts that shape client decisions, and how to address them.
  • How he shows his highly educated clients that they are financially illiterate.
  • The importance of a defined target market and methods to effectively serve it – including joining their associations.
  • Yohance’s successful “Kings and Queens” referral strategy and how to nurture and celebrate top advocates.
  • …And more!

 

Resources: 

Connect With Bill Cates:

Connect With Yohance Harrison:

 

About Yohance Harrison:

Yohance Harrison is the Founder and CEO of Money Script Wealth Management, PLLC, he began his financial services career 25 years ago in Charlotte, NC. In 2004 he moved to Los Angeles to manage an office of advisors for a Fortune 500 firm. After a decade in corporate America, he departed from his leadership role to pursue his entrepreneurial desire to start his own firm. Yohance is passionate about financial literacy and provides financial education courses for colleges and organizations across the United States. He currently resides in Dallas, TX with his wife Alicia and their two children. Yohance holds a Series 65 & 66 Securities License, is a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC®), and is a Behavioral Financial Advisor (BFA™). He also holds multiple board positions for other organizations across the country. Yohance is a contributor & speaker to the American College of Emergency Physicians, CV Roman Society, and is an SAEM Industry Advisory Council Member.

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Episode #64 Storytelling for Financial Advisors: How to Stand Out and Win More Ideal Clients with Jason Jenkins

Education, Finance, Leadership, Marketing, Prospecting, Speaking, Top Advisors, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Your continued success is predicated on your continued relevance and becoming “the advisor of choice.”  Sometimes, that’s easier said than done. However, one of the most effective ways to accomplish this and build lasting client relationships is through storytelling for financial advisors.  Our guest calls this the Founders Story.

As artificial intelligence (AI) and the internet continue to transform the accessibility of financial information, creating a strong human connection has become more important than ever before. 

Our featured guest, Jason Jenkins, delivers two critical strategies for connecting fast with prospects, and winning new, right-fit clients:

  1. The Founders Story
  2. The Question Funnel

Join Bill Cates and Jason Jenkins, Executive Vice President Of Sales at Simplicity Group, as they delve into the indispensable value of human connection and personalized storytelling for financial advisors .

Jason and Bill discuss:

  • How to use your The Founder’s Story as a powerful method to connect with clients.
  • A structured approach to craft your own story, and if you already have one, to make it even more impactful.
  • How to use a Question Funnel to elevate your client/prospect meetings – to bring more value and win new clients. Key skill sets for advisors to differentiate themselves to be successful in the future – both near and long-term.
  • The power of active listening and authenticity as part of storytelling for financial advisors.
  • …And more!

 

Resources: 

Connect With Bill Cates:

Connect with Jason Jenkins:

 

About Jason Jenkins:

Founder of AssetLock and currently Executive Vice President of Sales at Simplicity Group Holdings, Jason has been in the financial industry for over 20 years and brings an independent, client-centered approach to the firm. Jason graduated from Westmont College in 1997 with a B.A. in Business & Economics. He later received his MBA from Point Loma Nazarene University in 2005. 

In 2010, Jason was recognized by San Diego Metropolitan Magazine with the ‘Top 40 Under 40″ distinction, recognizing San Diego’s “Brightest Leaders of Today and Tomorrow”. Jason has also helped start a non-profit, the Human Factor Leadership Academy, that is helping educate underprivileged children in Ghana, Africa.

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Episode #62 The Fastest Way to Win (and Keep) Ideal Clients with Jay Baer, CSP, CPAE

Education, Finance, Leadership, Marketing, Prospecting, Speaking, Top Advisors, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Speed Kills?  Speed Wins?  It depends!

According to research – speed impacts revenue, speed impacts loyalty, and speed impacts emotions.

Understanding this crucial dynamic, Bill Cates engages in a compelling conversation with Jay Baer, a distinguished business growth and customer experience strategist, researcher, author, keynote speaker, and B2B influencer. 

Jay’s newest book, Time to Win: How to Exceed Your Customers’ Need for Speed, will likely change how you view some aspects of your client service model.

Together, they dive into the critical role of speed and responsiveness in client service for financial advisors. Jay introduces his Time to Win Framework, offering six strategies to improve responsiveness. They also cover proactive communication, managing expectations, and the psychological effects of responsiveness on client trust. 

