There’s a critical mistake made by almost every advisor around the world every single day. We focus more on the plan than the person. More on what we do than what they need. Our natural approach is plan-centric. Meanwhile, the industry is shifting towards human-first financial guidance. Fortunately, Ross Marino embraced this shift long ago and built a firm that specializes in human-first financial guidance. He tells us what led to him embracing the shift to human-first financial guidance and provides a simple framework to apply with prospects and clients. Here’s what you’ll learn: The “staple question” to start every meeting The two questions he asks in his “Re-Discovery” meetings Why the industry is shifting towards human-first financial guidance Why Ross decided to do “Re-Discovery” meetings with every client The Transitus Process: 4 questions to spark meaningful conversations To sign up for Brendan’s monthly newsletter focused on the human side of advice → Click Here Resources: The featured partner for this episode is Knudge, an automated system to help clients actually follow through on their tasks and reach their financial goals Connect with Brendan Frazier:  RFG Advisory LinkedIn: Brendan Frazier X:@jbrendanfrazier

Lack of follow-through and implementation of advice is a widespread problem. One study revealed this gut-wrenching stat: 70% of clients implement less than 20% of financial planning recommendations. There are a number of reasons to explain this. A primary reason is that advisors deliver advice that looks good on a spreadsheet, but it doesn’t fit into real life.  If you can design your advice for the person rather than optimizing for a spreadsheet, you’ll watch your implementation problems disappear. After all, the best advice is the advice that actually gets implemented. Here’s what you’ll learn: A client story demonstrating doable over optimal advice One of the primary barriers that prevent clients from implementing How to optimize advice for spreadsheets but design it for real-life Three questions to ask that will drastically improve follow-through To sign up for Brendan’s monthly newsletter focused on the human side of advice → Click Here Resources: The featured partner for this episode is Knudge, an automated system to help clients actually follow through on their tasks and reach their financial goals Connect with Brendan Frazier:  RFG Advisory LinkedIn: Brendan Frazier X:@jbrendanfrazier

In 2012, Shaun Erickson founded Single Point Partners because he wanted to do something different. As a solo advisor at the time, his primary focus was on building a process with one main focus: Building it around the client’s agenda (a.k.a. – the things that matter most to the client). Fast forward to 2023, and his focus has shifted. Now, he’s focused on building a human-first approach into the fabric of an entire firm. Whether you’re a solo advisor trying to embrace a human-first approach or a firm owner wondering how to build an entire firm with a human-first approach, you’re in the right place.  Shaun Erickson takes us inside Single Point Partners to share exactly how to build a human-first approach into the fabric of your entire firm. We discuss: A question to put a prospect’s mind at ease Why you should follow up with clients 3 times How they train advisors to learn the human side The “Pebbles vs Boulders” approach to improve follow-through A story where asking one question forever changed the relationship To sign up for Brendan’s monthly newsletter focused on the human side of advice → Click Here Resources: The featured partner for this episode is Knudge, an automated system to help clients actually follow through on their tasks and reach their financial goals Connect with Brendan Frazier:  RFG Advisory LinkedIn: Brendan Frazier X:@jbrendanfrazier

Mastering the human side of advice will: Enrich your clients’ lives Enhance your relationships with clients Forever change the trajectory of your business/career Think it sounds too good to be true? Listen to these 7 stories from advisors around the world sharing how the human side has made their clients and their practice infinitely better off. To sign up for Brendan’s monthly newsletter focused on the human side of advice → Click Here Resources: The featured partner for this episode is Knudge, an automated system to help clients actually follow through on their tasks and reach their financial goals Connect with Brendan Frazier:  RFG Advisory LinkedIn: Brendan Frazier X:@jbrendanfrazier

Your client isn’t just the person sitting in front of you today. It’s who they’ll become 30 years from now. And, it’s who they were 30 years ago. They might be making a decision in the present. But, their decisions in the present are shaped by the experiences of their past and influenced by their vision of the future. When you work with human beings and money, it’s crucial that you fully understand the powerful forces that the past and future play on your client in the present. We discuss: How our past experiences with money carry forward into the present The two ways in which our current self makes decisions to the detriment of our future self Two client stories on the power of the past and the future How to help clients understand their past to drive better outcomes Two ways to improve the client’s connection to their future self To sign up for Brendan’s monthly newsletter focused on the human side of advice → Click Here Resources: The featured partner for this episode is Knudge, an automated system to help clients actually follow through on their tasks and reach their financial goals Connect with Brendan Frazier:  RFG Advisory LinkedIn: Brendan Frazier X:@jbrendanfrazier

