How do you ensure that the right people are seeing what you post on social media? Should you be sharing information about your products, your team, or your family? In this episode, MDRT members share the digital changes that have helped connect with new clients. 

You’ll hear from: 
Carla Brown, FPFS 
Matthew Richard Duffy, LUTCF, FSS 

Episode breakdown: 
0:27 – Adjusting strategy on Facebook to increase exposure 
3:21 – Driving engagement through posts about your team 
6:18 – How to evaluate what is and isn’t working

Listen to the monthly series, MDRT Presents: @mdrtpresents

Social media lessons to drive prospecting

If you give a gift to a high-net-worth client, you want to make sure it’s something they actually want — and something they aren’t receiving from everybody else. In this episode, MDRT members explain how they identify what this particular clientele would appreciate from you and how to deliver that with sincerity and impact.

You’ll hear from:

Aaron Kane, AFA, B Bus
Adam Thomas Rex, AIF, CFP

Episode breakdown:

0:25 – Avoiding repetition in gifting
1:54 – Recognizing when high-net-worth clients are charitably inclined  
4:43 – Generating client buy-in and fun with regular initiatives
6:06 – Embracing spontaneity for client gifts

Listen to the monthly series, MDRT Presents: @mdrtpresents

Unique gifts I give high-net-worth clients

What do you do if a COI hasn’t referred back to you? Or your instinct tells you that this professional relationship might not work out? In this episode, MDRT members share how they check in on their interactions with COIs to ensure the dynamic remains beneficial.

You’ll hear from:

Alessandro M. Forte, DipPFS, CSP
Renee Hanson, CFP, CDFA

Episode breakdown:

0:33—Identifying if a relationship is reciprocal
3:23—Considering the reason to connect with a COI in the first place
5:05—Being honest and transparent about what’s best moving forward 
8:00—Likening professional relationships to dating

Listen to the monthly series, MDRT Presents: @mdrtpresents

How to monitor and adjust existing relationships with centers of influence

What should you say — or not say — to clients who are especially vulnerable? In this episode, MDRT members explain how they support clients going through particularly challenging times, whether it’s a death, divorce or otherwise.

You’ll hear from:
Alessandro M. Forte, DipPFS, CSP
Renee Hanson, CFP, CDFA

Episode breakdown:

0:32—Learning about the importance of not making assumptions
2:50—Developing a process for working with vulnerable clients
8:26—Adapting to circumstances outside of the norm
9:48—Recognizing that lifequakes can be both big and small

Listen to the monthly series, MDRT Presents: @mdrtpresents

Caring for clients who’ve experienced a lifequake

How do you gather information from prospects and clients in a way that showcases your own expertise? Should you do advance research? In this episode, MDRT members share their best practices for generating the trust that leads their specific clientele to open up.

You’ll hear from:

Joseph Tan, ChFC, CLU
Abigail Venida Yabot

Episode breakdown:

0:28 – Doing research to find common interests and generate trust
1:31 – Ensuring you prioritize both character and competence
3:01 – Utilizing social media as a guide for prospecting
5:53 – Staying top-of-mind with potential clients who are parents
8:00 – Demonstrating expertise with couples

Listen to the monthly series, MDRT Presents: @mdrtpresents

How I match my fact-finding to my target market

How do you utilize technology, consultants or otherwise to improve and expand your practice? In this episode, MDRT members explain the approaches they embrace and the benefits that result.

You’ll hear from:
Aaron Kane, AFA, B Bus
Adam Thomas Rex, AIF, CFP

Episode breakdown:
0:29 – Streamlining and automating using technology
2:25 – Utilizing training boards via Zoom to create training manuals
5:03 – Innovating through business planning and new ways to reach clients
9:02 – Increasing social media content, particularly video
10:36 – Determining what information to share in video content

Listen to the monthly series, MDRT Presents: @mdrtpresents

Developing processes for enhanced client service and staffing performance

How do you ensure that you and a potential client are on the same page about your relationship? In this episode, MDRT members explain how they communicate the essential information and decide what steps to take next.

You’ll hear from:
Alessandro M. Forte, DipPFS, CSP
Renee Hanson, CFP, CDFA

Episode breakdown:
0:29 – Communicating the two goals for the initial meeting
1:55 – Creating accountability in the prospect for the advice you give
3:24 – Determining whether or not you and a prospect are a good match
5:01 – A common mistake advisors should be aware of

Listen to the monthly series, MDRT Presents: @mdrtpresents

Establishing the rules of engagement with your prospect

How do you understand clients’ needs so that they see you as someone who can help them, rather than someone who is selling to them? In this episode, MDRT members explain how they establish these strong connections that can unlock the effective technique of “unselling.”

