professional advice Archives

Pro Bono work: it is still professional advice

by Tony Vidler Oddly, I was asked whether pro bono work is still considered professional advice, implying immediately that it carried some lesser responsibility on the part of an adviser simply because they were not earning revneue from it. Why would pro bono clients deserve any lesser standards of ethical behaviour, professional competency or […]

I sell…You sell…We ALL sell. Or should do…

by Tony Vidler I am a professional. I am a salesman. These two things are not contradictory. We all sell stuff. It seems like I’m selling my time these days…sometimes a product….sometimes it is just selling concepts and possibilities. Mostly it is selling behavioural change & fixing other peoples’ problems though. But I sell. […]

Written Advice: Should it be Clear? or Concise? Or Effective?

by Tony Vidler When it comes to delivering our written advice to clients there is a tendency to be guided by the words used by the regulators, or law, in how that advice is framed or written. The written advice, be it financial plans or Statements Of Advice being delivered to clients, are however […]

A financial advisers best weapon: The Meeting Agenda

by Tony Vidler One of the most powerful weapons in an advisers armory is the Client Meeting Agenda. Yet, so few use them regularly…. The client meeting agenda sets up the entire professional relationship – not just the next hour or so that you happen to be with a client. In addition; It minimises […]

Describe Your Advice Services In Practical Terms To Get More Buy-In

by Tony Vidler Advice should, almost by definition, be “practical”. Your advice services should be practical in that can be applied in the real world to achieve real differences, and any advice in any of your areas of expertise should be a clear course of action that a client can use to achieve a […]

Best Practice Advice Means Meeting Client Expectations Too, doesn’t it?

by Tony Vidler What constitutes “Best Practice” advice process is a constant work in progress, but it does not develop as rapidly as either technology or client expectations do. In fact, there is a distinct probability that the gap between what professionals call best practice advice and what clients expectations of best practices are continue […]

Creating Happy Clients Is Not Enough

by Tony Vidler Creating and keeping happy clients IS essential for the success of a professional practice. There is no question about that. But is it enough to help a practice grow at a greater than industry average pace? I don’t believe so. Being a great practitioner and running an efficient & […]

YOUR need will kill the sale

by Tony Vidler I think it has always been true, but it is more true than ever: a needy adviser is a major turn off to potential clients. YOUR need will a sale. Sometimes, perhaps too many times, the reason why consumers do not buy is because of us. Whether we are trying […]

How To Deliver The “Right Advice” In The “Right” Way

by Tony Vidler Delivering the right advice consists of getting 2 things right: delivering advice that will work for the client, and delivering it in a manner which will result in the client taking action upon the advice. Getting both of those right is no simple thing. The first of them is […]

Incentives For Clients: What is appropriate?

by Tony Vidler What incentives are appropriate for encouraging clients to refer other clients? Are incentives appropriate at all? Some would even ask “Why provide incentives at all? Surely if the product or the advice is good value in itself then no further incentive is needed?” These questions around incentives for promotions […]

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