The Value Proposition that Negates the Robo Threat

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What is it worth to have a financial services coordinator who understands your clients’ needs and the language spoken by the specialized service providers they use? Today’s robo-advisors cannot provide the depth or breadth of coordination clients need. But you can, at least for your best clients. This should be a core of your value proposition.

If you are in your 50s or older, you’ve already encountered some combination of gastroenterologists, pulmonologists, dermatologists, podiatrists, cardiologists, ophthalmologists, proctologists, urologists, nephrologists, internists, among other medical specialists. What would it be worth to have someone who understands each of these specialties and who could coordinate the delivery to you? Concierge doctors may do that, but your primary care physician primarily refers and helps without providing the breadth and depth of coordination that is often needed.

You can be that concierge provider for financial services by being a single source for financial planning, investment and financial advice, insurance, mortgage, banking, debt planning, estate planning, financial education for the family, education planning, accounting and taxes and even health care planning among other services as needed. You can provide tremendous value and differentiation as that provider. It can be called “comprehensive wealth management,” but I see it rather as being your client’s “personal CFO.” You may not actually execute all these services but you can coordinate them, understand them, explain them and integrate them as your client’s CFO.

While you deliver trustworthiness, integrity, technical competence, dedication, education and comprehensive services, these are not differentiators. These are all important qualities but financial advisors must be all these things and will claim them. If all advisors claim these qualities, clients cannot differentiate among advisors. These are barely the entry price for a good advisor and should be basic expectations for every prospect and client. Whether or not every financial advisor meets the same standards for each of these qualities is moot until one’s actions disprove the claim.