The Advisor Solutions Podcast

How do you measure success in your business? Do you measure it only by one set of measurements, accomplishing goals? For example, the goal is to gather twenty-four million in new assets in a year. If you achieve it, you succeed, but if you don’t, you fail. It seems pretty straightforward.  Most financial advisors, insurance agents, wholesalers, branch managers, and even agency managers measure success in only one way- accomplishing the goal! And, as strange as this might sound, it’s actually the wrong way! The reason is that it’s not only the destination that should be reached to succeed but the many milestones along the way that must be celebrated to also enjoy the journey! If you don’t accomplish milestones along the way and don’t view the milestones as “mini-wins,” then you won’t put much value on those milestones. If you don’t place value on those milestones, then you probably don’t care about them because you aren’t evaluating and measuring each step along the way to see if they are fruitful. If you don’t set and reward yourself for milestones set and reached, the by-product at the end of the year is most likely far less success.  You have to put in the work, evaluate as you go, and tweak the process until you reach your goal(s). This episode shares with you how successful advisors and agents map out, measure, and master milestones!

Have you ever created a business plan in January only to realize that you aren’t following it by March or April? Does this sound familiar? If so, know this… you, are not alone. Most financial advisors, insurance agents, wholesalers, branch managers and even agency managers don’t have a well thought out process for getting to the next level. They start out the year with their business plans with the best of intentions, only to get sidetracked with the day-to-day operations which leave those plans unattended and ultimately unfulfilled. In this episode, learn a process to go beyond the standard business plan to using a business blueprint to create a record year!

Do you ever feel stuck in your career, wondering how to overcome challenges? Or maybe you are looking for the right tools to unlock your potential, or just the thought of figuring out how to get to the next level seems overwhelming. In fact, it might feel like you are on an emotional rollercoaster ride, wanting to grow your business but not feeling confident in your ability to do so. Does this sound like you? If so, know that you are not alone. Many financial advisors, insurance agents, wholesalers, branch managers, and even agency managers don’t have a growth mindset. They typically don’t understand that everything starts between your ears. And that developing a growth mindset isn’t just a good idea, it’s the foundation for achieving long-term success in this business! This episode shares practical strategies successful advisors and agents have used to master a growth mindset. These are not just theoretical concepts but actionable steps to incorporate into your practice, empowering you to strengthen your client relationships.

Do you know what it takes to create a record setting year? You might be thinking that it’s simple- if I do more, I will get better results.  The problem with that is, that you’re just working harder.  In order to create a record setting year, you have to know how to work smarter.  Most financial advisors, insurance agents, wholesalers, branch managers, and even agency managers don’t have processes and systems to create a record-setting year.  There are fundamental things that you have to do in order to reach the next level, and just working harder won’t get you there. In fact, if you work twice as hard, you will probably get burned out!  What if you worked twice as smart? What if you had the motivation to apply new processes daily and got better results? In other words, you’re not reinventing the wheel but are applying what other advisors and agents have done that works! What if you tracked your actions and your results for an entire year? Would you have a higher probability of having a recorded setting year? Absolutely! In this episode, learn what other successful advisors and agents do to uplevel their businesses, year after year!

Do you have a well-thought-out strategy to start your day off right? Like many, you might not. Instead, you probably have morning routines on auto-pilot, like making your bed, brushing your teeth, and running out the door with a cup of coffee in your hand, ready to battle morning rush hour traffic. If so, know that you are not alone! Most financial advisors, insurance agents, wholesalers, branch managers, and even agency managers don’t know the secret to get the most out of their day. The reason is that they have never really learned what successful advisors and agents do each morning before work to start their day off right with morning rituals.  Morning rituals can set the tone for the rest of the day. And, when done over time, they can have a lasting positive impact, including reduced stress, mental clarity, and energy! In this episode, learn what successful advisors and agents do to create, implement, and master their morning rituals!

