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Why Join ACP? The Top Tips from our Advisors

  

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ACP has built its organization around dynamic, like-minded advisors who have a drive to deliver optimum value to the clients they serve. Our commitment to our fee-only fiduciary standard is what has held us and our advisors together for over 25 years. This has been our founding principle and it has allowed us to grow a wonderful community. 

Our members are passionate, highly trained, motivated professionals who come from all walks of life and all types of financial planning backgrounds, bringing diversity in knowledge, education, and work experience. 

Being a member of the Alliance of Comprehensive Planners provides access to a wealth of tools, resources, education, and support. But why take our word for it? Let’s turn it over to our members who have provided testimonials on how their membership journeys have impacted their financial planning practices. 

Today, we would like to provide a round-up of some of the top advice our advisors have about why their ACP status matters to them and how it could impact you. The information for this blog post was inspired by this podcast episode

Community is key

One thing that sets ACP apart is our emphasis on developing and nurturing relationships in our advisor community. Whether you are a new advisor or seeking a career change, you will be able to thrive in our rich community and foster relationships which will help you both professionally and personally. 

We have created a space for advisors to talk about the hard questions and get advice on what has and hasn’t worked for other advisors who were once in their position. Seasoned advisors and long-time ACP members also greatly benefit from the sense of community and partnership that exists among our members. 

Our members feel like this community roots for you to succeed and lifts you up when you do. For us, there is a big difference between an association and a community. We are proud to lean into both identities. While we offer proven, reliable tools and resources to our members, we also offer mentorship and development opportunities which keep our members connected and provide a richer sense of community.

Networking opportunities

One way our members are able to get together is through our conferences. Conferences are excellent opportunities to meet the people you speak and interact with online. This provides a medium for advisors to connect, network, and forge a deeper sense of community. 

Take the time that you have together to be vulnerable and open with your fellow advisors. By being honest about any issues you are having with your practice, you are able to gain real help and advice from other people who might be going through the same thing. These honest conversations can provide a space to proactively solve problems with the help of a supportive community.

A piece of advice that many of our members shared was the importance of finding and nurturing mentor relationships. Mentorship is a key aspect of professional development and one that is encouraged in the ACP community. 

Finding advisors who share your vision, drive, and passion for the work you do can help you gain incredible insight about running a practice, client relationships, processes and workflows, moral support, career growth and development, and more. Mentorship is an excellent way to grow and carve out your career path. You are able to gain wisdom from people you trust which can help you find greater success. 

We also have discussion forums and a members-only website which our members use to talk with one another, ask questions, give advice, and be there for each other. 

Community is a distinguishing mark for ACP and one that our advisors are proud of. 

Professional development

Joining ACP will open up an array of resources and tools to help grow and build your financial planning practice. These tools can help you expand the breadth of your service offerings while also strengthening your value proposition. Our fee-only fiduciary standard helps lift you up as an advisor and can transform the way you operate your business and also communicate with your clients. 

Our advisors have noted a transformation in their clients’ responses and the relationship development after adopting and committing to the fiduciary promise. By putting the client’s best interest above yours, you are able to commit to them in a way that you couldn’t previously. Many advisors have seen a stronger, longer, and more fulfilling relationship with their clients as a direct result. 

Another crucial benefit of ACP is the help we provide advisors to understand and structure their fees. Fees are a big pain point for many advisors and clients alike, both in their structure and communication. We seek to help advisors streamline that process. 

Our members have access to a unique fee calculator that helps determine the right fee to charge for the service and value provided. Once you know the fee you want to charge, ACP provides you with resources like the ACP pyramid, cost-benefit analysis, and even scripts to help you demonstrate your value to clients, encouraging you to charge what you are worth, while also delivering optimum value. 

Personal growth

Members of ACP have found that through our training materials, financial planning resources, coaching opportunities, community, networking, and general philosophy they have been able to grow both as advisors and people. Personal growth is intrinsically linked to professional growth and our members have been able to achieve both. 

One way this happens is through seeking out and finding your ideal client. This looks different for each person. But once you know what you are worth, adjust your fees accordingly, and deliver optimum value for your clients, you will be able to seek out and attract the right clients to grow your business. 

When you are working with clients who are respectful and enrich your business, you will experience personal and professional growth. 

Why ACP?

ACP provides a rich community of advisors along with proven methods to grow a strong, successful, and profitable financial planning practice. 

We are always excited to welcome new members to our community. Interested in learning more? Schedule a time to talk with us today. We look forward to hearing from you. 


ACP members featured in this episode:

Dennis McNamara, CFP®, AIF®, Co-Founder of wHealth Advisors;

David Klepeisz, CFP®, EA, Vice President of Accruent Wealth Advisors;

Sheila Padden, CPA, CFP®, RLP®, Founder of Padden Financial Planning;

Mary Alpers, CFP®, EA, President of Alpers Financial Planning;

Wendy Marsden, CPA/PFS, CFP®, Founder of ProsperiTea Planning;

Kelly Adams, CFP®, EA, Founder of Harbor Light Planning;

Bridget Sullivan Mermel, CFP®, CPA, Founder of Sullivan Mermel, Inc.;

Rorik Larson, CFP®, EA, Founder of Essential Financial Strategies;

Kevin Jacobs, CFP®, EA, Founder of Step By Step Financial;

Carol Friedhoff, CFP®, EA, Founder of Savvy Outcomes;

Ken Robinson, CFP®, JD, Founder of Practical Financial Planning

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