Intranet Resources

Webinars, Guidebooks, Tools

Know No Bounds and Paragon Resources offer both stand-alone webinars and a series of webinars based on the topics of your clients’ needs. Our webinar offerings walk participants through “how-to” practices and include a process that is developed over the period of the series. Ideas for topics can be found in the sections below.

To aid with implementation and ensure value, our webinar offerings include a short guide with applicable content based on the subject matter chosen and specific tools. These tools could include templates, scripts, sample resources, and varying activities to help ensure that advisors maximize the content, execute within their practice, and realize real results!

Webinars may be recorded and guides can be distributed to your advisory teams whether or not they participated in the live webinar. This allows you to provide your advisory teams with further self-service value added tools to help them grow their business.

We welcome your branding to reinforce our joint partnership, but we ask that the finalized material include our company names, logos, and an “about the authors” section. Note that although we encourage jointly branded webinars and guides, the content itself remains the intellectual property of Know No Bounds and Paragon Resources and is provided without exclusivity.

Licensing of our intellectual property or customized content development is available for your website.

Intranet Topics, Tools, & Resources

1. Human Capital Management

New Team Formation
Forming a team is one of the most effective ways for financial professionals to grow their business and provide added value to their clients, but there is no “one size fits all” solution. This program includes WHY teaming is no longer an option (the reasons for teaming), along with HOW-TO instructional content on identifying the needs of the business, and the initial steps advisors should execute when creating high-performance teams.

  • Discovery Questions – What team is right for me?
  • First Steps to Teaming Checklist

Defining Roles & Responsibilities
Ensuring that the right people are in the right roles is fundamental to both short-term and long-term success. This program helps identify the type of individuals required in order to fill the basic needs of the practice and subsequently to grow and evolve their practice. The goal is to create a team of individuals with different but complementary skill sets and talents who enjoy working together.

  • Sample Functional Job Descriptions and Worksheet to Design Own
  • Role Analysis – Are the right people in the right roles?
  • Sample Function / Activity Worksheet

Finding the Right PARTNER(s)
For those advisory teams looking to add additional people resources to the SALES side of the practice, due- diligence is critical. Over the last decade, many advisors teamed for the right reasons but often did not perform any due-diligence. This program provides an overview and specific process to ensure that when expanding the team from a sales perspective, advisors work through the pros and cons of partnership viability, capitalize on each advisor’s strengths to increase productivity and profit, and think through the moving parts that can create the ultimate dream partnership.

  • Partnership Viability Questionnaire
  • Team Agreement Checklist (including trial period vs. formal commitment)

Team Communications
Ongoing communications are vital to the success of an advisor’s newly expanded team. Communication can singularly make or break the success of the team! This program includes best practices to help advisory teams begin to develop and consistently execute their team communication plan.

  • Team Communication Resource Kit (comprehensive team communication plan)
  • Sample Weekly Meeting Agenda
  • Sample Monthly Meeting Agenda
  • Importance of the Morning Huddle
  • Team Charter – Codes of Conduct

Selecting NEW Team Members
As your business evolves, you will inevitably need to expand your team. This program provides the key steps in selecting the right new team members for your practice. Don’t let guesswork be your determining factor. In today’s market, you must conduct due-diligence to ensure the right fit.

  • Functional Position Profile
  • Defining Critical Success Factors for the Position
  • Effective Interview Techniques

Maximizing Your Human Capital: Creating an Engaging Environment
Similar to prospecting for new clients, finding the right team members takes time. Once they are on board, you want to ensure that you create an environment where they are highly satisfied, productive, and feel appreciated. This program reviews some best practices on engaging your team, creating a culture of reward and recognition, delivering professional development, and performance reviews.

  • Developing Team Engagement (reward and recognition)
  • Personal Team Fact-Finder
  • Individual Performance Reviews
  • Personal and Professional Development Plan

Getting it All Done: People = Most Precious Asset; Time = Most Precious Commodity
With the human capital in place, you want your individual team members to maximize their time and talent. This program includes tools and resources to help team members understand priorities and balance their multiple responsibilities.

