Welcome to "More Profit & More Time" that includes your second e-lesson on Simon's Success Strategies - Start 2005 Polished, Planned & Prepared.

In this issue:

Part 1 – Simon’s Success Strategies 2005 - Start 2005 Polished, Planned & Prepared
Part 2 – Advisors Only
Part 3 – Coaching Case Studies
Part 4 – Reilly's Reflections & Rants

Happy New Year!

I hope that the Holiday Season was good to you and that you scheduled the time with your Journal to write your Vision for 2005. 

We are very fortunate that the Holiday Season gives us the time to get out of our day-to-day routines to visit with family and friends, get some rest, take the time to reflect on the outgoing year and get re-inspired for the year ahead. 

Over the years, one of the things that I have found that really works to create inspiration is to take your Journal and invest the time to record the things that you have accomplished over the past year in all the areas of both your personal and business lives.  Beside each of your accomplishments, write down the values and the feelings that each of your accomplishments was based upon and how it made you feel.   This answers the deeper questions of;  “Why did you want your Vision and Goal for 2004” in the first place and will help to answer “Why Do You Want Your Vision” for 2005. 

As a side note, I find that a lot of us have an emotional vocabulary that is somewhat limited so I have included a step by step process along with worksheets in Simon’s Success Strategies 2005 - Start 2005 Polished, Planned & Prepared.  Please note that what I mean by “things that you have accomplished” is not necessarily about things – this can mean being in love with your spouse or going on a holiday with your family or helping others.

Recording the things that you have accomplished over the past year is a way of giving thanks and acknowledging the things that you have been blessed with.  Who knows, you will probably surprise yourself at how fortunate you have been.  It may bring you back to the beginning of 2004 to the time when you looked at some of your goals and even though you wrote them, you didn’t have a clue on how you were going to accomplish them.  This brings me back to the reminder about your Vision for 2005, dream really big and forget HOW!

So read on to Inspire your Vision for 2005 by answering;  Why Do You Want Your Vision?

May all your dreams come true and may 2005 be your best year ever.

Simon Reilly
sreilly@leadingadvisor.com

The second step is Why do you want your Vision?

Creating a vision for the future is simply about waving that realistic magic wand - it's not about analyzing what you do well, what you need to improve on, etc. There's no need to cloud your vision with what you perceive to be your own limitations. 

 Asking HOW you are going to do it, will certainly open you up to what you may need to improve upon, which is not important right now.

It is more about the question of Why do you want your Vision?

What Values will your Vision be based upon and what Feelings do you want to feel or create as a result of fulfilling your Vision and living your Values?

Values & Feelings are the “DNA” of your Vision.

I believe Wayne Dyer said it this way; 

• Motivation comes from the Mind or from the Outside

• Inspiration comes from the Heart or from the Inside

Outside Motivation has a tendency to wear out because trying to constantly find motivation from something outside of yourself simply just doesn’t inspire you.

Inside Inspiration naturally pulls you forward because it is based upon who you are which relates to the Feelings and the Values that inspire you.

To make this easy for you, please go to the following documents and follow the Call To Action;

Part 2 – Advisors Only

In follow up to the Advisor's Forum Conference in Toronto, December 8 & 9, 2004 please find the attached summary of the presentation from;

* Jim Rogers, Rogers Group Financial - Ten Tips to Take You to the Top!

Jim Rogers is one of Canada’s leading financial advisors and 35 year veteran of the financial services industry. He has a long list of academic, industry, and community service qualifications. Mr. Rogers has been the National Chair of CAIFA (Canadian Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors), as well as the Chair of The Top Of The Table (MDRT). He was the first recipient of Advisor's Edge magazine's Career Achievement Award for outstanding service and leadership in the financial advisory industry in Canada.

Ten Tips to Take You to the Top! will deliver 10 practical practice management ideas that when implemented, will significantly improve an advisor’s bottom line.

This Issue – Tips 1 – 3.

 
#1 - Business Activity Should have a Meaningful Purpose

Your business activity should be about increasing revenue or reducing costs.  The largest part of the day should be spent on meeting with clients, prospective clients, or a centre of influence.

#2 - Develop a Daily Routine

Develop, practice and refine a daily routine.  Preprint your daily calendar. 

The Power of 3.