You’ll hear from:
Joseph Tan, ChFC, CLU
Abigail Venida Yabot

Episode breakdown:

0:27 – Focusing on the client’s magic numbers
2:41 – Recognizing the impact of unselling
4:17 – Serving as the “prudent mom” for clients
7:38 – Learning retirement lessons from a colleague’s experience
11:36 – Becoming a godparent to clients’ children

Listen to the monthly series, MDRT Presents: @mdrtpresents

Using the power of unselling to finance education and retirement

How do you turn business growth from a dream into a reality? In this episode, referral coach Bill Cates and MDRT member Tristan Karl Robert Hartey explain how to push through reluctance and establish a time-tested system for expanding your clientele.

Episode breakdown:

0:30—Overcoming fears about asking for introductions 
2:16—Benefiting from repetition and getting outside your comfort zone
3:30—Identifying your goals and finding your right-fit client
4:17—Developing a process and practicing it enough to be successful
5:53—Learning from the world’s best athletes

Listen to the monthly series, MDRT Presents: @mdrtpresents

Quick steps to gain more clients and referrals

Buying a practice requires research, communication, and much, much more. In this episode, MDRT member D. Kyle Atkins, CFP, CLU, and president of Succession Resource Group David Grau Jr. explain essential ways for you to set the course for business acquisition success.

Episode breakdown:

0:35–Dedicating the necessary time for each step in the process
2:55—Developing simplicity and know-how
3:18—Establishing both clarity and cultural fit
5:11—Asking questions and listening, just as you would with a client 
7:44—Adapting when a seller changes their mind about something

Listen to the monthly series, MDRT Presents: @mdrtpresents

Expert insights about what to do in an acquisition

Even the most successful advisors continue to embrace change and create excitement for the future. In this episode, MDRT members share what they’re innovating and how these ideas will enhance their business.

You’ll hear from:
Aaron Kane, AFA, B Bus
Adam Thomas Rex, AIF, CFP

Episode breakdown:
0:27—Developing adjustments for a new office 
2:02—Creating marketing around a major milestone
3:12—Establishing a process to generate Google reviews from clients
4:46—Building Zoom rooms and investing in technology

Listen to the monthly series, MDRT Presents: @mdrtpresents

Something coming up that I’m excited about in my practice

Even veteran advisors continually learn new communication techniques in pursuit of making clients comfortable and willing to share their feelings. In this episode, MDRT members identify situations in which clients have been especially open (or had difficulty opening up), and what that taught them for conversations moving forward.

You’ll hear from:
Alessandro M. Forte, DipPFS, CSP
Renee Hanson, CFP, CDFA

Episode breakdown:
0:31—Starting a podcast as a way of sharing memorable client stories
2:24—Discovering people’s universal interest in talking about problems and successes
5:54—Identifying an opportunity to help women in transition
9:10—Learning how to communicate with clients during an awkward moment
10:49—Seeing the benefits of vulnerability during conversations

Listen to the monthly series, MDRT Presents: @mdrtpresents

Unique insights about what makes clients open up or shut down

How can you ensure that you have a successful start to 2024? What should you keep in mind throughout the year to maintain consistent success? In this episode, members of the MDRT Executive Committee explain how they prepare for the arrival of January and keep a steady perspective on their processes regardless of the month.

You’ll hear from:
MDRT President Gregory B. Gagne, ChFC
MDRT Secretary Clay Gillespie, CIM, CFP
MDRT First Vice President Carol Kheng, ChFC
MDRT Second Vice President John F. Nichols, CLU, MSM

Episode breakdown:
0:34—Planning for the new year before it starts
2:48—Beginning January with focus and a fast pace
6:43—Avoiding a sense of starting over as the year begins
8:26—Applying learning from January 2023 to January 2024
15:39—Remembering to make thoughtful decisions in January

Listen to the monthly series, MDRT Presents: @mdrtpresents

How MDRT Executive Committee members start the year off right

What can advisors do to confirm that clients are not just listening but processing the information that has been discussed? In this episode, MDRT members share communication techniques that help keep everyone on the same page and prevent confusion or frustration on either side.