Jay & Bill Discuss:  

  • How your clients’ expectations around responsive service have changed, and why you better pay attention
  • The quality of information from Artificial Intelligence,  concerns about its impact on financial advisors, and its potential as an efficiency tool.
  • What Jay means by speed, and why it has become such an important element of the client experience
  • How clients equate speed of response with respect, and how that impacts loyalty and referrals.
  • How long clients will be patient waiting to hear back from their advisor.
  • Why advisory firms need to elevate speed on their priority list (because prospects and clients already have).
  • Overview of Jay Baer’s “Six-Piece Time to Win Framework.”
  • How and why you better change your approach to responding to client queries when you don’t have an immediate answer.
  • Jay’s unexpected success as a tequila influencer and educator.
  • …And more!

 

Resources: 

Connect With Bill Cates:

Connect with Jay Baer:

 

About Jay Baer:

Jay Baer started his career in politics, as a direct mail specialist for a United States Senator.

After brief forays into government service (as a spokesperson), and environmental services (as a marketer for a garbage company), he stumbled upon the Internet back when domain names were still free.

Seeing and seizing a business growth opportunity, Jay created and sold multiple digital marketing and customer experience companies, including Convince & Convert, one of the world’s most successful digital strategy advisory firms.

In the early 2000s, Jay conducted a tour for the publication of his first book. This adventure ultimately spawned his career as a well-known keynote speaker and event host.

Because Jay was a strategist and advisor long before he was a professional speaker, his presentations are highly customized, and filled with useful frameworks and practical advice. Organizers bring him back time after time because he constantly writes new material, and audiences grow their businesses as a result of his advice.

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Episode #60 The Biggest Mistake Clients & Advisors Make in Life Expectancy Planning with Mark Pace, CLU, RHU, ChFC

Education, Finance, Leadership, Marketing, Prospecting, Speaking, Top Advisors, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

According to actuaries, you and your clients are underestimating how long you are going to live.

Therefore, most people don’t plan properly, and most financial advisors aren’t even aware of this. 

This interview with Marc Pace – Founder of the Vital Longevity Institute – has two parts:

  • Part 1 – Why most people (advisors included) underestimate their life expectancy, and how you can use this new awareness to better serve your clients.
  • Part 2 – How you can use this new knowledge to grow your business.  

Mark and Bill discuss: 

  • The history of the origins of retirement and what that means to you and your clients.
  • A story of a nine-year-old running the wrong race serves as a metaphor for how most people have the wrong goals and expectations in life (and financial planning).
  • The unique traits and habits of individuals who live to be 105 years or older.
  • How the act of seeking and striving, as well as a sense of purpose, can extend the years of your life and the life of your years. 
  • The adjustments you’ll want to make in how you approach planning.
  • The Vital Line program for financial planners, which includes coaching and consulting services to help them change their perception of aging.
  • CASE STUDY:  How belief-modifying techniques, like the “Possibilities Explosion” tool, significantly boosted a financial advisor’s seminar success.
  • …And more!

 

Resources: 

Connect With Bill Cates:

Connect With Mark Pace:

 

About Mark Pace:

As founder of The Vital Longevity Institute and creator of the Vitalign System and the Complete Wealth Planning System, Mark Pace has exposed once and for all the deeply held yet false and ruinous beliefs holding everyone back. Spoiler alert: these false beliefs are the cause of practically every type of suffering in our society.

Mark has been delivering quantum change dynamics that, for the first time in history, counteract the cultural forces preventing people from living their perfect life, the one they deserve, the one they were meant for. He teaches a simple, powerful, proven, and immediately effective daily process for making rapid, permanent, positive changes. And, he inspires people to reset their life clocks so that their future will always be bigger, better, and brighter than their past… no matter how long they live!

Mark’s work is based on 40-plus years of entrepreneurial success, 20 years of research, and over three years of field testing.

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Episode #56 A Simple Weekly Strategy for Elevating Financial Advisor Productivity with Brian Margolis

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

It’s not an accident that Productivity and Proactive start with the same three letters. 

Pro can mean For and Forward. I’m all for moving forward, how about you?

