Two months into 2018 and we are seeing a common theme…EXPANSION. At least 60-70% of our clients are looking to add talented people to their organizations.

You feel the need to keep chasing new prospects – it has always worked in the past. However, the hidden secret to new revenue lies in gaining the greatest wallet share of your existing clients. The true answer to accomplishing this lies in service. The extra benefit of focusing on the Ultimate Client Experience is that your clients will do your marketing for you.

A warm body in the seat or even an excellent, dedicated employee is NOT all that you need. You need specific people to fill each distinct role in your organization to achieve its goals. You need a FINDER, GRINDER, and MINDER, or you must have the resources available to you to cover these three vital business responsibilities. With this winning formula, you can realize any size of business that you envision.

You probably think that top producers do things in a radically different way than the average advisor. But in fact, there are a few (surprisingly easy) activities that you can adopt and use to propel you to the next level of results.

Even if they are well paid, employees will NOT deliver high performance unless you give them more. Specifically, you need to help them see that their work is meaningful and valuable. When times get tough in this industry (and we all know what those days feel like), we have to be mindful of the impact on our team members.

After 20+ years in the industry, we have concluded that Advisors are attracted to the chaos and reactivity of this industry. They have the thrill of the unknown and will get bored easily if the road is too smooth.

Your numbers do NOT tell the whole story about your business. Even an advisor with high AUM can have a business that is rotting from the inside. The only way to build a healthy, profitable, and valuable enterprise is to have ALL areas thriving.

Looking back over the last three decades, the industry has experienced dramatic change; looking forward, there is plenty more on the horizon. Are you ready for the next challenges in your business?

To stay competitive and on top of their game, financial professionals must change along with the constant evolution of the industry; high-performance teams are always seeking ways to be the best. Are you fully prepared for the following industry demands?

Some aspects of your business may be thriving, but others may be atrophying because you are only focused on the numbers. Top Producers know that the secret ingredient to their success is to not allow the chaos of daily life to hold them hostage to the reactive. They know how vital it is to step back from the daily grind of the business to work ON strategy and give oxygen to all parts of the business. As late November approaches, how much time has your team invested in analyzing 2016 results and determining a winning plan for 2017?

For years, we have talked about the importance of consistently ARTICULATING and DEMONSTRATING your service model. Whether you are an advisory team serving the investor client or a home office department serving advisory teams, articulating and demonstrating your value, your story, your service menu, and your deliverables remains THE most fundamental element of your business.