You’ll hear from:
Joseph Tan, ChFC, CLU
Abigail Venida Yabot

Episode breakdown:

0:22 – Presenting an amount of information that won’t overwhelm clients
3:12 – Maintaining clarity by giving clients three types of advice 
6:36 – Creating trust to drive understanding when it feels like clients aren’t listening
8:20 – Recognizing when something is missing from the client’s ability to move forward
10:19 – Making sure to give clients ownership over their decisions

Listen to the monthly series, MDRT Presents: @mdrtpresents

How I ensure that clients understand their finances

How do you streamline the many challenges that occur as a business is acquired? In this episode, MDRT member D. Kyle Atkins, CFP, CLU, and president of Succession Resource Group David Grau Jr. share techniques they’ve learned to help minimize roadblocks and pursue success and happiness between buyer and seller.

Episode breakdown:

0:38 – Steps to simplify both quantitative and qualitative questions
3:07 – Best practices to retain clients after an acquisition
5:23 – How to figure out challenging timelines regarding payment
8:43 – Learning from internal and external acquisitions
10:12 – Considering certain compromises because of the size of a practice

Listen to the monthly series, MDRT Presents: @mdrtpresents

Smoothing out some complexities of business transition

What do you say when clients want you to resolve family conflict or say something that they are struggling to communicate? In this episode, MDRT members share how they maintain harmony, professionalism, and service when faced with some potentially uncomfortable situations.

You’ll hear from:
Aaron Kane, AFA, B Bus
Adam Thomas Rex, AIF, CFP

Episode breakdown:
0:24 – Handling a difference of opinion between parents and their child
3:11 – Being asked to encourage someone toward retirement
6:50 – Determining how to reset client relationships
9:41 – Developing two different models of service

Listen to the monthly series, MDRT Presents: @mdrtpresents

How I navigate awkward conversations with clients

While many advisors recognize the benefits of partnering with other professionals to help their clients, doing that successfully often requires practice and adaptation. In this episode, members of the MDRT Executive Committee explain how they have learned to identify and thrive in these collaborative circumstances.

You’ll hear from:
MDRT President Gregory B. Gagne, ChFC
MDRT Secretary Clay Gillespie, CIM, CFP

Episode breakdown:
0:25 – Levelling up by finding a mentor
0:57 – Recognizing when someone else is better at something than you
2:09 – What to do when someone else can be more helpful to your client
2:55 – Serving your clients best by focusing on what’s in your area of expertise
3:40 – Creating a process to systematize what you do best
4:57 – Setting expectations with clients at the beginning of your relationship

Listen to the monthly series, MDRT Presents: @mdrtpresents

What to do and not do for joint work

With so much to consider about identifying and working with centers of influence, what best practices can you follow to create these connections? In this episode, MDRT members share strategies they’ve developed to drive effective relationships with these important professional partners.

You’ll hear from:
Alessandro M. Forte, DipPFS, CSP
Renee Hanson, CFP, CDFA

Episode breakdown:

0:30 – Challenges involved in utilizing centers of influence to find the right clients
1:20 – Determining what value you can provide to centers of influence
3:35 – Reframing your thinking to overcome fear about developing COI relationships 
7:24 – The benefits of distributing an At-A-Glance card
10:11 – Developing additional educational materials for both clients and COI
11:46 – Creating new opportunities to develop clarity and relationships with COI
14:08 – Establishing the importance of you and COIs staying present in each other’s lives
16:07 – Creating a strong sense of reputation and reciprocity
19:44 – Documenting your recommended COIs to clients

Listen to the monthly series, MDRT Presents: @mdrtpresents

Finding and fostering relationships with centers of influence

What questions can lead clients to provide the information that guides your recommendations? What personal experience should you offer to demonstrate how you can help your ideal clients? In this episode, MDRT members share techniques for turning effective communication into strategic financial planning.

You’ll hear from:
Joseph Tan, ChFC, CLU
Abigail Venida Yabot

Episode breakdown:

0:26 – Demonstrating authenticity with your target market
2:35 – Determining the right amount of talking and listening with clients
4:16 – Utilizing strong communication to motivate clients to share information
7:02 – Offering personal information to connect experience to expertise
9:08 – Transitioning from reflections to planning that can be both aspirational and practical

Listen to the monthly series, MDRT Presents: @mdrtpresents

Unique ways I identify financial solutions for my niche – and how that can help other advisors

With the many ways an acquisition can go wrong, how can you circumvent these problems in pursuit of success? In this episode, MDRT member D. Kyle Atkins, CFP, CLU, and president of Succession Resource Group David Grau Jr. explain what to avoid and what to do instead to foster more effective decisions and business transitions.