  • Time and Task Management Resource Kit (time-blocking)
  • Sample Priority Process

KNOW PLAN: Grow by Design, Not Default
To achieve business development efficiently, a plan is required. Business plans with volumes of pages quickly prove to be ineffective and are often buried on a shelf to gather dust! This program helps participants devise an ACTIVITY-based plan that becomes the roadmap and accountability document that is utilized by a team throughout the year. Using our FIND-GRIND-MIND™ model, this program will work through ALL areas of an advisor’s business to assess its current effectiveness, establish improvement objectives, and determine the best strategies and activities that will lead to actual results. This program is for those who want to develop new success by design, rather than default.

  • Business Plan Templates & Tools
  • Sample Goal Sheets

Practice Management: Fine-tuning Your Business with Increased Efficiency
In today’s more complex and ever-changing environment, advisory teams know they need to systematize their practice in order to increase capacity and grow the business. This program provides a number of tools and “best practices” to help maximize time, talent, and resources. The ultimate goal is to transform the business into a well-oiled machine that runs on efficient systems and processes. Focusing on our Client Relationship Lifecycle™ Model, participants will receive a foundational structure for developing their own standard operating procedural manual and sample templates to customize to their own practice.

  • Client Relationship Lifecycle Tool
  • Question Guide for Compiling Your Resources
  • Sample Library of Resources

2. Client Service

KNOW SERVICE: Driving Revenues with 5-Star Service
In a commoditized industry where advisors sell essentially the same products wrapped up in differing wrappers, successful advisors understand that service is no longer a set of reactive tasks performed by an administrative assistant. Service plays an important role in both developing and retaining clientele; however, few advisors actually devise and execute strategies to consistently deliver distinctive service. Our client service offerings outlined below are designed to show participants how to begin to transform reactive service activities into a proactive model where service drives sales. Building long-term relationships is key to continued sales success, especially in today’s ever-challenging environment. These programs focus on implementing proven processes to increase revenues and achieve true profitability by focusing on SERVICE.

Creating 5-Star Service Begins with an Organized Book of Clientele
In order to deliver memorable and differentiating service, an advisory team must first begin with a well- segmented book of clients. This program helps advisors and teams devise the right client segmentation criteria for their business. With this information, a practice can systematize both marketing and service initiatives and determine a clear ideal client relationship definition to drive new revenues. In order to determine who their best clients are, advisors often randomly create a model that is based solely on asset or revenue numbers. They often set account minimums as the primary basis for taking on a new relationship. This program challenges participants to identify the key quantitative, qualitative, and influence factors that are IDEAL for the practice, thus attracting the right clientele.

  • Client Segmentation Tools
  • Sample Client Scorecard
  • Question Guide
  • Developing your “Ideal Client Relationship Definition”
  • Sample Opportunity and Migration Lists

Transitioning Clients to Where They Are Best Served
The days of managing 200

  • relationships are long gone! Today, many advisors struggle with how to migrate relationships that no longer fit within their business. This program specifically addresses a number of ideas to help transition clients to a place where they can be better served and the advisor can focus on more ideal and profitable relationships!
    • Account Migration Toolkit

    Creating Your Custom Client Communication Plan
    The number one complaint of clients in our industry continues to focus on communication. Whether the markets are thriving, crashing, or in normalcy mode, advisors must have a proactive and systematized plan to communicate with their clientele. This program specifically focuses on devising the communication element of the service menu and experience.

    • Sample Communication Plan

    Creating Your Segmented Service Menu
    Service and sales are not two separate entities; they are intricately linked. This program helps participants define a service menu that will help define a system for consistent and customized communication, appreciation, and other important service elements that will drive sales. Being keenly aware of client encounters will enable participants to retain current clients, cultivate new ones, and close business faster and with less effort. This program walks through three client connection opportunities and provides a simple process for advisory teams to develop a service menu of deliverables for each of their client segments.
    This program provides a step-by-step process for creating a distinctive client experience.

