Episodes

“If I target a specific market, what about my current clients? And won’t I be missing out on other opportunities? These are a few of the common questions that come up in the discussion about niche marketing and the best target markets for financial advisors. While these are valid concerns, they are easily addressed. Listen to this 35-minute podcast episode from Bill Cates to get the answers … and a whole lot more. Whether you’ve never even considered narrowing your focus before, are looking for ...

“I tried networking once. It didn’t work!” Yes! This is an actual quote from a financial advisor. Sad! Networking for financial advisors is not just going to networking events – which even “The Referral Coach” loathes. Networking is forming our own “community” of mutually beneficial relationships. And it can be done without ever going to a single networking event. And don’t forget… It’s not called, “Net-sit” or “Net-eat.” It’s called “Net-work” for a reason. Forming a great network of folks who ...

Client Engagement! Client Experience! Creating “Wow!” What’s all the fuss? Did you know that client service, client experience, and client engagement are NOT the same things? Julie Littlechild, founder of Absolute Engagement and author of The Pursuit of Absolute Engagement has focused her business on showing advisors how to move their clients from satisfied to engaged. Why? Because her research shows that while satisfied clients are extremely loyal, there’s a low correlation between that satisfa...

Imagine that you are getting so many unsolicited referrals that your new prospective clients are willing to be placed on a 4-month waiting list to see you. A pipe dream? Not necessarily. Our featured guests on today’s show are experiencing this right now. How are they getting so many referrals without asking? With strategic relationship building, minor celebrity status in their target market, and a dash of effective social media. In this episode, Bill Cates interviews Warren Brooks and Terry Par...

If you’ve ever wondered if sending video messages to your prospects and clients can actually produce tangible, profitable results; then you need to listen to this interview. Have you harnessed the power of a clear, well-defined, and reachable target market – that’s hungry for your value? Are you using client successes, your client-focused why, and other stories to convey your value to prospects and clients? In this episode, Bill Cates interviews Todd Gillingham, the founding partner of Landmark ...

“Outspoken” “Controversial” “Disruptive” These are some of the words that have been used to describe Sara Grillo. Sara’s on a mission to help advisors rise above the platitudes and sameness they use to describe the valuable work they bring to their clients. In this lively interview, Bill and Sara discuss 2 important (but often overlooked) marketing strategies for financial advisors – the concepts of transparency and brevity – and how to use those concepts in communicating your value. Some of the...

How are YOU doing when it comes to attracting and working with affluent women? At this moment in time, women control one-third of total U.S. household financial assets – representing more than 10 trillion dollars. By 2030, women in the U.S. are projected to control much of the $30 trillion in financial assets that baby boomers will possess. Women are also the largest beneficiaries of the current transfer of wealth. Since women are living an average of five years longer than men, 90% of all women...

“Targeting niche markets for financial advisors” is a common theme these days. Are you sick of hearing that? Do you have a well-defined niche market? Are you casting too wide a net in your marketing efforts? Could you benefit from a narrower target or adopting 2 narrow targets rather than one large target? When you find the right market for you, almost every aspect of client acquisition becomes easier and more effective. Your messaging hits the bullseye in the brains of your prospects and wakes ...

Your ability to ask for referrals – to get more new clients through personal introductions – has to start with your mindset. This means that before you ask for referrals and introductions you must first eliminate any limiting beliefs and mistaken assumptions. Without the right thinking and perspective, you’ll be unlikely to use the methods proven to work. Most previous episodes of Top Advisor Podcast involve Bill interviewing a top advisor or top consultant – to bring forth their brilliance for ...

6% of retirees say that health is more important than wealth. Are you helping your clients (regardless of their age) with their most important asset – their health? There are two ways you can be of value to your clients in terms of holistic financial planning: Be a purveyor of great information in this area. Your clients will appreciate this added value. Be a role model of someone who is – as our featured guest would say – wellthy. In this episode, Referral Coach Bill Cates interviews Stevyn G...

What if you could net over $1M per year working 30-hour weeks and taking 13 full weeks off every year? What would that mean to you? More time with family and friends? More time on the golf course, boating, fishing, cooking, traveling, and whatever the heck you feel like doing? And what if you could build a successful referral-only practice tapping into a goldmine of referrals from certain types of estate planning attorneys? What would that mean for your business and how would that feel? Is this ...

Sandro Forte serves as a financial advisor to the Royal Family in the United Kingdom. But that’s not why we interviewed him. We interviewed Sandro because of the insight and wisdom he brings to the client acquisition process. In this episode of The Top Advisor Podcast, Referral Coach Bill Cates sits down with Sandro Forte, CEO of Forte Financial Group, a financial planning firm in the U.K. Sandro is all about using the right processes AND the right words to move prospects along to becoming clien...

