Most sales training includes the proverbial discussion around the development of the “value proposition.”  It is certainly important for every firm and advisor to develop a compelling positioning statement that differs from the competition.  Yet all too often we hear value propositions that lack distinction and do little to inspire prospects to further engage.  In…

Everyone knows the importance of making a connection with your client. Well, hopefully everyone. But the problem for some can be how to make that connection. The latest issue of Financial Planning Magazine has a succinct article on one way to go about doing that – sharing a powerful personal story. The point of the…

There is no way to predict what changes will take place in 2012-2013 regarding changes to our Federal Tax system, but financial advisors and financial planners certainly need to be informed on what is being examined. The latest Kiplinger Tax Letter has outlined the president’s proposals: Letting the Bush tax cuts expire for those with…

Everywhere we turn, we are faced with predictions.  Many encounter these predictions from: Newspapers Periodicals TV talking heads Stock analysts and …yes, the barber and hairdresser All of the sources above think they have insight into the economic future and have no fear of expressing it. Some are outlandish and others seem logical. Some are…

In his 2006 book, Integrity: The Courage to Meet the Demands of Reality, Dr. Henry Cloud proposes that:  People who become leaders, or really successful, tend to have three qualities… They have some set of competencies…you can only fake it so long…you just have to get good at what you do. There is no shortcut.…

I am often asked questions about the advisability of naming a corporate fiduciary as trustee or executor rather than naming a friend or family member, or even an individual who is a CPA or certified financial planner.  I confess up front that I have a strong bias in favor of corporate executors and trustees.  Years…

Ten Steps to Robust and Productive Sales Leadership Sales Management is anything but a spectator sport!   It requires the consistent application of proven strategies and tactics to develop effective sales professionals and thereby produce stellar sales results.  The questions are: what are these strategies and tactics and how do we develop a mentoring process that…

Today’s investment market is, by any definition, wild, hairy and unpredictable. Investment advisors and certified financial planners are often as replete with angst as are their clients.  Sectors swing wildly. Bond yields are at historic lows. And historically valid concepts of diversification seem to crumble before your very eyes. Portfolios constructed in accord with the…

All too often, selling is an all or nothing proposition, leaving the prospective client with a very simple choice to make – implement the solution that has been discussed or walk away. Psychologically, buyers do not want to give up control and, as such, feel compelled to say “no” simply based of the structure of…

The decision making process is difficult for many, if not most, people. The difficulty lies in the buyer’s inability to assimilate both feelings and facts, and then massage them to a logical and emotionally satisfying conclusion. Successful sales professionals are those who are able to help prospects/clients through this process without making them feel like…