If you’re like most advisors, there are days where you feel very productive and know that you are moving your business forward. You probably have other days (too many?) where you’re simply being reactive.  You’re doing things you know you need to do, but those days don’t often feel as rewarding.

Is it possible to go from a reactive practice to a proactive practice? 

Is it possible to decrease your time working, while simultaneously increasing your revenue?

In this episode, Referral Coach Bill Cates interviews Brian Margolis, Founder of Productivity Giant and author of “The Index Card Business Plan.” 

Brian and Bill explore the power of using pillars to maximize financial advisor productivity. Brian explains the three categories of pillars and shares strategies for overcoming internal resistance. He also emphasizes the importance of focus management and shares real-life success stories of advisors who have implemented The Pillar System.

Bill and Brian discuss: 

  • The three pillars essential for financial advisor proactivity: activity/consistency, learning/effectiveness, and strategic.
  • How to identify skills with the highest ROI – so advisors can make intentional choices related to focus and skill development.
  • The role of support staff in helping advisors maintain the right habits for success.
  • The concept of focus management, which emphasizes the need to protect and manage one’s mental energy.
  • Real-life case studies of success where established advisors have transformed their businesses by focusing on specific pillars adapted to them – including one advisor who doubled their yearly AUM growth while working one less day per week.
  • The value of the Friday night feeling, indicating the satisfaction of completing key tasks as a reliable measure of success
  • …And more!

 

Resources: 

Connect With Bill Cates:

Connect With Brian Margolis:

About Brian Margolis:

Brian Margolis is a former environmental scientist turned entrepreneur. He is the founder of ProductivityGiant.com and author of the book “The Index Car Business Plan for Sales Pros and Entrepreneurs”

Brian’s Pillar System helps sales pros and entrepreneurs create a strategy so simple, it fits on an index card…but so powerful it’s helped create 7-figure earners and has been licensed by some of the largest companies in the world to train their teams.

Brian has been a partner or consultant in multiple ventures ranging from startups to national brands. He has worked with everyone from Shark Tank Entrepreneurs to Fortune 500 companies. Both his accomplishments and failures span a variety of industries.

In addition to his above work, and appearances on some of the largest business and sales podcasts in the world, he is still in the trenches having done thousands of individual coaching sessions with sales pros and entrepreneurs.

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Episode #55 Tracking Success: Measuring the Impact of the Client Journey in Financial Planning with Kalli Fedusenko

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

Are you winging it when it comes to serving your client all along the client journey?

Or do you embrace and follow a clear strategy for enhancing client and prospect experiences and establishing strong relationships with them throughout the entire client journey? 

Attending to all phases of the client journey will always be the fuel to your success.

In this episode, Referral Coach Bill Cates interviews Kalli Fedusenko, Founder of KalliCollective. They explore the crucial aspects of building relationships with clients and prospects via the powerful client journey process. She Kalli delves into the stages of the client journey and the power of online platforms in your marketing. Also, KellyShe also discusses surprising topics to share that resonate with clients.

Bill and Kalli discuss: 

  • The different stages of the client journey and what to monitor.
  • Viral content delivered by advisors – specific success examples.
  • The links between the client journey, client experience, and marketing.
  • Why to keep sending your clients back to your website (where YOU control content and experience) rather than just your social media.
  • Strategies for boosting website engagement and follow up.
  • The importance of making your website your content hub for prospects and clients.
  • Why personal content creates the biggest impact with clients.
  • Specific examples and case studies showcasing successful results.
  • The value and risks of posting stock content.
  • Strategies for making it easier for clients to refer advisors.
  • …And more!

 

Resources: 

Connect With Bill Cates:

Connect With Kalli Fedusenko:

About Kalli Fedusenko:

Kalli Fedusenko is the founder of KalliCollective, a firm specializing in marketing for the financial services industry.

With over 10 years of experience in the financial planning industry, a former position as Digital Marketing Coach For The FPA, and being formerly licensed with the series 7 & 63, Kalli can provide you with an insight and understanding into your practice and objectives. She specializes in brand strategy, web content strategy, video content planning, and more. This powerful combination of creativity and strategy makes Kalli the most effective guide to give your brand a voice.

