Consider the reasons you decided to become an independent financial advisor. Did you want to be your own boss? Address a client need that you felt was going unfilled? Desire more freedom regarding your paycheck and your schedule? I recently gave a presentation on How to Become a Millionaire Advisor as part of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors' (NAIFA) Annual [...]
Developing a vision for your company is the first step in laying a solid foundation upon which to build your business. When you have a sound understanding of what you hope to achieve and gain from the enterprise at the outset - and likewise, how you want others to benefit from your services - you will have a strong reference point as your organization matures and faces challenges you would not [...]
When you start your own business, your approach to hiring staff may consist of just picking those capable of coping with an increasing workload, resulting in a patchwork of skills and responsibilities. Yet to create a sustainable, well-organized company, it's not enough to find skilled, capable employees - you also have to keep them. A recent study suggests that demonstrating to the staff in your [...]
Social media offers entrepreneurs so much more than a way to build their personal brand. Recently, I read an article by Forbes contributor Christine Crandell that gives some perspective to the strategic role social media fills in an enterprise. She argues that too many companies have added social media to their marketing campaigns for shallow reasons. They think it will be the [...]
Yes, marketing is an essential part of running a business and entrepreneurs should be sure to integrate marketing efforts into all other aspects of the company to effectively build a brand. Buying ad space or reaching out to prospects through newspaper articles and blogs will help establish your brand. Yet the efforts can also double as lead gathering and client relationship management [...]