Kicking things off, you need to make sure that you record all of the client's basic information, including their lead ID in your CRM. Fill in the form fields below to record this information for later ease of access.
Kicking things off, you need to make sure that you record all of the client's basic information, including their lead ID in your CRM. Fill in the form fields below to record this information for later ease of access.
You can either manually copy or write this data into the form fields, or you can automatically push the data in by integrating the form fields with your CRM.
Next you need to send the client a personalized welcome email. Below, we have included a few sample emails using the email widget, but you should also consider that these are just examples; they should not be copied word-for-word.
This sample email was taken from CFP and can be used as a guideline for your own.
And here is a sample email taken from International Assets Advisory LLC.
While you can certainly use examples above from other planning firms, or a more general template from Planipedia, it is vital to personalize the letter to address the customer's particular needs and reassure them that you have understood their situation.
The welcome letter should not sell anything, just thank your new client for expressing interest and fill any silence before the initial meeting.
If you are on the same social media sites as the client, it's worth connecting with them over these sites to further prove that you are taking interest in them. Record the sites you connect with them on in the form field below.
"If you’re on social media—and if you aren’t, consider why not—ask them if they’d like to connect with you on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and whatever other platforms you might be on. Connecting with clients in these ways can provide valuable information about their lives, including job changes, promotions, new grandchildren, etc. and provides an addition channel for you to communicate." - Source
Now you should send over a copy of the contract for the client to review. Record a copy with the form field below for safe keeping and future reference.
Give your client as much time as they need to look over it and let them call you when they're done. If you don't hear back from them within a week, make a follow-up call.
Your client will likely be as excited as you are to meet and discuss their financial situation. Find out a good time and hash out the agenda. Record the date of the meeting with the supplied form field and work through the sub-checklist below to ensure that the agenda is up to scratch.
Mark McKenna Little's blog for advisors says 'only when they focus on what’s most important to them, will you be able to help your ideal clients create the financial roadmap to get them where they want to go'. Mark suggests the first question you should ask is 'what's important about money to you?'.
An alternative way to formulate a meeting is also suggested by Dan Richards, who tells of an advisor who 'starts by asking clients what questions they’d like to cover, then adds her own items to deal with (often emerging from those goals she’s written down) and from that creates an agenda, which she emails to clients beforehand and which is tabled at the start of the meeting.'
You should call them over the phone to get a good time for them and then send them an invite to add the event to their Google Calendar.
Request your client fills in your standard questionnaire. Record a link to the original and completed questionnaires in the form fields below.
This method is likely the most efficient method of gathering the largest amount of information with the least effort on your part. It will profile your client and help you respond to their needs based on their situation.
If you haven't yet got a final questionnaire written for these purposes, have a look at this example from The Financial Advisors. It relies on both documentation and opinion-based responses so you can see how their perceptions measure up to reality.
Another sample questionnaire is available here.
To create your own questionnaire you can use Wufoo or Survey Monkey.
Ideally available on your website, you should attach directions, an embedded Google Maps with a location pin and parking locations.
The image below shows a good example from Baltimore Washington Financial Advisors.
You need to make sure that the workspace and meeting room is spick and span to make the best first impression possible with the client.
If you have a regular cleaner, either time the meeting to coincide with the day the cleaner comes or order the cleaner to come early to get your office looking professional.
Speaking of good first impressions, your receptionist will be the first point of physical contact between your firm and the client; at the very least you should let them know when the new client is scheduled to arrive.
Make sure they know to be extra helpful and make a good impression on your new client.
Give the client a quick call (follow up with an email with all the info if they don't answer) to finalize the meeting time and agenda, giving them a last opportunity to change something and to let you know whether they are or aren't coming. Note their response with the dropdown below.
Automate this process using Boomerang, a client for Gmail that allows you to schedule emails. Also, set a reminder in your CRM or calendar to confirm one day ahead of the planned time.
The new client should have your undivided attention throughout the first meeting, and so you must limit any and all distractions possible.
Set your phone to 'Do not disturb', mute all computers and make sure no one else enters the room while the meeting is in session.
Collect the contract from the client, ensuring the contract is signed and dated in every required field. Upload a copy of the completed contract to the form field below.
Remember the purpose of the meeting; you need to lay out each and every item on the agenda.
Stop after each item, take questions and review the meeting so far.
Next, you need to review the current situation. Ensure that all of the following aspects are considered.
Goal review:
Market review:
Investment review:
Total asset review:
Non-investment review:
The final thing you need to do during the meeting with the client is to ensure that they have access to and are trained to use any required online tools.
Either during the meeting in person or online (try a webinar), provide login credentials for any kind of internal company portals and tools.
Directly after the first meeting you should summarize the event and its outcomes. Upload or provide a link to this summary using the form fields below.
Consider the notes taken during the meeting for you and your team, regarding the progress of the meeting. Include the questionnaire and other documentation gathered from the client so far.
You now need to send a follow-up email to the client. Below is an example email which you can either use straight-up or (preferably) personalize to your specific client.
This email should:
Along with the email, you should also consider sending a handwritten thank-you note to the client.
The power of a handwritten note cannot be overstated. Outside of providing real results for your client, which you should be doing already, there's not much you can do to provide great customer service aside from personal communication. The handwritten note is the king of personal communication and the best way to show your customers you care.
You and your team should now discuss the best course of action to take before getting to work on investments or further financial advice. Schedule a meeting to ensure this is the case - record the date of it in the form field below.
After about a week, give your client a phone call to reassure them that you're making progress and working towards their goals.
If any information is missing from the questionnaire, now is the time to collect it. Depending on the size of the gaps, you might want to do this over the phone or in person.
Create a survey using Wufoo or Survey Monkey to gather feedback on your onboarding process and ask your client to fill it. Record links to the base and completed survey below.
This is done entirely so that you can improve their experience and the experience of others.
Look over the client's account and make sure everything is on schedule.
Look over the client's account and make notes of anything that might need to be addressed during the coming meeting.
Another meeting should now be arranged with the client; as always, note the date in the form field below.
You should call them over the phone to get a good time for them and then send them an invite to add the event to their Google Calendar.
Using the guidelines in 'Review current situation', assess whether the goals have been met.
Write a personal note to your client thanking them for a full year of service and for any referrals they may have made.
It's time for another meeting with the client! Again, fill in the form field below to record the date of this meeting.
As before, you should call them over the phone to get a good time for them and then send them an invite to add the event to their Google Calendar.
See 'Review current situations', holding a meeting to discuss progress and goal outcomes.
Based on the previous review, discuss what worked for the client and plan to take steps in the future to maintain or improve success and happiness.
You should now send all pertinent documents to your client. If done using cloud storage, record the link to the folder in the form field below.
You can do this in person, over the post, or use a private Dropbox link that you can delete straight afterwards for added security.
The one year mark is another great opportunity for a feedback review from the client! Stress that you honestly want to do everything you can to make your client happy and are willing to address any concerns they have.
This file is an example of a customer feedback form you could use as a basis for your own. Again, you can either use Wufoo or Survey Monkey to create a feedback form.
Finally, find out if they would consider referring you to anyone they know, or if they already have.