    • Sample Client Experience Observations & Suggestions
    • Appreciation Brainstorming Resource
    • Sample Service Menu including Client Communication and Appreciation Plan

    Connect with Clients. Reap Results.
    In order to retain clients in this highly competitive industry, today’s advisory teams have to provide truly customized service. The prerequisite to customization is knowledge! This program provides a process and tools to help financial professionals really KNOW their clientele FINANCIALLY, PROFESSIONALLY, and PERSONALLY. We also walk participants through a process to ensure the ongoing collecting, storing, and actual utilization of client information.

    • Fact-Finder Tool
    • Profiling Campaign Toolkit

    Introducing Your Service Commitment to Clients and Prospects
    With a new service strategy in place, it’s time for execution! This program focuses on introducing your new formalized service menu and plan to both your prospects and existing clients.

    • Sample Service Commitment
    • Sample Letter: Invitation for Commitment Meeting
    • Sample Get to Know You Form
    • Sample Commitment Meeting Script
    • Sample Letter: Thank You for Commitment Meeting
    • Sample Letter: Phase in New Service

    Onboarding NEW Clients into Your Practice with Efficiency and Exceptional Service!
    Advisors often talk about service during the prospecting phase, but as business is “closed,” a new account is “opened,” and the relationship begins, it is vital to ensure that new clients EXPERIENCE that service they heard so much about during the prospecting phase. The first six months of the relationship sets the stage for longevity, loyalty, and the potential for referrals. This program introduces participants to a systematized process to transition new clients into the practice with extraordinary high-touch service!

    • Sample Welcome Packet and Ingredients
    • Letter: Team Welcome
    • Sample Letter: Service Associate Welcome
    • Sample Script: First Statement
    • Sample Letter: Internet Access/Web Registration
    • Sample Letter: Accurate Reporting/Center of Influence Information Gathering
    • Sample Script, Checklist, Account Tracking: Introduction to Estate Planning
    • New Client Checklist

    Executing Consistent High-Touch Service
    Developing a service strategy that includes communication and appreciation is merely the first step; in order to reap the desired results, consistent execution is vital. This program provides a simple methodology (based on each advisory team’s client experience plan) which will aid in the actual delivery and follow-through.

    • Sample 12-Month Service Calendar

    Running Efficient, High-Impact, Service-Oriented Client Meetings
    What could be more important than your face-to-face client interactions? Yet so many advisors wait till the last minute and not only are opportunities lost, but team members’ frustrations are hitting new highs! This program introduces advisory teams to a process-driven client meeting methodology that will deliver on your service promises and ensure that nothing falls through the cracks.

    • Sample Letter: Client Meeting Scheduled Appointment
    • Sample Letter: Meeting Confirmation
    • Sample Client Meeting Agenda
    • Client Meeting Checklist
    • Sample Client Appointment Discovery and Notes
    • Sample Letter: Follow-up Thank You
    • Sample Client Meeting Full Process

    Soliciting Feedback: Is Your Service as Good as You Think?
    Soliciting feedback is critical to ensuring that you are at least meeting your client’s expectations. This program addresses how-to instructional content to develop and execute a feedback system to ensure that you gain input from clients, centers of influence, and team members. This vital information then allows you to adjust and evolve your service strategy and model for continued success.

    • Sample Client Satisfaction Toolkit (includes instructions, client letter, sample survey, follow-up letter)
    • Client Exit Interview Script and Letter
    • External Partner Assessment Meeting
    • Service Model Assessment Meeting

    Running High-Impact Client/Prospect Events
    Running successful client and prospect events can be time-intensive and there is a definite need for planning and detail orientation. This program walks participants through an organized process to plan a memorable event from soup to nuts!

    • Client Event Plan and Checklist
    • Checklist: Items to Bring to a Client Event
    • Sample Compliance Tracking Tool

    3. Marketing and Business Development

    The DNA of Value: Creating a Distinct You!
    This program helps participants create their unique value proposition. With a growing number of financial professionals all selling essentially the same products and services, it is more important than ever to be able to differentiate your practice and your team. During this program, attendees will answer five critical questions that will act as the foundation for a compelling story to “sell themselves!” This session is ideal for financial professionals who are new to the industry, as well as those veterans interested in repositioning their practices for continued growth.

