client behavior Archives

The best way to manage emotional clients

by Tony Vidler There comes a time for all of us when we find ourselves dealing with a client who is not acting rationally, or logically, and is driven by their emotions. It’s tough to handle isn’t it? There is every risk that whatever you do will be seen as confrontational, or dismissive and […]

Maybe the client IS the problem

by Tony Vidler What you think is the problem is not always actually the problem. Sometimes the person is the problem. Sometimes, maybe, the client is the problem rather than you. Before talking about clients though allow me to use a non-client example. Picture the scene: a partner in a practice is telling me about […]

How to influence clients with “Social Proof”

by Tony Vidler One of the primary functions of the professional adviser is to influence clients to make change. Or sometimes, influence them not to change things. Our role is to manage client behaviour to help generate the desired outcomes that clients want. We must get them to act, or not act, in order […]

Where will the greatest disruption to your practice come from?

by Tony Vidler Disruption has long been a feature of financial services distribution. Disruption constantly occurs with new market entrants, product innovation, shifting strategic focus on the part of suppliers in relation to control or autonomy of distributors….but disruption has typically come from within the industry itself. Some years ago I read a piece […]

Maybe Financial Advisers Could Be Selling Coffee?

by Tony Vidler Do you remember when petrol stations competed on client service? Fundamentally they were all selling the same basic commodity, at about the same price, to anyone who drove up. That included the regulars who lived in the area and who had high lifetime value and the out-of-towners cruising through who just needed […]

Client Contact Frequency: How much is enough?

by Tony Vidler The question of whether client contact frequency makes a discernible difference to the strength of the adviser-client relationship, or enhances the perceived value of the adviser to the client, is one which is still debated continuously. How often is often enough is the burning question. Some research done on […]

It Is A Journey To Becoming An Advice Client

by Tony Vidler Becoming an advice client is not quick and easy for consumers really…every decision, every solution, every recommendation seems to be a major journey for them. We know it is true, and we know that the process of onboarding a new client takes longer than ever and more barriers to engagement […]

The Customer Is NOT King; The Customer Is Not Always Right

by Tony Vidler The mantra of “customer is king” is rubbish. The customer is not always right, and the customer is definitely not the stakeholder who provides permission to practice. Yet we keep hearing that the customer is king from marketers and interest groups as if it were a commandment. A King or […]

Reaching todays “common client”

by Tony Vidler Reaching todays common client is not easy for professionals. They are easy to find for sure, but reaching them and getting their attention is something else again. When you consider how a buying process happens today it becomes a lot easier to understand why it is so hard – and what […]

Listen to the market or get out while you can

by Tony Vidler “Two Ears but only one mouth”…blah blah blah…sales training 101, right? We know how important it is to “listen” to clients, and we know the danger of losing touch with what they want and what they are thinking. Every single professional has lost good clients at some point simply because […]

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