Financial advisors commonly look for and attempt to offer the “best performing” investment products, in spite of the fact that one of the basic tenets of the industry is “Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results.” An investment wholesaler (a true master of the profession) at a tier-one mutual fund recently shared an interesting thought:

“Advisors don’t really want the ‘best’ fund; they just want a really good fund that they really understand.”

Your job as an advisor is to match the proper financial strategies, products, and services with clients based upon the client’s financial situation and objectives. A part of this process involves selling. Three critical steps in the process include telling the client:

• The Benefits of a Particular Strategy
• How It Works
• Where it fits

In order to explain these aspects of a recommendation, advisors need to truly understand what they recommend. When selling, you need to give the 30,000-foot view to the client and be prepared to answer questions – any questions.  Don’t try to amaze people with your knowledge, but rather provide them with enough information they need to make an intelligent, comfortable buying decision.

Ethical and regulatory guidelines demand that you know your client. Suitability remains a cornerstone issue in the industry. Make sure you truly know the products and services you recommend as well as you know the clients whom you serve.

Your opportunity to build a professional services business depends on you and your sweat equity – as well upon upon the efforts of many others. At this time of year remember the American men and women who allow you to enjoy the blessings of  freedom and opportunity to grow your own business.

Our soldiers need your support. Their sacrifices are huge and many. The strain is showing. In one month earlier this year, more soldiers in Iraq were victims of suicide than were killed by al-Qaeda. These brave men and women (and their families) need our support. My youngest brother died in a non-combat accident in 1984 while serving his second tour of duty in the U.S. Navy, and I will never forget the phone call, the pain, and the grief endured by my family.

If you go to this web site, www.LetsSayThanks.com you can pick out a thank you card and Xerox will print it and it will be sent to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq . You can’t pick out who gets it, but it will go to a member of the armed services.

How AMAZING it would be if we could get everyone we know to send one!!! It is FREE and it only takes a second.

This takes just 10 seconds and it’s a wonderful way to say thank you. Please take the time and please take the time to pass it on for others to do. We can never say enough thank you’s.

This weekend I saw the new movie from  Alcon Entertainment / Warner Bros. titled, “The Blind Side.” The movie stars Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw, Quinton Aaron, and Kathy Bates, and tells the true story of Michael Oher, a homeless teenager who is taken in by a family and given a second lease on life.  The lessons learned from this movie include the power on one person’s decision to make a difference in the life of another, and a reminder of how grateful I am for everything in my life. Give yourself and your family (and possibly your staff) a gift, and go see this movie.

During this season of Thanksgiving (Why is thanksgiving compartmentalized into a season?) take inventory of all you have for which you should be grateful. Remind those people listed in this inventory of your gratitude for the part they have played in your life.

How does one put something back into life? Can you change the world? Yes, and the best place to start is by giving thanks by choosing to make a difference in the life of just one person.

This time of year businesses send holiday cards to clients, customers, and vendors. Consider picking up the phone this week and calling your best relationships to say thank you, and ask how you can help them now and in the future. Translate your gratitude into actions. Thanksgiving knows no season!

One more thing; please allow me to say “Thank you!” to my family, friends, clients and readers.

Happy Thanksgiving!