There is probably no topic that makes an advisor’s eyes go wider and fingers clench tighter.  The topic?  When I suggest to the advisor that perhaps, maybe, she should consider choosing a niche.  I may be imagining this since we are usually on the phone, and she is not in my line of sight.  Nevertheless, the response often conjures up a mix of fears and myths.  It usually goes something like, “I can’t choose a niche because . . . . . . I can’t afford to say ‘no’ to clients! . . . I won’t have all the clients I want to grow my firm! . . . It’s going to be hard to find

My background as a business and life coach for the last 19 years (and a Wall Street executive for the 20 before that!)  allows me glimpses into trends. Trends that you might not have noticed as you work hard to grow your firm.   And now it’s undeniable: a tipping point for financial advisors has arrived, which makes the release of my new course extremely relevant and timely for financial advisors (if I do say so myself)!   Earlier this year, I traveled to India to deliver a talk about it, and here are a couple of the comments I received, from participants who got just a sample of my newest course:   “Today’s event helped me with clarity to see what I should be

Years ago, while working with a client to grow his business, he asked me if I had a list of advisor niches.  I didn't have anything written down and I told him that I would find him one or two lists online. But I couldn't find any lists.  I was surprised and amazed. Why?  All the research shows that the most successful advisors have a niche (and a business plan).  I mean, shouldn't every advisor who is running their own business or book of business have a niche? As I continued researching, I also was interested in the history of niching.  There was none, either! My previous niche marketing research, knowledge I'd grown up with from

You’ve heard it before, but I’ll say it again.  To stand out in a crowded and competitive market, you need a niche. You may be considering niching as a strategy to increase your client base and productivity.  If so, you'll find the blog articles and webinar resources below helpful. Refine Your Niche with 158+ Examples for Financial Advisors Here is an ever-expanding list of possible niches to get you thinking.  They are sectioned into three categories -- what I call the 3 P's:  population and product (which most financial advisors think about when they are considering niching) AND passion (yours and your clients).     13 Reasons Why You Should Refine Your Niche This is a list

Niching. YUCK! I'll miss clients, right? I'll have to give up some of my current clients! I'll get bored. I won't be challenged. Advisors have plenty of reasons why they won't niche. Their fears often beat out the important reasons TO niche! Here are 10 reasons you want to choose and market to a target market: 1. According to CEG Worldwide research, 70 percent of top financial advisors—those earning at least $1 million annually—focus on a niche. 2. It’s much less expensive to create marketing materials geared to a subset of the population. 3. Generate more awareness of your brand, which brings prospects to you. 4. Word of mouth easily builds your reputation in your specialization because