You may not realize it, but training is why you are here. Your interest in the financial services industry is likely fueled by a desire to learn how money truly works. If you are like us, you are hoping to understand this industry so you can share the knowledge with your clients and prospects. It cannot be overstated; your training is the foundation on which your future, and the future of your clients, will be built.

That said, what will your training look like? If you have been in the industry, what has your training looked like? Some training programs only focus on phone scripts, computer presentations, and hounding your friends and family. Other training programs focus only on the “sales cycle”. In other words, make a cold call, open a case, close a case, make another call. Certain institutions spend weeks, or in some cases, only a day, on the sales cycle and nothing else. Ask yourself, do you want to become a financial professional to learn sales? Some training programs are centered around “moving the money”. In other words, do whatever it takes, say whatever you have to say, to get the client to “move the money” to our firm. The truth is, in most cases advisors are not expected to “advise” their clients at all. They are just expected to find them and “sell” them.

If you are wondering why financial services firms do not spend more time educating their advisors, the answer is client data (Check out the Contract page for more information). If the financial institution owns the client data, they could benefit whether you succeed or fail. If that is the case, there is little incentive to properly train you. If you succeed, great, the firm will make money. If you fail, great, the firm will retain your clients and make money.

It is our belief that the advisor’s professional development and training should be the organization’s top priority. An advisor’s training should be thorough, comprehensive, and ongoing. After all, a properly trained advisor will be better equipped to help his or her prospects.

Does that type of training exist? You better believe it.