It’s one thing for advisors to say they want to get better at the human side. It’s another thing to actually start making changes to your processes and conversations. And, it’s another thing entirely to have your entire meeting process and deliverables focused on the human side. Yet, that’s exactly what Jake Northrup has done. At his firm, Experience Your Wealth, Jake has made a point to optimize the human element in every single meeting. From the questions they ask to the deliverables they provide, he’s thought of it all. In this episode, Jake gives us an inside look into each meeting to reveal how he infuses the human side to help clients live their ideal lives. Here’s what you’ll learn: Using “micro-steps” to improve client behavior The process they use to help clients create their “Unique Money Vision” The psychological power of “spending experiments” to help clients live their best life The action item dashboard they use to improve the gap between knowing and doing The “Life Planning Timeline” he creates to visualize and prioritize what’s most important To sign up for Brendan’s monthly newsletter focused on the human side of advice → Click Here Resources: The featured partner for this episode is Knudge, an automated system to help clients actually follow through on their tasks and reach their financial goals Connect with Brendan Frazier:  RFG Advisory LinkedIn: Brendan Frazier X:@jbrendanfrazier

Let’s face it…most advisors’ meetings with long-term clients are lackluster. You ask about life, the kids, any changes in their life, etc. Then, you tell them that everything looks good. They’re still on track. They leave and you do it all over again next year. And, that’s not bad. But, there’s a better way. There’s a meeting that will strengthen your trust and connection, guide your clients to live their best lives, naturally display and reinforce your value It’s called the “Re-Discovery” Meeting and Meghaan Lurtz shares the blueprint on how advisors can start conducting these meetings right away. Here’s what you’ll learn: How to avoid long-time clients getting the “7-year itch” Questions to ask clients to help them live their best lives The relationship-building power of co-creating visions and goals A question to ask at the end of every meeting to improve the client experience Why asking a prospect to “think it over” may actually be detrimental to the relationship To sign up for Brendan’s monthly newsletter focused on the human side of advice → Click Here Resources: The featured partner for this episode is Knudge, an automated system to help clients actually follow through on their tasks and reach their financial goals Connect with Brendan Frazier:  RFG Advisory LinkedIn: Brendan Frazier X:@jbrendanfrazier

The relationship dynamic between advisors and clients is shifting. It’s shifting away from treating the plan and towards treating the person. The old model was the financial advisor as the “advice giver.” Treating the problem by dispensing advice.  The new model has the advisor playing the role of “thinking partner.” It goes like this: Diagnose the situation, discuss the options, and decide together on the best solution. The client is the hero of their story. And the advisor is a thinking partner, a guide, a facilitator, a collaborator, and a problem-solver. We discuss: What the field of medicine can teach us about this relationship dynamic Two client stories showing the importance of being a thinking partner Three specific ways to be a thinking partner with your clients To sign up for Brendan’s monthly newsletter focused on the human side of advice → Click Here Resources: The featured partner for this episode is Knudge, an automated system to help clients actually follow through on their tasks and reach their financial goals Connect with Brendan Frazier:  RFG Advisory LinkedIn: Brendan Frazier X:@jbrendanfrazier

Every advisor remembers sitting in a meeting with a couple where one person is engaged and the other hasn’t said a word. Or the meeting with the couple whose goals aren’t aligned. While working with couples certainly has its challenges, it’s also an opportunity for advisors to help couples align and thrive financially. But, doing so requires knowing the skills you need to navigate the dynamics of working with couples and money. Fortunately, Ashley Quamme specializes in this area and is going to crack the code to get both partners engaged and on the same page so they can thrive together financially. Here’s what you’ll learn: Her favorite question to help couples get “unstuck” How to use “Relationship Maps” when working with couples How to set the expectations for both partners to talk and engage The 3 factors that contribute to couples not on the same page with their goals Questions to ask couples to assess their financial relationship (without being intrusive) To sign up for Brendan’s monthly newsletter focused on the human side of advice → Click Here Resources: The featured partner for this episode is Knudge, an automated system to help clients actually follow through on their tasks and reach their financial goals Connect with Brendan Frazier:  RFG Advisory LinkedIn: Brendan Frazier X:@jbrendanfrazier

If you want to convert more prospects into life-long clients… You need to know the answer to two questions: Why do people hire a financial advisor? Why do people fire their financial advisor? They just might be the two most important questions for any advisory business. Fortunately, Samantha Lamas and Danielle Labotka did the research to get the answer to those two questions. And, what they learned will forever transform the way advisors approach client acquisition and client retention. Here’s what you’ll learn: How to create digital content that makes an emotional connection The connection between listening skills and higher client retention The most commonly cited reasons for both hiring and firing an advisor The most commonly listed emotional reasons driving hiring and firing decisions The “Value Prop Makeover”: 3 steps to effectively communicate your emotional value To sign up for Brendan’s monthly newsletter focused on the human side of advice → Click Here Resources: The featured partner for this episode is Knudge, an automated system to help clients actually follow through on their tasks and reach their financial goals Connect with Brendan Frazier:  RFG Advisory LinkedIn: Brendan Frazier X:@jbrendanfrazier