20 ways to be a better advisor

The industry is always in flux, with regulatory change, product evolution, demographic shifts and investors’ evolving needs and expectations. What doesn’t change is your dedication to improving your clients’ financial—and overall—well-being.

To help you succeed and deliver on your promises, and to mark our 20th anniversary, we scoured the industry and spoke with 10 advisors and 10 clients from across the country. They shared ideas on how advisors can raise their game through 20 tips and insights. We broke them into five categories (see below).

Click here for lessons from 20 years of Advisor’s Edge

Since 1998, Advisor’s Edge has offered consistently high-quality financial, tax, estate, risk protection and client service reporting to keep you informed and in tune with clients’ needs. Being better isn’t about meeting the status quo or inching ahead of the competition, but about harnessing your value and going above and beyond for clients. Here are some tips to help keep you on track.

Get to know clients and serve them better

Look into, but don’t police, clients’ spending habits Serena Cheng (Advisor)

Add a personal touch to mass communications Carey Vandenberg (Advisor)

Don’t forget to follow through (annually or more often) Gina (Client)

Above all, listen Don (Client)

Improve and share your market knowledge

Upgrade your knowledge to keep up with market and industry changes Simran Arora (Advisor)

Work closely with high-quality, client-focused managers Shawn Perkins and Bill Gow (Advisors)

Show clients who’s behind their investments Linda (Client)

Share rigorous research to showcase your expertise Rawl Fingal (Client)

Keep up with products and explain them to clients

Downside protection can be more important than upside James Waring (Advisor)

Never assume you know what a client wants Emily Rae (Advisor)

Younger investors don’t want to lock down their assets Greg Andrews (Client)

Explore clients’ investment ideas and be ready to back up yours Stephanie Block (Client)

Follow (and exceed) regulations

Proactively discuss fees and your value proposition with clients Peter Guidote (Advisor)

Disclose and document everything, especially where compensation is involved Brad Brain (Advisor)

Build clients’ industry confidence by addressing their fears, frustrations Tim Daniel (Client)

Strong values matter as much as credentials Shirley Gates (Client)

Protect and adapt your business

Protect your clients’ sensitive information Nicholas Aristeo (Advisor)

Start planning for succession sooner than later Pat Weir (Advisor)

Communicate personally with your clients if a privacy breach occurs Matt Murphy (Client)

Communicate your succession plan to clients Joe Barczai (Client)