Episode breakdown:

0:34 – Why you shouldn’t call the biggest and best clients first
3:01 – Establishing clarity for a valuation
6:05 – Communicating the transition plan to a soon-to-be-retiring advisor
7:57 – Turning preparation and teamwork into success
10:43 – Ensuring that opinions match with facts

Listen to the monthly series, MDRT Presents: @mdrtpresents

What you absolutely should not do in an acquisition

What can you do to not just accept new regulations but thrive through adaptation and compliance? In this episode, MDRT members explain how their perspective and ability to take action has led them to turn regulation into opportunity and success.

You’ll hear from:
Simon D. Lister, Dip PFS
Jamie McIntyre, CFP

Episode breakdown:
0:34—Focusing on the benefits that come from required additional qualifications 
3:10—Why resistance only leads to greater difficulty  
5:39—Utilizing regulations as a chance to further define your ideal clientele
7:41—How to create time to meet regulation standards and drive business success
13:15—Turning frustration into empowerment

Listen to the monthly series, MDRT Presents: @mdrtpresents

Changes I’ve made to embrace regulation and overcome challenges

Just because you know the importance of seeking balance in and out of work doesn’t mean that it’s easy to accomplish. In this episode, members of the MDRT Executive Committee share how they make a priority of MDRT’s Whole Person concept and adjust if they are struggling to put their intentions into action.

You’ll hear from:
MDRT President Carol Kheng, ChFC
MDRT First Vice President John F. Nichols, CLU, MSM

Episode breakdown:
0:32 – Looking at different life components like spokes on a wheel
1:42 – Pursuing a feeling of being centered rather than balanced 
3:09 – Determining and maintaining your version of a right-fit morning
5:16 – Handling adversity when your processes aren’t working as well
7:12 – Benefiting by resisting the temptation to compare yourself to others

Listen to the monthly series, MDRT Presents: @mdrtpresents

How to embrace the Whole Person concept

If discomfort arises among employees in your office, how do you address and move forward from the situation? In this episode, MDRT members share how they develop a straightforward, successful approach when tense or complicated situations arise.

You’ll hear from:
Aaron Kane, AFA, B Bus
Adam Thomas Rex, AIF, CFP

Episode breakdown:
0:29 – Creating an open-door environment to bring up issues as needed 
1:28 – Establishing procedures to get every employee on the same page
3:58 – Addressing problems independently while empowering staff members
5:26 – Understanding the different performance expectations for different people in the office
6:46 – Ensuring that employees understand how any changes will benefit them and the clients

Listen to the monthly series, MDRT Presents: @mdrtpresents

How to resolve staff frustration through clear communication

At some point, all advisors face the challenging situation of knowing that they aren’t the right person to work with a client. In this episode, MDRT members explain how they recognize the need for this delicate exchange, and how they handle it.

You’ll hear from:
Alessandro M. Forte, DipPFS, CSP
Renee Hanson, CFP, CDFA

Episode breakdown:
0:28 – Establishing expectations for client interactions
2:36 – Developing the skill of knowing when to walk away
4:33 – Having the hard conversation with clients about not being a good fit
6:25 – Identifying communication preferences to improve interpersonal dynamics
8:45 – Fostering positive outcomes while indicating that something isn’t working
13:31 – Determining if the advisor or the client will be making the rejection 

Listen to the monthly series, MDRT Presents: @mdrtpresents

What to do when it’s clear the client-advisor relationship is not a match

The more advisors utilize video messaging, social media, and other areas of technology, the more they need to make sure they are maintaining compliance. In this episode, MDRT members share how they have benefited from technology in their practice while prioritizing all necessary regulations.

You’ll hear from:
Simon D. Lister, Dip PFS
Jamie McIntyre, CFP

Episode breakdown:
0:33 – Including risk warnings while utilizing the benefits of communicating via video
3:10 – Using technology to help set expectations with clients
4:29 – Knowing that regulators don’t want advisors to lead messaging with products
6:30 – How regulators monitor social media activity
7:05 – The importance of keeping records of everything that’s done
9:31 – How regulation impacts the quantity and quality of advisors

Listen to the monthly series, MDRT Presents: @mdrtpresents

How regulation impacts what I can do with technology

As a new year settles in, it’s important to stay focused on your plans and aspirations. In this episode, members of the MDRT Executive Committee share how coaches and other MDRT members provide encouragement while preventing them from losing sight of what they want to achieve.

