Posts by Rebecca Lake, CEPF®
Firm Management
20+ AI Tools Financial Advisors and Planners Could Leverage
Artificial intelligence (AI) is making its mark on the financial services industry. From content creation to portfolio management, there are an abundance of AI tools for financial advisors that you can consider. If you’re ready to explore the possibilities of AI for your practice, you can start by researching which tools you might consider adding… read more…
Client Acquisition
5 Ways to Ask and Pay for Referrals as a Financial Advisor
Referrals make getting on a prospect’s radar easier, and delivering a superior client experience can help you generate them organically. If referrals come to your firm in a trickle rather than a flood, it may be a good idea to master the art of the ask. Some of the most valuable financial advisor referrals may… read more…
Client Acquisition
How to Build a Strong Referral Program as a Financial Advisor
Word of mouth remains one of the most powerful marketing tools for growing your advisory business. Referrals attest to your firm’s credibility and to the level of satisfaction your clients feel when working with you. Building a financial advisor referral program is one way to maintain a full prospect pipeline so your business continues to… read more…
Marketing
How to Find a Marketing Coach for RIAs
Marketing is an important part of business planning and development for RIAs, but getting it right can be challenging. Keeping up with evolving trends is enough to make your head spin, and what attracted clients yesterday isn’t always guaranteed to work tomorrow. Working with a coach can help you tighten up your marketing game for… read more…
Firm Management
How to Streamline Client Portfolios
Managing client portfolios can take up a significant part of your day when you’re spending time researching investments, running model scenarios and scheduling trades. That may leave you fewer hours each week to spend with clients or dedicate to prospecting and marketing. Streamlining client portfolios and the portfolio management process can help you get some… read more…
Firm Management
Smartria vs. RIA in a Box: What’s the Difference?
Compliance software can simplify the way you run your business while saving you valuable time. And Smartria and RIA in a Box are two popular compliance platforms for registered investment advisor firms of all sizes. Both offer a comprehensive suite of features and services, but there’s more to determining which one could be the right… read more…
Firm Management
RIA in a Box Compliance Software Review and Pricing
Managing your firm’s compliance requirements can be time-consuming, and if you’re ready to simplify, a software solution could be the answer. RIA in a Box is a popular compliance platform for busy advisors who want to free up more hours in their day to serve existing clients and attract new ones. What does RIA in… read more…
Firm Management
Smartria Compliance Software Review and Pricing
Compliance is a critical aspect of running a thriving practice, and its often time-consuming nature may push other areas of focus into the background. If you’d like to spend more of your day prospecting and serving clients, and less time worrying about compliance, software may be the answer. Smart RIA offers compliance solutions for advisors… read more…
Client Acquisition
How to Target Specific Client Asset Amounts as a Financial Advisor
Increasing assets under management (AUM) is a common goal for growth-focused advisors. You may know, however, that building a book of business is sometimes easier said than done. Niching down to focus on clients in a particular asset range is one way to counter the challenges of growing in a competitive market. Here’s how to… read more…
Marketing
How to Grow Without a Referral Network as a Financial Advisor
The connections you build within your industry can help bring more referrals, and thus prospects, your way. Every referral you receive from another professional is a mark of trust, which can underscore your credibility and help you gain a prospective client’s loyalty. But is it possible to grow without a referral network in place? Yes,… read more…
Professional Development
Where to Find Coaching as a Financial Advisor
You want to scale your business and become the advisor prospective clients line up for, but you’re unsure how to achieve your goals. Maybe you’ve heard about coaching for financial advisors, and are wondering how it may benefit you. Coaching can help you clarify your business objectives, position your firm to attract and retain more… read more…
Client Acquisition
How to Get Estate Planning Clients as a Financial Advisor
Adding estate planning to your slate of services can be an effective way to scale your business. Not only is it possible to provide more value to your existing clients, you may attract new ones to your firm, as well. A variety of possibilities exist when it comes to how to get estate planning clients… read more…
Client Retention
10 Estate Planning Questions to Ask Your Clients
Offering estate planning services can increase the value you bring to your clients and help you scale your business more effectively. Your clients may be fully aware of the need for an estate plan, but feel reluctant to have what’s often a sensitive conversation. Drafting a list of tactful, yet insightful, estate planning questions to… read more…
