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Three Simple Ways to Demonstrate Your Value to Clients

  

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Financial planning is a growing industry. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for financial services will
grow by 7% through 2028, which is faster than average. With so many financial planners in the world, how can you stand out from the crowd?

The best way to attract, retain, and develop strong client relationships comes down to one simple idea: value. 

The value you provide clients is an integral component of a successful financial planning practice. But how can you clearly demonstrate that value to clients? That is what our team is here to help you learn today. 

At ACP we know that delivering optimum value plays an important role in every aspect of your business. From client relationships to fee structures and marketing collateral, identifying and properly communicating your value will go a long way in growing your business.

Today we are going to look at three simple ways to better illustrate your value to clients.


1. Define your unique value proposition

A value proposition is a vehicle that allows you to clearly show the value you will provide clients should they choose to work with you. A value proposition gets down to the “why” of your business:

  • Why should customers choose to work with you? 
  • Why are you the best for the job? 
  • Why will they receive optimum service with your firm? 

This is a chance for you to define what makes your company unique. You can also enlighten your prospects about what you stand for, how your company operates, and why you are in the best position to help them reach their goals. 

When crafting your value proposition, think through the services you offer clients and why you are passionate about conducting business in that way. Start by thinking about what you offer. 

  • Are you offering holistic financial solutions?
  • Is your firm committed to comprehensive planning?
  • Does your business provide tax planning and preparation services?

In all likelihood, it may be a combination of the elements above. Perhaps you are running a comprehensive financial planning practice with a strong emphasis on tax planning. You might also offer tax preparation services for retainer clients or other added services that enhance your mission and provide additional value.

Our ACP Success program encourages tax services because we see this as an excellent opportunity to add tangible value to your clients. Tax planning permeates every aspect of your clients’ financial lives. It is involved in investments, risk, estate planning, college planning, retirement planning, and more. When you offer this type of service, you are able to look at your client’s finances in a comprehensive way which helps them save money and better prepare for the future.


2. Set prices that reflect your value

Once you have dedicated time, money, education, and resources to building a practice you are passionate about, it is time to adjust your fees to better reflect the value you provide. Fee structures are an important part of your business and an area where many new and seasoned advisors get stumped. 

ACP can help. We recognize that crafting the right fee is a complex process, so to make it easier we created two customizable fee calculators for our members to use. This helps provide a framework for setting fees that are aligned with the work they do and the value provided. 

Most of our members operate under a retainer-based model, which has proven to be beneficial for the advisor and also the client. With an annual retainer, an advisor’s pay structure isn’t determined by external factors like the stock market, rather it is determined by the advice and level of service provided.

Our members find that this fee-model encourages comprehensive planning and allows them the space to do the work that they love most: helping clients craft a plan for their financial future. With a retainer, you don’t have to worry about the ebbs and flows of the market. You are able to look at the entire picture of a client’s plan like insurance, taxes, risk, investments, college planning, retirement, legacy, charitable ventures, goals, and more to build a plan uniquely suited to each client. 


3. Clearly communicate your value

It’s not enough to know that you are providing amazing value and that your business is set up in a way that allows you to operate like that. You also need to demonstrate that value to clients. This is something that many advisors struggle with. Selling yourself can be difficult which is why we provide training and resources to help guide you through these tough conversations. 

One resource our members find particularly helpful is our scripts. We provide members with scripts for how to demonstrate their value in client meetings. What makes these so helpful is that the conversation and talking points are laid out for you. It helps the advisors structure those conversations in a clear and concise way.

These scripts also help prevent advisors from underselling themselves and their services. It can be tough to accurately portray all that you do for clients and we make it easier for advisors to do just that. 

Our members also have access to a cost-benefit analysis tool that displays your value on a numerical scale. This is a great resource for client prospect meetings, as it helps clients visualize the value you can bring to their lives.


Resources from ACP

Here at ACP, we want to provide our members with the tools, resources, and education they need to be successful. Our extensive training programs help advisors build practices that they love and bring new life to the financial planning profession. 

We know that financial planning far exceeds investments and markets and we are helping advisors demonstrate the vast value that true comprehensive financial planning can bring to clients’ lives. 

Are you ready to see how a membership with ACP could add more value to your practice? Schedule a call with us today!

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