Have you ever wondered how successful advisors keep reaching the next level? Some people might say that it is just luck, while others might say it’s about skill. I believe that it really comes down to one simple but powerful thing that they apply each and every day. It’s all about having efficient and productive business habits! You see, those who are successful seem to have daily habits that continue to create more success, while those who have bad habits tend to stay on a production plateau. Now, the real question is, do you feel like you are stuck on a production plateau? If so, know that you are not alone. Many financial advisors, insurance agents, wholesalers, branch managers, and even agency managers don’t have business habits that lead to successful outcomes. They typically don’t understand the power that habits can play in their day-to-day lives. Rather, they are conditioned to continue applying the same bad habits, which keep them on a production plateau. This episode shares practical strategies successful advisors and agents have used to create business habits that are fruitful. These are not just theoretical concepts but actionable steps to incorporate into your practice, empowering you to strengthen your client relationships.

Do you feel a little lost in your business during the holiday season? We all know that the time between Thanksgiving and New Year's is often a blur.  Then it’s January, and you have to play catch up, as most likely, the past six weeks haven’t proven productive. Many financial advisors, insurance agents, wholesalers, branch managers, and even agency managers don’t have a strategy to finish a year out strong. They have never thought about this time of the year as an opportunity to learn from the past, take action in the present and prepare for the future. Why not have a strategic plan to make the most of the holiday season and go into the new year knowing you did everything you could? This episode shares practical strategies successful advisors and agents have used to have an effective business during the holiday season. These are not just theoretical concepts but actionable steps to incorporate into your practice, empowering you to strengthen your client relationships.

Do you ever have a client that you really like? You click with them, and it feels like you’ve been an old friend for years. And, you’d like to have more clients just like them. So, you muster up the courage and say, “I love to work with people like you. Who do you know that I could introduce myself to?” The client instantly looks shocked and replies, “I can’t think of anyone, but if I do, I will let you know.” The problem is, they never let you know. Can you relate to this? If so, know that you are not alone! Most financial advisors, insurance agents, wholesalers, branch managers, and even agency managers don’t have a systematic way of attracting referrals! They don’t take the time to understand each of the possible challenges that can clog the attracting referrals section of the pipeline, nor the solutions to tackle those obstacles. As a result, they go into the referral conversation with an advisor’s perspective rather than a client’s view.  This episode shares practical strategies that successful advisors and agents have used to unclog the pipeline when requesting referrals. These are not just theoretical concepts, but actionable steps you can implement in your practice.

Do you ever have a closing appointment with a prospect and are so excited to explain your recommendations that you can’t wait to begin telling them what they are? You start with some small talk but quickly turn the conversation towards what you want them to do. And, the next thing you know, you’ve explained all of the features and benefits, so you ask for the order only to find that they need to “think about it” or “talk to their spouse.”  Then, they leave your office, and when you follow up with a phone call, unfortunately, they either say they are still “thinking about it” or they don’t even pick up the phone, much less call you back! Can you relate to this? Most financial advisors, insurance agents, wholesalers, branch managers, and even agency managers don’t have a systematic way of closing an appointment! They don’t take the time to understand each of the possible challenges that can clog the closing appointment section of the pipeline or the solutions to tackle those obstacles. As a result, they go into the closing appointment, telling (or selling) to the prospect instead of helping them want to buy. This episode shares practical strategies that successful advisors and agents have used to unclog the pipeline with a Closing Appointment. These are not just theoretical concepts but actionable steps you can implement in your practice.

Do you ever have a first appointment with a new prospect only to realize later that it was also a last appointment? The prospect didn’t want to meet again to hear your recommendations. Instead, they said they needed to speak to their spouse first or check their calendar. In reality, they didn’t see the value in meeting again, and when you followed up, they never returned your calls. Can you relate to this? If so, know that you are not alone! Most financial advisors, insurance agents, wholesalers, branch managers, and even agency managers don’t have a systematic way of connecting with a prospect during the first appointment! They don’t take the time to understand each of the possible challenges that can clog the first appointment section of the pipeline, nor the solutions to tackle those obstacles. As a result, they go into the first appointment telling prospects about themselves rather than taking time to ask about the prospect. This episode shares practical strategies that successful advisors and agents have used to unclog the pipeline with the First Appointment. These are not just theoretical concepts but actionable steps you can implement in your practice.