By David Miller
What is the proper etiquette on addressing the issue of a referral that is not a good fit?
What if that referral comes from a favored client?
Great questions for sure, and ones that we are asked on a regular basis. Let’s first separate this issue from the instance of a referral from a favored [...]

By David Miller
Consider the following:
One of your best clients comes into the office for an appointment. You are just finishing up with another issue, so she sits down in your reception area and is visibly excited. This particular client is usually very conservative and doesn’t typically show her emotions. Hopefully your receptionist engages her in [...]

BY Pam Derringer
PUBLISHED: April 15, 2010
 
A 10-year-old Canadian financial consulting firm has converted its customized CRM software to the Microsoft Dynamics CRM platform and will be demonstrating it later this month at Convergence.
British Columbia-based Pareto Systems, whose SaaS software is tailored to the specific client needs of financial advisers, expects to officially launch the new [...]

By David Miller
Actionable Tip of the Week
A recurring question we are asked by many advisors is: “How do I tell prospective
clients about what my ‘minimum’ is?
This may sound like a rather straightforward question that deserves a straightforward answer, and it is. So consider two distinctive ways of answering this and the ramifications of each.
The way [...]

By David Miller
One of the key principles to creating long term relationships based on trust is consistency. Consistency is the fundamental principle in branding. And if you don’t brand yourself by creating consistent processes for every aspect of your business your clients will come to their own conclusions and create a brand for you. Usually [...]

It’s no secret that for many years now, Pareto Systems has advocated using a regular call rotation with your best clients.
There are a variety of compelling reasons to use this inexpensive and powerful client service strategy.  By calling clients, you convey your proactive approach.  By calling clients when you do not have to share any [...]

When I first meet an advisor, I scrutinize the process he or she uses for prospective client meeting; it usual follows a familiar pattern:
•    The advisor meets the prospective client and they exchange pleasantries.
•    Then the advisor launches into a diagnostic process; he or she asks questions and takes notes on a legal pad.
•    The [...]

When I built my wine cellar, I mentioned it to a colleague who also had one of his own.  He welcomed me to the ‘club,’ and imparted this interesting piece of advice:
“Terry,” he said, “now your first instinct is going to be to fill that wine cellar up as fast as you can.”
I nodded in [...]

You may have noticed that a bull market in full swing is a rather poor venue to differentiate oneself as an advisor.  Well then, how about a protracted bear market where the Dow keeps dropping like a stone every day, day after day? Now that’s more like it!
 I was taught by my advisor that there [...]

When you recommend a restaurant to someone, or a fine bottle of wine, or a really good massage therapist, have you wondered what is motivating you to do so?  How about music? What is the psychology going on behind the scenes when I tell you that you absolutely must listen to this great band that [...]