    • Positioning Toolkit including “how-to” on developing an elevator speech, differentiating story, and points of distinction

    Best Practices: Generating a Referral-based Business
    Traditional marketing can be time-consuming and expensive. Instead, most financial professionals want to grow their business through referrals. In this program, we will turn current marketing efforts inside out and develop an efficient method to grow a practice. The workshop addresses how to overcome “referral discomfort,” uncover different avenues for generating referrals, and develop strong ongoing practice management habits.

    • Referral Toolkit
    • Center of Influence: List Development Toolkit

    From Contact to Champion: Developing Your Centers of Influence
    Defining sources for referrals is a critical path to creating that referral-only practice. In this program, we show participants how to categorize possible centers of influence and develop those relationships into true advocates of their business.

    • Center of Influence: List Development Toolkit

    Best Practices: Maximizing Current Relationships with Organic Growth
    Statistically, most financial professionals do not manage 100% of their clients’ assets. This often results in a business comprised of clients who have unrealized profit potential. The program explores opportunities to find “lift and leverage” within an existing practice. Participants will be provided with tools and ideas that lead to both deepening existing relationships and increasing referrals.

    • Organic Growth Toolkit

    Growing Your Business the “Ideal Way”: “FINDING” Opportunities in a New World
    This high-level workshop focuses on the “finding” element of our FIND-GRIND-MIND™ model. The session helps advisors look at the three key areas to uncover new business opportunities: organic growth, traditional marketing, and referral-based growth. The program will help participants create an actionable roadmap, goals, strategies, and activities for FINDING new business. (More specific how-to is delivered in the organic growth and referral-based programs itemized above).

    • Finding Toolkit

    Developing Your New Client Acquisition Attraction and Conversion Process
    With a clear definition of an ideal prospect in mind, this program walks participants through creating and optimizing a new client acquisition process. From marketing to their target audience, to fact-finding, qualifying, touching their pipeline, and ultimately closing the business, this program includes ideas and best practices to create a systematized approach to new business.

    • Closing Resource
    • Prospect Fact-Finder

    Positioning You and Your Team at Your New Broker/Dealer
    When making a change to a new Broker/Dealer, there are a number of important considerations in positioning your team with clients. This program offers some specific ideas to think through in order to both attract and retain your clientele.

    • Positioning Toolkit

    Areas of Expertise and Discussion Topics for Program Development

    Corporate

    • Firm consulting to include: Train-the-Trainer Programs, department development, and general industry expertise
    • Managing For Success and Workplace Motivators (Assessment Tools)
    • Onboarding for New Advisor/Employee Retention
    • Creating Employee Loyalty: Designing & Executing Your Corporate Service Menu
    • Integrating Banking and Brokerage

    Consulting

    • Advisory team consulting on practice management, client acquisition, and client development

    Client Acquisition Topics

    • Developing and optimizing your client acquisition process
    • Understanding your niche and devising your definition of the ideal client relationship
    • Developing a marketing strategy for your ‘ideal prospects’
    • Devising your “introduction” process for prospects
    • Devising your “discovery” process for prospects
    • Devising your marketing communication calendar and your “pipeline touch plan”
    • Creating specific marketing campaigns
    • Developing a “conversion process” for taking your prospect to client status
    • Devising your referral and client advocacy strategy and process

    Client Development Topics

    • Devising your ‘reactive’ service process
    • Devising your ‘proactive’ service process – the service menu
    • Developing your client communication plan
    • Developing your client appreciation plan
    • Developing your service calendar
    • Devising your client commitment agreement
    • Running a client commitment meeting
    • Developing a client feedback survey
    • Devising your organic growth strategy and process
    • Running a profiling campaign
    • Running a client appreciation event or seminar

    Practice Management Topics

    • Developing your activity-based plan
    • Developing your team and identifying roles and responsibilities
    • Defining the right team structure for your practice
    • Segmenting your clientele based on quantitative, qualitative, and influence criteria
    • Developing your account migration strategies
    • Developing tools & processes to help support roles stay organized & execute with efficiency
    • Developing your standardized monthly and weekly to-do list
    • Developing your client meeting process
    • Devising your team communication process
    • Developing your library of resources
    • Developing processes to maximize your internal and external resources