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Episode #53 Using Financial Advisor Podcasts to Acquire Ideal Clients with Misty Lynch, CFP®

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

Have you ever wondered if the hosts of financial advisor podcasts actually get new clients from it?  Is all the effort worth it? 

And, by the way, do many of your prospects and clients seem to have limiting beliefs and mistaken assumptions about money?

In this episode, Referral Coach Bill Cates and his guest Misty Lynch, CFP®, author of the book Demystifying Money and host of the Demystifying Money Podcast have a lively discussion on these two (and other) topics. 

Misty shares her journey from a financially struggling family to becoming a top financial advisor, highlighting the power of a positive money mindset. 

She explains how her unique blend of financial planning and life coaching helps clients overcome financial challenges and make informed decisions. 

Additionally, Misty discusses the power of financial advisor podcasts, and reveals how podcasting has helped her acquire more ideal clients and bring great value to many listeners.

Bill and Misty discuss: 

  • Her personal story of how her interest in finance started in grade school and was solidified by her parents’ financial struggles.
  • Her decision to marry become both a Certified Financial Planner AND a Certified Life Coach. 
  • Why she wrote her book Demystifying Money and how it serves as a credibility builder, lead magnet, and referral tool.
  • How she went from hosting a Radio Show to her current podcast, and how it helps her attract ideal new clients.
  • The two effective strategies to monetize financial advisor podcasts.
  • Her experience as the host of the television show HeartBroke, a money-makeover show with ten different couples – revealing their money mindsets and improving their financial situation.
  • …And more!

Resources: 

Connect With Bill Cates:

Connect With Misty Lynch:

About Misty Lynch:

Misty Lynch, CFP®, is a personal finance expert and the Owner and CEO of Sound View Financial Advisors, LLC. Misty hosts the unscripted reality show HEARTBROKE and the Demystifying Money podcast. She is also the author of DEMYSTIFYING MONEY and a personal finance expert and resource for media outlets, including The New York Times, Cosmopolitan, CNBC, CNN, Investopedia, Real Simple, Student Loan Hero, and many others.

Investopedia named her one of the Top 100 Financial Advisors in 2021, and US News and World Report called her one of the 9 Women in Finance to Follow “because sometimes you need life advice, not just financial advice.”

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Episode #52 Using Curiosity to Ignite Your Prospecting & Client Acquisition with Chris Ridgway

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

While curiosity may have killed the cat, it didn’t hurt this advisor!

How about you?  Have you developed a strong Curiosity Muscle?  Do you exercise it often as you endeavor to bring more ideal clients into your business?

Curiosity will serve you well in this business:

  • You will meet new people.
  • You will serve your clients better by knowing more about them.
  • You will learn about other’s in your clients’ lives who could be candidates for your important work.

Today’s featured guest, Chris Ridgway, has attained rapid success in this business through personal observation, curiosity, and a strong belief in his value.

In this episode, Referral Coach Bill Cates interviews Chris Ridgway, Growth and Development Director & Financial Advisor with Northwestern Mutual. They explore the power of curiosity in the financial advisory industry, emphasizing the importance of being genuinely interested in people and their stories. Additionally, Chris shares his unique approach to client acquisition through observation and connection, finding common interests, and aligning values.

Bill and Chris discuss: 

  • Curiosity as a valuable trait for financial advisors.
  • How Chris implements personal observation in daily interactions.
  • How to obtain the contact information of prospects, and the reason for follow-up after a conversation.
  • Chris’ unique “Pillar of the Community” approach to meeting CEOs and other high-level prospects.
  • How laying out your entire process and philosophy to Centers of Influence can help build trust and referability while creating productive COI relationships. 
  • The power of nesting in a company to turbo-charge prospecting opportunities. 
  • …And more!

Resources: 

Connect With Bill Cates:

Connect With Chris Ridgway:

About Chris Ridgway:

Chris Ridgway is the Growth and Development Director & Financial Advisor at Northwestern Mutual.

Chris believes the starting point of any financial conversation should be with you — your life, your family, your priorities, and your goals. He will listen to what’s important to you and design a financial plan from multiple strategies specifically designed to help get you where you want to be.

Chris is committed to helping you get closer to your dreams. When you partner with him, you can expect a judgment-free, pressure-free environment with conversations that will be jargon-free. Chris strives to provide you with the best experience possible

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