Despite all the challenges in reaching qualified prospects, some advisors are doing quite well, while others are not rising to the challenges that we all face. So, what are the financial advisor best practices that separate the wheat from the chaff?

In this episode, Bill Cates interviews Mark Williams, president and CEO of Brokers International, to discuss what we need to think about and do to connect with more Right-Fit Clients.  Mark speaks to hundreds of financial professionals each year, so he’s in a unique position to see what’s working and where advisors are wasting their resources of time, energy, and dollars.

Bill and Mark discuss:     

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About Our Guest:

Mark Williams is the President and CEO of Brokers International, one of the industry’s largest field marketing organizations — providing annuity and life insurance solutions to independent insurance and financial professionals across the nation.

Few executives have Mark’s breadth of experience as a differentiator and success across every aspect of the industry. He grew up in an insurance family and has licensed, sold and had exposure to almost every financial vehicle that can be used as a solution to a customer need. He has held crucial roles as an agent, stock broker, independent distributor, captive agent, and head of an FMO.

Mark has a proven track record driving transformation, having helped transform companies such as Allianz, The Hartford, and GamePlan from the inside out. He has spent his career leading sales growth in fixed indexed annuities, life insurance and fixed universal life products as well as directing mortgage leads, developing marketing programs for independent financial professionals and leading strategic initiatives.

Currently, Mark is focused on the future of the insurance industry: from the disruptions of InsurTech and robo-advisors to the changing demographics and needs of customers. He also is an avid mentor helping financial professionals navigate the industry.

It can be personally rewarding to make a contribution to a philanthropic cause to impact your community. But can philanthropic leadership be professionally rewarding as well?

In this episode, Bill Cates speaks with Jeff Chaddock, a private wealth advisor at Envisage Wealth. Jeff has philanthropy in his DNA, which has been extremely helpful for the charities and people in his community, and has been instrumental in making him a go-to advisor for many.

Jeff discusses:

Jeff Chaddock: With over 32 years as a Private Wealth Advisor, Jeffrey Chaddock, CRPC® , APMA® is the CEO of Envisage Wealth, with four offices across Ohio. Jeffrey’s firm manages over 2.5 billion in client assets.  Jeff differentiates his practice by providing numerous civic, social, and educational opportunities for his clients and their guests.  Jeffrey is heavily involved in numerous charitable organizations and serves on the board of trustees at The Ohio University Foundation, where he established the Jeffrey D. Chaddock Endowed Scholarship program.

An engaged client is someone who feels connected to your value and connected to you as an advisor.

Is your business truly maximizing client engagement?

In this episode, Bill Cates speaks with E. Scott Miller, Vice President and Investment Officer at Wells Fargo Advisors. Scott shares how he has created the “wow factor” in his business relationships, and how his client engagement strategy has led to incredible loyalty and, in many cases, a number of referrals.

Scott discusses:

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About Our Guest:

Scott Miller’s experience focuses on the construction and execution of investment strategies for long range retirement and estate planning strategies. His fee-based approach enables him to create tailored financial strategies to help meet specialized wealth management needs. He assists in the design and implementation of qualified retirement plans, and helps plan sponsors manage their fiduciary liability. He advises plan participants how to effectively allocate their retirement investments for maximum diversification and growth potential within stated risk parameters.

Stop prospecting … and let your clients prospect for you! 

Creating great relationships with your clients who value the work you do and value you as a professional will open up the doors to many more in-segment clients.

In this episode, Bill Cates speaks with Randy Carver CRPC®, CDFA®, President and CEO at Carver Financial Services, Inc. Randy discusses how he and his team have brought in 25 new relationships along with $100 million in assets over the last three months without doing any prospecting.

Randy discusses: 

Resources: 

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About Our Guest:

Randy Carver was born in New York City, grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, and spent his teen years in Toronto, Canada. As a teenager, Randy started and ran several successful businesses, including a catering firm and two home renovation companies. He attended Oberlin College where he earned his degree in economics. Upon graduating in 1987, Randy opened a branch office for a regional brokerage firm in Mentor, Ohio. The office became one of the company’s most successful within three years.

Even advisors who are already successful may consider turning some of their focus to a specific target market. They often wonder if they should create a new company name and/or a new website to reflect that specific niche.

There is no right or wrong answer here. 

In this episode, Bill Cates speaks with Tiffany Charles, Chief Growth Officer of two financial firms; Destiny Capital and Entrepreneur Aligned. This interview focuses on the process that Tiffany and her partners went through to establish an entirely new target market and brand for their business without losing the traditional part of their practice.  

Tiffany discusses:

Resources: 

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About Our Guest: 

Tiffany Charles is the Chief Growth Officer of two financial firms; Destiny Capital and  Entrepreneur Aligned. Her role is all about growing and expanding opportunities to deliver an unparalleled experience for her clients and team. Her passion is to empower entrepreneurs to live their highest vision and have the opportunity to positively change the world!

The right mix of reputation marketing strategies, such as target marketing, hosting a podcast, and even getting paid to speak at events, all work together to bring more right-fit prospects into your business.

