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Dan Solin on investing, advisor marketing and turning prospects into clients. Page 3.

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Conversational Blind Spots

Until I figured out why we are prone to lecture and educate instead of converse, I was frustrated by my inability to convert more advisors to The Solin Processâ„ , which is premised on asking questions.

Negligent Financial Planning

You are caring, competent, conscientious and dedicated to the well-being of your clients. Yet, I wonder if there are gaps in the financial planning you are providing.

An Open Letter to Financial Conference Organizers

Financial conferences are great for learning about complex investment and planning topics. But they fail to offer sessions that would give advisors the tools to use this knowledge effectively.

Most Stocks Suck

Only 4% of the total number of stocks (1,092 stocks out of a total of 25,967) accounted for the net gain for the entire US stock market since 1926.

A Different Understanding

Trying to be different as a financial advisor can be a frustrating exercise. There are far better ways to market your advisory firm.

How to Tell in Three Minutes if Someone is a Successful Advisor

What is that single trait that distinguishes successful from not-so-successful financial advisors?

How to Work 6.5 Fewer Weeks per Year

Here’s an example of how you can use Parkinson’s law as a productivity hack. You can adjust the goal to make it one that works for you.

An Insight into the Mind of Your Prospects

Don’t you wish you could peer into the mind of your prospects and see what they’re thinking? Actually, you can and here's how to do it.

Wall Street’s Biggest Secret

Wall Street has a big secret. They use it to manipulate you. They don't want you to find out that they are terrible money managers.

Fees and Other Creative Ways to Lose Business

Fees are the easiest way to lose a prospect. But high fees aren’t necessarily the turn off.

Don’t Overreact to Fee Compression

Instead of focusing on the looming threat of fee compression, give your clients service that exceeds their expectations. There’s value to having a trusted advisor.

A Financial Planning Nightmare

The most thoughtful financial plans will be derailed by an extreme, but unfortunately common event: when both spouses simultaneously display dementia.

Fees Can Be Deceptive

The average management fee for an actively managed fund is 0.67%. The average management fee for an index fund is around 0.11%.

I Know Why You Lost That Prospect

There’s often a huge disconnect between what advisors believe should be covered in the initial meeting and what’s top-of-mind for the prospect.

What My Root Canal Taught Me About AUM

I wonder why so many advisors believe prospects and clients are interested in being “educated” about investing and financial planning.

Financial Advice Isn’t a Profession

Investors deserve to understand the difference between advisors who are “professionals” and those who aren’t.

The IPO Myth

An extensive study of the performance of IPOs in the aftermarket showed underperformance over short and long term periods studied.

The Intelligence Trap

I’ve found it fosters a series of mistaken beliefs, that prevent you from gathering more AUM.

Worrying is a Useless Emotion

Next time you find yourself worrying about something, consider whether the bandwidth of your brain could be put to a more positive use.

The Surprising Key to a Long, Happy Life

It’s important for you to be aware of the latest research on happiness, which is useful in your own life. Who doesn’t want to live a long time and be happy?

The Art of Deception

Over a 15-year period, more than half of actively managed funds go out of business or are merged. Many rankings don’t include these funds.

The One Trait That Predicts Advisor Success

There’s broad agreement curiosity is a valued trait. Yet, many advisors don’t exhibit it. This lack of curiosity is the primary reason why those advisors are not reaching their potential.

Bill O’Reilly, Measles and AUM

You can use empathy when dealing with a prospect who expresses reservations about your approach to investing. Listen to their point of view with an open-mind.

Stop the Clock

The combination of seeking new experiences and staying “in the present” is very effective in slowing down our perception that time is passing us by.