Compliance & Legal
How to Conduct an Annual RIA Compliance Meeting
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) imposes rigorous compliance rules on registered investment advisors (RIAs). In addition to developing written compliance policies, you’re also expected to hold, and document in writing, an annual compliance meeting. If you’re a newly established RIA, a little preparation can make the process of conducting this meeting a smooth one.… read more…
Compliance & Legal
How to Conduct a Mock Compliance Audit for Your RIA
Registered investment advisors (RIAs) are subject to examination by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and/or state regulatory agencies. These exams typically take place every three to five years, and they’re intended to ensure that RIAs consistently meet compliance requirements. And conducting an RIA mock audit can help you feel more prepared when it’s time… read more…
Compliance & Legal
Client Service Agreement Template for Financial Planning
Taking on new clients is an exciting prospect when you’re focused on growing your financial planning business. Drafting a client agreement is an opportunity to set expectations and clarify what services you’ll provide. Developing a new document each time you onboard a client takes time; it also isn’t necessary if you’re using a template that… read more…
Client Acquisition
Using Email Blasts for Prospecting as a Financial Advisor
Successful advisors know the value of email marketing in a competitive landscape. Email offers a direct connection to the people you want to reach with your services. It’s an opportunity to cultivate relationships, build trust and convert prospects to clients. Blast email campaigns are one strategy you might consider to grab and hold a prospect’s… read more…
Firm Management
How to Build a Quarterly Newsletter as a Financial Advisor
Email marketing is an effective way to build engagement with clients while keeping them updated on the latest trends and happenings within your firm. One of the keys to success with email campaigns is choosing the right frequency to share your messages. A mix of short weekly emails and longer quarterly newsletters can strike the… read more…
Client Acquisition
Free Email Templates for Financial Advisors
Email marketing can be a game-changer for your advisory business, whether you’re using drip campaigns to nurture leads or sending weekly newsletters to boost client engagement. The challenge is finding the time to craft the perfect email to send when you’re busy tackling everything else that goes into running your business. If you’re looking for… read more…
Marketing
Comprehensive Guide to Branding for New RIAs
Your firm’s brand is its calling card, and making a solid first impression matters when starting a new RIA. Branding communicates who you are, what you do and, perhaps most importantly, what you value in serving your clients. Cultivating your new RIA’s brand image is a multilayered process, and it helps to know what to… read more…
Client Retention
How to Talk to Your Clients as a Financial Advisor
Good communication is the bedrock of a strong advisor-client relationship. Your clients want to hear from you and, more importantly, they want to feel that their needs and concerns are being heard. Making time to chat may be challenging, but having quality conversations can reap long-term rewards for your business. A solid communication strategy can… read more…
Client Acquisition
How to Nurture Leads as a Financial Advisor
Leads can help your business continue growing. But once you’ve made an initial connection, you’ll need to spend time building a rapport to gain trust from a prospective client. Emails and texts are an effective way to keep the lines of communication open. If you’re looking for ways to save time in this area, automated… read more…
Client Acquisition
Tactics for Finding Warm Leads as a Financial Advisor
Building a sustainable advisory business requires a steady flow of incoming leads. The more warm leads you can generate, the more opportunities you may have to convert prospects to clients. And adding some tried and true strategies to your marketing toolbox can help you attract warm leads for financial advisors. SmartAsset’s Advisor Marketing Platform (AMP)… read more…
Industry Trends
What Salary Do Financial Advisors Make After 10 Years?
A career as a financial advisor has the potential to be lucrative, but how much can you expect to make? It depends on several factors, such as the number of years of experience you have under your belt. Looking at the typical financial advisor salary after 10 years can give you a better idea of… read more…
Client Acquisition
Financial Advisor Guide to Finding Clients for Life Insurance
Expanding your service offerings to include life insurance could help fuel growth in your advisory firm if it allows you to attract new clients or increase the revenue you generate from your existing book of business. When it comes to how to find clients for life insurance services, there are multiple marketing avenues you might… read more…