The Power of 3 Game Plan.  Make either 3 calls or 3 appointments = 6 per day = 30 per week

Remember Your Appointment Goals;

1. Obtain a prospect
2. Move a prospect along to becoming a client
3. Conduct a fiscal check up

#3 - Always Use A Meeting Agenda

A meeting agenda helps to get you to where you want to go.  It reminds you why you are having the meeting in the first place.  Why have a meeting without an agenda?

Use a specific meeting agenda when meeting with each client.  During the meeting, make notes in red ink.   Record everything, like a stream of consciousness, everything that is meaningful to you and your client.

Remember, clients don’t have financial goals, they have financial concerns.  Your job is to ask questions and to listen.  All human beings have a basic human need to be heard.  Ask, what keeps you awake at night? 

Your job is to manage your client’s expectations.  Most clients are not that clear on their expectations.  If a client has a “sky’s the limit” set of expectations then the client may not be your best client.

Often litigation is about expectations not being met.  To manage expectations your job is to ask and record; 

• If during the 45 minutes this meeting is to be successful in your terms, what has to happen? 
• On your way down, you had an expectation, a question or an issue, what is it that you want to review?
• Tell me what I need to do to meet your expectations?

By asking the right questions, you can lay out an agenda and become clear on what you have to change in order to best serve your client.

If you don’t ask the right questions at the right time, you can be way too far into your interview, and be potentially on the wrong track and worse yet, run out of time.

Don’t ask Why, instead say, “Please tell me about…. “

• Investments
• Insurance…..
• What you like about your current advisor?

You can continue by saying ..,

• "Say more about that…."

Don’t write down significant comments when they are being made.  Be careful, your client may feel that you could use that against them, record the comment later.

The most important thing to remember is what’s important to them.

For the next issue we will cover the points of;

#4 – Delegate
#5 – Specialize
#6 – Image & Position

 
Advisor Forum Communication Tips

Communication Tips

#1
Treat Prospect and Clients Differently
Make sure you’re not sending existing clients the same promotional material you send potential clients. Clients want to feel like you know them and you want to help them – not sell to them.

#2
Address Envelopes By Hand
Research shows that envelopes with hand written addresses are more likely to be opened. 

#3
Always Give Email Recipients The Option To Unsubscribe From Email Newsletters
Chances are, if you got their permission in the first place, you will see very few recipients unsubscribing from your email newsletter. But knowing that they have the option assures clients that they are still in control of the information you send them.

#4
Do More, More Often - #1
According to a Forrester Research 2004 study* of affluent investors, the more interactions an advisor has with a client, the more likely the client thinks the advisor is trustworthy, objective, and provides good value for money. Set a goal to increase the number of touchpoints you have with all your clients.
*How Affluent Investors Use Advisors, Forrester Research, May, 2004

#5
Do More, More Often - #2
In a 2002 study by Prince & Associates, affluent investors who said they were “highly satisfied” with their primary financial advisor had an average of 14 contacts with that advisor over the previous six months. Set a goal to increase the number of touchpoints you have with all your clients.

#6
Use The Power of The Testimonial
Nothing is more powerful to both clients and prospects than a testimonial from a satisfied client. Use them everywhere you can: brochures, letters of introductions, newsletters – even as an introduction slide in a PowerPoint presentation.

#7
Market With Health
Health concerns are the biggest pre-occupation of Canadians in general, and wealthy boomers in particular. Health information will always get our clients attention. Think about how to use this topic in your marketing, from healthy living tips in your newsletter to holding client seminars or events with health practitioners in your community.

#8
What Are You Doing Wrong? Find Out!
Too often advisors are perplexed about why a marketing campaign didn’t have the expected results. Next time, find out! Have your assistant call 10 clients – no selling involved – to ask if they received the package and whether or not they found it helpful. You’ll quickly find out what your clients really want and you’ll stop wasting time and effort.

#9
Constantly Ask Clients For Their Feedback
In addition to formal surveys, ask your clients for feedback at every opportunity: during phone conversations in face-to-face meetings, in every mailing or email. Regardless of the reason for the client contact, they’ll appreciate that you are concerned about continuing to provide good service.

#10
Ask For Family Business
When you discover that a client has children, parents or siblings who might benefit from your services, let your client know that you’d be happy to meet with them. They may not be aware that you can help minimize the overall family tax bill when you know the family’s full financial picture.

Part 3 – Coaching Case Studies

In this section I will include actual transcripts of coaching situations that I have worked with a client on in the past two weeks.  For the next couple of issues, I'm taking the liberty to give you some insights about my Web Site / Marketing Plan journey.