How would you like to turn high net worth prospects into clients in the very first meeting, instead of chasing them or wondering if they are going to come back for a second appointment? I think it’s safe to say that your answer to the above question is “yes” – as long as that prospect is a good match for your business. First, they have to feel they can trust you. (You’re probably pretty good at doing this already). Second, if there is no triggering event going on in their life, you’ll need to cr...

In Part 1 of this 2-part series – Bill Cates interviewed Maribeth Kuzmeski, Ph.D (RedZoneMarketing.com) about creating more unsolicited referrals. In Part 2, we flip the table! Maribeth is interviewing Bill about asking for referrals and how to get referred up! Maribeth Kuzmeski Gets Bill to Discuss: Why getting referrals without asking is incomplete. The difference between referrals and introductions. What advisors can do to get referred up. The keys behind asking for referrals without soundin...

Every financial advisor wants referrals without asking – as long as those prospects are an ideal fit for their business. How do you get these qualified unsolicited referrals? And what’s the difference between pursuing unsolicited referrals and actually asking for referrals? In Part 1 of this 2-part interview, Referral Coach Bill Cates CSP, CPAE, interviews Maribeth Kuzmeski, PhD., President of RedZone Marketing, author, and marketing professor at Oklahoma State University. Maribeth’s insights ar...

When it comes to building a referral only practice, you want to attract prospects and build client relationships by making two intertwined connections. You want to make a value connection and you want to make a personal connection. Both are necessary, though the mix of the two may vary from client to client. In this episode, Referral Coach Bill Cates is joined by Tyson Vines, Founder & Financial Advisor of V Financial Partners, to talk about his process for attracting and winning new clients and...

Is your marketing strategy a Triple Threat? There are three important marketing strategies that every top advisor should consider using in their effort to attract more Right-Fit Clients: A well-defined, profitable target market. A financial advisor website focused on client acquisition (not just a “digital brochure.”) A podcast that creates credibility in your target market. In this episode, Referral Coach Bill Cates sits down with Jeremy Keil, founder of Keil Financial Partners, to discuss h...

According to Forbes, “Millennials will hold five times as much wealth as they have today, and the group is anticipated to inherit over $68 trillion from their Baby Boomer parents by the year 2030. This will represent one of the greatest wealth transfers in the modern times.” There are already approximately 618,000 millennial millionaires. Millennial millionaires make up approximately 2% of the total U.S. millionaire population. The majority of millennial millionaires have a net worth that ranges...

Do you have a Personal Brand Story Do you know your “why” – as in, why you believe in the importance and value of your work? And are you using it to connect with your prospects and clients in a meaningful way – that leads to winning their business and generating referrals? In this episode of Top Advisor Podcast, Referral Coach Bill Cates welcomes Deirdre Van Nest, Founder of Crazy Good Talks. Deirdre tells us why she works with financial advisors, a touching story that revolves around a personal...

Sudden Wealth can strike in many ways. It can come through an inheritance, an athlete signing a lucrative contract, a legal settlement, the sale of a company, or even winning the lottery. Sudden wealth can bring elation and a host of challenges. Without a sound plan of action, sudden wealth can escape almost as quickly as it came. It can even leave debt in its wake. In this episode of the Top Advisor Podcast, Bill Cates speaks with Myah Moore Irick, who has built and sustained a highly successfu...

Many top financial advisors use a target market strategy that enhances just about every other aspect of their client-acquisition efforts. They are able to build a reputation that begins to draw people in – where they are sought out by prospects with their hand raised saying, “I’ve heard great things about you. You were highly recommended. I know you work with people just like me.” And if you pick the right target market, you’ll likely find more enjoyment and passion in your work. In this episode...

In business, when you hear someone talk about the CEO’s role in a company, your first thought is that they’re the leader and top decision-maker for the company. What if we told you that there are two other integral roles in a company that also fall under the CEO umbrella? In this episode, Referral Coach Bill Cates speaks with Travis Chaney, CEO of Dynamic Directions (D2). Bill and Travis talk about the three essential CEO roles in a company that every entrepreneur financial advisor should know a...

Many business partnerships begin with two people coming together with like-minded business ideas. In the beginning things are great, both parties get along well and the creative juices flow. Eventually a legal partnership is formed. However, once the business is formed, do you know how your partner deals with setbacks and success? Do you know how they deal with money? What about hiring employees? In this episode, Referral Coach Bill Cates meets with financial advisors Karen Jessey & Neill Turner...

How much of a difference does your company culture really make for your clients and your employees? In this episode, Bill invites Scott Leibfried to talk about the “Premium Client Experience” and how his years in the industry have helped him develop the toolkit to strengthen his clients’ and employees’ relationship with his business. Bill and Scott discuss: The culture of Scott’s business, and how it has evolved with their growth What made Scott think deeper about the importance of work culture...