You’ll hear from:
MDRT President Carol Kheng, ChFC
MDRT First Vice President John F. Nichols, CLU, MSM

Episode breakdown:
0:30 – How a coach can help you in numerous areas of your professional and personal life
1:55 – The difference that comes from having another person journeying with you
3:21 – Achieving Top of the Table with the help and support of other MDRT members
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Listen to the monthly series, MDRT Presents: @mdrtpresents

Mini-episode: The power of accountability

What language is essential for advisors helping to create a retirement plan for their clients? How can you ensure clients know you are acting in their best interest to protect their assets? In this episode, members of the MDRT Executive Committee share effective techniques they’ve gained from advising countless retirement planning clients.

You’ll hear from:
MDRT Immediate Past President Gregory B. Gagne, ChFC
MDRT Second Vice President Clay Gillespie, CIM, CFP

Episode breakdown:
0:26 – Gaining clients whose previous advisors don’t know how to discuss retirement
2:26 – How education and confidence can overcome age differences between advisors and clients
4:30 – Creating peace of mind through established processes
5:37 – Using long-term-care insurance and thoughtful planning to prevent financial disaster
7:29 – Providing honest, direct information without taking the easy way out

Listen to the monthly series, MDRT Presents: @mdrtpresents

What you learn after years of working with clients facing retirement

There are many ways to reach Top of the Table-level production. In this episode, MDRT members discuss how they’ve been able to qualify for Top of the Table annually, often as a result of recognizing client needs that aren’t being served.

You’ll hear from:

Alison Murdock
Van Mueller, LUTCF
James J. Silbernagel, LUTCF, CFP

Part 2: How to grow beyond Top of the Table
https://soundcloud.com/mdrt-podcast/part-2-how-to-grow-beyond-top-of-the-table

Listen to the new monthly series, MDRT Presents: @mdrtpresents

Part 1: The decision that got me to Top of the Table

Millennial clients may engage with you differently than older clients, and that is certainly true regarding retirement, which may seem a long way away for millennials. In this episode, MDRT members discuss how they illustrate the importance of retirement planning to these clients and how the additional time and information involved impacts their process.

You’ll hear from:

Travis Manning
Angelia Z. Shay, ChFC, CLU
Jose Victor Vuilleumier Valdez

Episode breakdown:

0:33 – Millennials’ collaborative nature
1:54 – How to focus conversations on showing, not telling
3:33 – Helping clients recognize how quickly time passes
5:15 – If increased client engagement makes advisors’ jobs easier or harder
7:29 – The ever-present importance of simplifying

Listen to the new monthly series, MDRT Presents: @mdrtpresents

How to talk to millennials about retirement

What do you do when clients need you to travel great distances or be there for them in profound, indefinite ways? In this episode, MDRT members share the circumstances that prompted them to rise to the occasion.

You’ll hear from:
Yakov Baylis, CLU, ChFC
Edward M. Burnett, RICP
Russell L. Clousing, ChFC, CLU

Episode breakdown:
0:32 – Courting early-rising clients in the waste-hauling business
1:58 – Memories from the middle of the night
3:09 – “Going anywhere to see anyone”
5:21 – Utilizing vacation time to see clients in person
5:47 – Helping friends through scary and unknown circumstances
7:48 – Making sure every bill gets paid
10:58 – Understanding portability options for group life insurance

Listen to the monthly series, MDRT Presents: @mdrtpresents

The most extreme thing I’ve done for a client

In this EXCEL Award-winning series, hear thoughts and suggestions from top MDRT members on issues that financial and insurance professionals encounter in their careers. 

Contact us at podcast@mdrt.org. MDRT diversity statement: https://www.mdrt.org/diversity-statement

The Million Dollar Round Table® (MDRT) does not guarantee the accuracy of tax and legal information and is not liable for errors or omissions. You are urged to check with tax and legal professionals in your state, province or country. The MDRT also suggests you consult local insurance and security regulations and compliance departments, pertaining to the use of any new sales material with clients. Examples are for educational purposes only. Copyright Million Dollar Round Table.

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