How Stories Activate Both Brain Hemispheres

If you think numbers and charts are enough to win clients, think again.

In this episode, Referral Coach Bill Cates interviews renowned author and speaker Mitch Anthony about the decisive role of storytelling and life-centered financial planning. 

Mitch shares how neuroscience has proven that emotional connection, not just data, drives decisions, and how financial advisors can uncover deeper client relationships through meaningful conversations.

He also unpacks the real promise advisors should be making, that is, helping clients get the best life possible with the money they have.

Mitch and Bill Discuss:   

• How story-based communication triggers emotional engagement and decision-making better than logic-heavy pitches
  
• Why advisors should uncover the client’s story before telling their own, and how that builds trust
  
• The importance of using relatable metaphors to explain complex financial concepts
  
• The shift from ROI-focused advising to Return on Life (ROL) and values that can’t be easily compared
  
• Simple but profound questions advisors can ask to build deeper connections without taking more time
  
• …And more!

Highlights:

• [00:04:15] Mitch defines “storyselling” and why it works so well
• [00:14:30] The mistake most advisors make with stories – and how to fix it
• [00:26:10] What life-centered planning really means (hint: it’s not just about the numbers)
• [00:38:45] How to shift your discovery process to focus on “return on life”
• [00:48:00] Mitch’s advice to advisors looking to deepen client loyalty

Sponsors: 

• EPISODE SPONSOR: IronClad Family  |  Holistic Advisor Guide

Connect With Mitch Anthony:

• mitch@mitchanthony.com
• LinkedIn: Mitch Anthony
• Website: Mitch Anthony
• Website: ROL Advisor

Resources: 

• RapidFire Referrals
• Get a copy of “The Language of Referrals”
• Get a copy of “Radical Relevance”
• Grab your copy of The Hidden Heist today!
• Find Mitch Anthony’s books here!

Connect With Bill Cates:

• BillCates@referralcoach.com
• Referral Coach Homepage
• Hire Bill for Coaching
• Enroll in The Cates Academy

About Mitch Anthony:

For more than two decades, Mitch and his team have provided training and development for both individual advisors and major organizations throughout the world. Mitch personally consults with firms around the world on both life-centered financial planning and relationship development.

Mitch is a consistently top-rated presenter who has spoken around the world, from private client events to audiences of more than 10,000. He has been named “one of the most meaningful speakers in financial services today” and hailed as one of the industry’s top “Movers & Shakers” for his pioneering work. Along with Texas Tech University, he has developed a certificate program in Life-Centered Financial Planning.

Mitch is a sought-after expert for the media and a regular columnist for Financial Advisor magazine. His columns have appeared on CBS MarketWatch and in the Journal of Financial Planning. Mitch is also host of the daily radio feature, The Daily Dose, heard on over 100 radio stations nationwide.

StorySelling for Financial Advisors, cited by Financial Advisor magazine as the number one “must-read” book for financial professionals, is an industry standard. In addition to The New Retirementality (now in its 5th edition) and Your Clients for Life, Mitch is the author of many groundbreaking books for advisors and consumers, including Defining Conversations,  The Financial Professional’s StoryBook, Your Client’s Story, Selling with Emotional Intelligence, The Financial Lit-Kit (The Cash in the Hat, The Bean is not Green, and Where Did the Money Go?), and Life-Centered Financial Planning.