-
The nexus of trust
With the 25 years of experience I’ve had in this industry, I’m fortunate to receive referrals from accountants, industry super funds, mortgage brokers, and existing clients. These partnerships allow me to work with a diverse client base – from young families starting their financial journey to professionals, SMSF trustees…
-
Adding attachment icon to Client Portal Messages
Hi Team Please can you consider adding an "attachment" icon like a paperclip to file notes sent to clients via the client portal that have an attachment to them? At the moment, and particularly if there are multiple lines of text in a file note, it is not clear to a client that they need to scroll right to the bottom to…
-
What everyone gets wrong about niching
Despite popular misconceptions, niching isn't actually about demographics or specific types of advice. Instead, it's about delivering a tailored service at scale. In this video, I'll explain why.
-
Want to know exactly what your client has updated in their digital fact find? Now you can!
Fact find comparison report is now available to all users Background Client Portal allows users to provide their clients with a digital fact find to complete for new and existing clients. The data is updated immediately in Xplan and allows advisers to capture data more efficiently. However, even though all changes are…
-
The biggest mistake I made with my fees
Let’s talk about one of the most common (and costly) mistakes I see advisers make when it comes to fees. I say this with love, by the way, because I used to do it too: I’d have a great first meeting, we’d agree on the scope and they’d pay the upfront engagement fee, which covered the SOA. (Or, back in the day, we’d wait…
-
Don't just find clients – find the right clients
In the financial planning world, success isn’t about working with just anyone – it’s about targeting the right clients who align with your expertise and service model. For us, the ideal client isn’t just someone looking for financial advice; it’s individuals with a high level of investible assets and financial complexity.…
-
Don't just find clients – find the right clients
In the financial planning world, success isn’t about working with just anyone – it’s about targeting the right clients who align with your expertise and service model. For us, the ideal client isn’t just someone looking for financial advice; it’s individuals with a high level of investible assets and financial complexity.…
-
The psychology of client engagement
If you've ever spent time anxiously awaiting results after a doctor's appointment, you might have some idea of what it's like to be a client during a lengthy onboarding process. So: how do you ensure clients don't feel like they've slipped through the cracks? It starts with understanding what clients actually need from…
-
🤓 Xplan Hint: Getting fancy with client search
Did you know about client search prefixes? Not many users know about this, but you can search for clients using details aside from just their name. For example, if I want to search for clients with the postcode “2000”, I can just use the prefix pcode in the Quick Search box: This could be useful if you need to do specific…
-
The seven friction points of retirement advice
Let's talk about the big changes happening in the world of retirement. There's a growing demand for more personalised and secure retirement solutions, and it's shaking things up quite a bit. This shift is driven by a few key factors: the rising popularity of direct share portfolios, a deeper understanding and trust in…
-
The awkward moment when it's time to increase fees
Let's wind back to the GFC: I'd just bought into an advice business, funded by debt, and revenue dropped by 30% overnight. That was bad enough, but the hardest part was moving clients to fixed fees – and having to justify why it was happening and what they were paying for. Like many advisers, I was uncomfortable with the…
-
Advisely users gear up for growth in 2025
Based on indicative results from the Advisely Growth Survey, the vast majority (80.6%) of Advisely users are looking to take on new clients within the next 12 months. Of that cohort, just over 40% want to bring in between 10 and 30 new clients; a further third are aiming for more than 30. Nearly a quarter (23.5%) are…
-
For retirees, certainty trumps portfolio theory
How we manage our clients' retirement income urgently needs a revolutionary shift. The financial planning profession has long focused on sophisticated investment strategies and dynamic asset allocation because – well, that's where our value lies, right? The reality is that most of our retired clients have a much simpler…
-
For retirees, certainty trumps portfolio theory
How we manage our clients' retirement income urgently needs a revolutionary shift. The financial planning profession has long focused on sophisticated investment strategies and dynamic asset allocation because – well, that's where our value lies, right? The reality is that most of our retired clients have a much simpler…
-
I'd like to invest in the automatic dog feeder from China
It was some time ago now that we received a couple of odd emails from clients. Let me set the scene: The first email was from a client wanting additional cash to buy a caravan. Given that our client base is predominantly retirees, this was quite typical and par for the course. I’ve known Bev (not her real name) for a very…
-
Poll: Are you in a position to take on more clients?
Advice 2030: The Big Shift report revealed a potential $2.1bn in new revenue and nearly half a million new advice clients by 2030 for advice businesses that can adapt to meet this demand. I am interested to know, are you currently wanting to and in a position to take on more clients in the next 6-12 months? If so, how…
-
How to gamify your business to build trust with clients
Building trust with clients is a tough task in an increasingly digital world, where the opportunity to build rapport is limited. But Fraser Jack, who previously ran a financial planning practice and has since spent 20 years working in the industry as a technology specialist, believes it’s not impossible. “Trust is a really…
-
The green screen
According to Morningstar data, sustainable funds collectively represented about US$3 trillion in assets worldwide as of Q2 2024 – an increase of US$1 trillion over the past three years. Given the substantial growth in the global market for ESG investments, it likely won’t surprise you that Australian investors are…
-
The small practice rollercoaster
Over the course of my 30-plus years in financial services, I’ve had the privilege of working for some amazing organisations of various shapes and sizes both in Australia and overseas. I’ve spent almost half of this period as a business owner and CEO, so I have a deep appreciation of the pressures and pleasures that come…