In this episode, Bill Cates is joined by Malcolm Ethridge CFP®, CRPC®, Executive Vice President and Financial Planner at CIC Wealth Management. Malcolm discusses how his reputation marketing efforts have changed his business dramatically over the last six months, including how he has continued to get qualified prospects contacting him because of the reputation he has created in a very specific target market.

Malcolm discusses: 

Resources: 

Connect With Malcolm:

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About Our Guest:

Malcolm Ethridge is a Certified Financial Planner, speaker, blogger, and self-proclaimed personal finance nerd. His areas of expertise include retirement planning, investment portfolio development, tax planning, insurance, stock options and other executive benefits. He leverages that expertise to help senior managers and small business owners in tech make sense of some of the most complex financial situations that working professionals tend to face.

Financial advisors who focus on an authentic client experience, tend to form the strongest bonds with their clients – where the clients see their advisor as irreplaceable. 

In this episode, Referral Coach Bill Cates is joined by Albert Fox CFP®, CIMA®, executive director and financial advisor at Fox, Penberthy & Dehn. Al discusses how he worked to boost engagement with his clients and maintain truly authentic connections that maximize their client experience. Al also shares how he leverages those connections into introductions to more right-fit prospects.

Albert discusses: 

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About Our Guest:

Albert A. Fox: Albert Fox CFP®, CIMA® is an executive director and financial advisor with Fox, Penberthy & Dehn, who works directly with high-net worth individuals, families, and small business owners to help them achieve their financial goals. He’s ultimate mission is to inspire a level of confidence in his clients’ financial well-being, so they may pursue their passions and enjoy and preserve the wealth they’ve created. Experience, insight, action. These intrinsic qualities serve as the foundation of Albert’s practice.

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Advisors often ask, “Is it possible to build my business that runs by referral only?”

The answer is, yes! 

However, not every advisory team has been able to create a “by referral only” business where the quantity and the quality of clients have been exactly the right fit.

Are you getting enough in-segment clients through referrals and introductions? 

In this episode, Bill Cates speaks with Diana DeFrate CFP®, CLU®, chief executive officer and founder, and Katriina Paavola, CFP®, founder at DeFrate & Paavola, LLC. Diana and Katriina share how their successful business operates by referral only, sharing how they do so WITHOUT asking for referrals.

Diana and Katriina discuss: 

Connect With Diana DeFrate and Katriina Paavola:

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About Our Guest:

Diana DeFrate: A former financial executive in media, Diana is a Certified Financial Planner certificate (CFP®), Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU®), CPA, and the second in a family legacy of wealth managers and financial planners. An avid wine enthusiast, Diana is a WSET Advanced Certificate holder, director and co-founder of the Geshtin wine club. 

Katriina Paavola: A Certified Financial Planner (CFP®), MBA, and former media professional, Katriina is a strategic director and financial consultant with specialties in retirement planning and investment management. A native of Finland, Katriina studied international business in London before coming to the U.S. as an executive strategic planner. 

Retirement is such a major milestone in everyone’s life. And while there is no shortage of ideas for client appreciation events, retirement parties are definitely one worth considering. Hosting one of these unique client events not only helps financial advisors create client loyalty for life, it also provides an excellent opportunity for reaching new qualified prospects.

In this episode, Bill Cates interviews Joe De Sena, CFP®, MBA, private wealth advisor at Siena Wealth Advisory Group, about how Joe has leveraged this event marketing strategy to build and extremely successful financial practice. 

Bottom Line: Joe De Sena’s retirement parties yield new clients almost every time. These are not just “feel-good” events. These are business-building client engagement, client appreciation events. 

In this episode, Bill and Joe discuss: 

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Connect with Joe De Sena

About Our Guest:

Joe De Sena CFP®, MBA is a private wealth advisor at Siena Wealth Advisory Group. Joe has been a financial advisor for 27 years. Joe is passionate about protecting his clients and their families from the unexpected. Joe loves to travel, read, run marathons and do charity work.

Most advisors have an internal new client onboarding checklist, but few have discovered the value of a comprehensive client onboarding process that creates both a value connection and a personal connection. 

Done well, the client onboarding process will help your new clients feel great about their decision to work with you and make you super referable quickly.

In this episode, Bill Cates is joined by Bryan Sweet CLU®, ChFC®, founder and CEO of Sweet Financial Services, to discuss how he uses his program called The 90 Day Dazzle for client onboarding. He explains how implementing this program has drastically increased his referrals earlier in his new-client relationships.

In this episode, Bill and Bryan discuss: 

Resources: 

“Who Not How” by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy

Connect With Bill Cates:   

About Our Guest:

Bryan Sweet: Bryan Sweet, is a cultivator of opportunity and that is reflected in his passion for serving the clients of Sweet Financial Services. Beginning his career in 1979, Bryan has done more than create lasting wealth plans for wonderful clients. He has created a movement in this industry to help people realize just how much they are capable of and just how much they can put their money to work for them.

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