Blog
Regularly blogging for over two years, both for IRIS and on StrategyMarketing.ca, advisors have come to depend on the insights, wisdoms and practical advice that Paulette and Judy provide.
A jerk is defined as someone whose behavior is offensive to others and, while we are probably all guilty of behaving badly at one time or another, the problem is we usually don’t know how we come across until someone points it out to us. But that does not mean we are beyond reproach. Quite…
When you work for someone – large corporation or small business, there is always the chance that someday you might be fired. It could be due to any number of reasons – economic downturn, poor sales, obsolete product or even more robust competition. Sadly, you may never know the real reason. When you work for…
There was a time when asset firms trying to sell their products to financial advisors was the norm. They’d show up with a PowerPoint presentation on their newest fund and talk factor investing, management style, star-studded returns and they’d tout the portfolio manager du jour. If your supplier is still flogging their products that way,…
Holiday season is a minefield of potential errors. Should we send a greeting card or not – if we do what to say, what not to say? By all means take the opportunity to reach out. The holiday season is a particularly good opportunity to cement your relationship with your clients by showing your appreciation,…
In the process of analyzing our own business – which included interviewing advisors to find out what can we offer the financial community that would be of the most value, and who are the early adaptors – we found some very interesting dichotomies. We encounter advisors who have seen the writing on the wall and…
Recently I visited the Fram Museum in Norway. It is a fascinating museum dedicated to telling the story of Norwegian polar exploration through artifacts, maps, diaries and journals. One display in particular caught my eye – it featured a quote from a letter written by an explorer – it stated, “you have to adapt or…
We’d all like to think we are smart and indeed many, or we could even say most, financial advisors are smart. After all it takes a fair level of ‘smarts’ to be able to understand the complexities of the financial world, go about the business of acquiring clients and then invest their money profitably for…
What is it about listening that makes it so hard? Is it because we think that what we have to say is so much more interesting than what the other person has to say? Perhaps. Except for making you look a little self centered, it’s not likely to be much of an issue when you’re…
There is a saying in business, “You can’t improve what you don’t measure.” Much like runners have to know how fast they are running to be able to get better – similarly, you need to know what your clients think of you to improve what you offer them. However how to ask clients what they…
According to Schwab’s 2018 Modern Wealth Index, 31 percent of millennials have determined their financial goals and have a written plan. As a result, millennials are also more likely than older generations to have specific savings goals, work with an investment advisor and regularly re-balance their portfolio. Clearly attracting millennials makes sense, that is why they…