Posts by Rebecca Lake, CEPF®
Firm Management
Estate Planning Intake Form Template for Financial Advisors
Estate planning can be a valuable addition to your firm’s scope of services, enabling you to increase wallet share with existing clients or attract prospects who need professional planning advice. An intake form or questionnaire is a straightforward way to collect the information you need in order to help shape their plans. Here’s how to… read more…
Marketing
20+ Lunch and Learn Ideas for Your Financial Advisor Firm
Marketing events offer an opportunity to connect with prospects and initiate conversations around financial planning. And hosting a mix of online and offline events can help broaden your firm’s reach and increase your visibility in the eyes of your ideal clients. If you’re hoping to make inroads in your local community, a lunch and learn… read more…
Marketing
35 Ideas for Your Financial Advisor Seminars
Making genuine connections with prospects is key when it comes to converting them into clients. Email and social media offer numerous opportunities to engage, and you can build on that foundation with an in-depth seminar. Hosting in-person or virtual events is a chance to take a deeper dive into a topic that speaks to prospective… read more…
Firm Management
5 Sales Strategies for Financial Advisors
Financial advisors rely on sales strategies to close the deal, but success is not measured in conversions alone. Your firm’s growth also hinges on your ability to nurture genuine relationships with your clients, meet them where they are and deliver superior service that exceeds their expectations. Sales and service are intertwined, and the advisor who… read more…
Client Acquisition
Can Financial Advisors Pay Fees for Referrals?
In an increasingly competitive advisory landscape, the role word-of-mouth marketing plays in building a thriving practice can’t be overlooked. Referrals, whether they come from your existing clients or other professionals in your circle of influence, can lead to more conversions and lay the groundwork for long-lasting advisor-client relationships. Developing a referral program may open the… read more…
Marketing
5 Marketing Event Ideas for Financial Advisors
Marketing is an essential part of a business’s growth. And holding marketing events can help you build stronger connections with prospects who fit your idea of an ideal client. The question is, what kind of event is most likely to help you build real connections that eventually convert? If you’re running short on inspiration, consider… read more…
Client Acquisition
How to Grow Your Financial Advisor Business
Building a thriving practice takes planning, dedication and, sometimes, just a little luck. When it comes to how to grow your financial advisor business, the fundamentals include actively building your brand, optimizing your marketing efforts and delivering a superior client experience. That being said, there are some strategies you can implement that can help you… read more…
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…