The Marketing Funnel

In the past two issues I have written articles that are part of your Marketing Plan and Marketing Funnel.

• Inspire and focus both you and your clients by following The 19 Rules of Niche
• Create authenticity with you prospects and clients by developing your Elevator Speech and Parable.
• Refer prospects and clients to your Web Site & E-zine by offering your Referral Card
• Build your “One Banana" Relationship Building Web Site
• Invite all who hear you to visit your web site and to subscribe to your e-zine
• Write your bi-monthly or monthly E-zine. 
• Remember your E-zine is to create a relationship and to build trust.  Your E-zine is not to create an instant sale.

Your next steps are;

• Develop Strategic Alliance Partners
• Tell 1000 people about your Web Site & E-zine.  This will create a Tipping Point. 
• Join Associations that are related to your Niche.
• Attend association and conference meetings that are related to your Niche
• Obtain the attendees list of the association and conference meetings and test Direct Mail & Fax
• Speak at association, conference and company meetings on Niche specific topics. 
• Write Niche specific articles and talks on topics covered at the association and conference meetings
• Become Published in Print, Radio or TV – the notoriety will enhance the value of your articles and speaking
• Send Press Releases to Trade Magazines that relate to your Niche
• Advertise your Web Site & E-zine in Trade Magazines that relate to your Niche
• Use inexpensive Classifieds that your Niche may read
• Interview the Top Leaders in your Niche and publish the interviews in your E-zine
• Offer Free Introductory Group Telephone Bridge Calls that relate to your Products & Service

And your next “e-marketing” steps are;

• Submit Articles to Article Banks
• Introduce your Web Site & E-zine to Complimentary Web Sites & E-zines in your Niche
• Use Tell-A-Friend script on your sign up page
• Build Joint Venture Relationships with competitors in your Niche
• Pay Per Click/Key Word Search
• Identify Three Additional Areas where your Niche is inclined to hang out
• Submit your E-zine to Directories
• Explore Discussion Groups
• Apply for E-zine Reviews & Awards

Part 4 – Reilly's Reflections & Rants

I believe that no one has been untouched by the unfortunate disaster that struck the innocent victims of the tsunami in South Asia.

One particular news spot that touched me the most was of a young girl that was found alive after floating on a door for over two days.

Her presence on camera was simply amazing.  She spoke to the camera as if she were sending a message to her parents and siblings that she was safe and that she was praying for her family’s safe return.  You could clearly see that it was her intention to give them inspiration.

So as we all reflect on the closure of 2004 and renewal from the dawn of 2005, please do your best to support the victims in your own way whether it is through giving or through prayer that those in need receive aid as quickly as humanly possible, that they have the time to grieve their losses and that they receive the strength to rebuild stronger than ever.

Here is a list of resources on how to help;

Canadian Red Cross: 1-800-418-1111 or www.redcross.ca

Donate to the Canadian Red Cross via Amazon.ca:  www.amazon.ca

Oxfam Canada: 1-800-466-9326 (1-800-GO-OXFAM) or www.oxfam.ca

World Vision Canada: 1-800-268-5528 or www.worldvision.ca

UNICEF Canada: 1-877-955-3111 or www.unicef.ca

Canadian Tamil Congress: 1-416-751-8777

Canadian Relief Organization for Peace in Sri Lanka 1-416-429-2822

Development and Peace: 1-888-664-3387 or www.devp.org

Christian Children's Fund of Canada: 1-800-263-5437 or www.ccfcanada.ca

UJA Federation of Greater Toronto: 416.631.5705 or www.jewishtoronto.com

CARE Canada: 1.800.267.5232 or www.care.ca

Doctors without Borders Canada: 1-800-982-7903 or http://www.msf.ca/

As 2004 closes, take the time with your journal to record and give thanks for your blessings.

Please do not make the mistake of saying or writing “My life isn’t so bad, look at all the tsunami victims, things could be worse”.

This kind of thinking does two things; the first is you are unknowingly celebrating your so called good fortune on the backs of the losses of those that can least afford it.  Instead of praying for the victims and giving them energy you are unknowingly taking energy away from them in a sense.  The second is it leaves you with the focus that things could be worse.

Please be aware that you get what you wish for.

Remember to focus on giving thanks and to try to look for the good for both what you received in 2004 and what you receive in 2005.

At a time like this, one could say that there is nothing so cruel as nature.  Yet, nature could have delivered the world a silver lining of all nations joining together in unity for a common cause.