According to the National Ethics Association, one of the top five reasons E&O is paid is because of inadequate business practices. Errors were found because of the lack of knowledge, action that wasn’t taken, poor communication, and inconsistent business practices. When you look at how fast an agency moves and...
Every agency has its own language. Words and phrases that only you and your team use with each other; never outside the office or around a client. This language develops and evolves over time. Your language might be shaped by professional experience, for instance you might choose to have your...
In business, the general rule of thumb is to be slow to hire, because hiring the wrong people can be a costly mistake. In the financial services industry, this is especially true. For most positions, you have to find team members that can do the work, pass the right background...
In the Financial Services industry, the conversation between sales teams and managers is often informal and even casual. We often hear, “We’re a small business, we know what’s happening.” Yet, we find that many financial services professionals are not having the right conversations with their sales team. Yes, they talk...
Dealing with difficult or even upset clients is something that can’t always be avoided. Clients will not always like decisions that are made or rules that must be followed. Yet, your agency still has to find a way to engage with these clients in a way that leaves them feeling...
It Starts with Your Client’s Expectations. When a client agrees to be your client they have a reasonable expectation that you will help them take care of their needs. They expect your team to be the experts. Which includes identifying risks and opportunities the client may not even know exists....
If you were coaching a MLB team in the World Series, would you ever ask your team to show up without practicing first? Chances are you answered with a strong no. In the world of sports, game day is a very small portion of how time is spent. The day-to-day...
As a professional in the financial services world, you’ve probably covered and discussed sales many times in your career. We all know it’s important. It’s widely accepted these days that it’s a skill that can - and should be - developed, but where do you start? Whether you’re looking to...
How many leads do your prospecting sources send your way each month? If you’re like most agencies the answer is not enough. Most would welcome new leads and new business, especially if they come from a recommendation. Yet, most agencies are not set up to create and nurture successful prospecting...
Do you have an entrepreneur mindset? In its simplest form, you - the financial services professional - are an entrepreneur. You took the risk to own your own business, answer to limited authority and make your own decisions. Not to rely on a paycheck, but to be paid for the...
