#99 – What Every Advisor Needs to Know About Storyselling and Life Planning with Mitch Anthony

11 snips

Oct 8, 2025

Mitch Anthony, a renowned author and consultant in life-centered financial planning, dives into the art of storytelling for financial advisors. He emphasizes how emotional engagement trumps data in decision-making. Mitch discusses the importance of uncovering the client’s story first to build trust and connection. He introduces the concept of 'Return on Life,' shifting focus from mere ROI. With practical questions and relatable metaphors, he illustrates how to guide meaningful conversations, ultimately promising clients the best lives they can lead.

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INSIGHT

Stories Engage The Whole Brain

Storytelling activates both brain hemispheres and primes decisions more than logic alone.
Use metaphors and familiar language to explain complex financial concepts and trigger emotion.

ADVICE

Get Their Story First

Start client conversations by uncovering their story before explaining your solution.
Ask genuine, unpredictable questions and listen so you can respond with real curiosity and relevance.

ANECDOTE

Top Producer Starts By Asking Story

A top producer told prospects he wouldn't advise until he knew who they were and asked about their story.
That simple shift led to never being turned down and much more business quickly.

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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:

Resources:

Connect With Bill Cates:

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.