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John Anderson spends a lot of time answering advisors’ burning questions. Now he’s excited to share those answers with you. In today’s episode, John uncovers the questions he gets asked the most and how he answers them, covering everything from what a growth advisor does to how to find your niche and create wowable experiences. In this episode, you’ll learn: What questions John addresses the most with advisors Why workflows are so important for small firms What to consider when seeking out a coach Why complacency is such a big risk for advisors And more! Tune in now and learn the answers to the questions that are on many advisors’ minds! Resources:  Practically Speaking Blog | John Anderson’s Twitter | JAnderson@SEIC.com  

Do you want to build an enterprise or a preserve a lifestyle business? Today, Raef Lee discusses his white paper, “The Purposeful Advisory Firm,” to uncover the key characteristics of lifestyle advisors and enterprise advisors. Raef places a special focus on how each advisor-type can cultivate purposeful firms as they evolve from the startup phase to mature-firm status. In this episode, you’ll learn: About the different needs that firms have at different stages of maturity About the varied client-advisor relationships that develop in mature firms What the four essential components of every firm are and why they matter Why there’s no right or wrong when it comes to your firm type And more! Tune in to learn how you can make the most of your firm by having a firm understanding of who you are! Resources:   The Purposeful Advisory Firm Whitepaper | Practically Speaking Blog | Raef Lee’s Twitter | SEI LinkedIn | SEI Facebook  

When SEI is looking to develop new services that will make clients’ faces light up, Raef Lee is their go-to guy. As the managing director and head of new services and strategic partnerships for Independent Advisor Solutions by SEI, Raef is all about finding ways to meet client needs. Now, Raef is sharing more about who he is, what he does, and why he loves it. In this episode, you’ll learn: About the two very different jobs that Raef has had at SEI How Raef’s British roots have given him a passion for wine Why he believes that you should always be passionate and constantly learning What Raef’s biggest accomplishment is And more! Tune in now to learn about SEI’s managing director and head of new services and strategic partnerships, Raef Lee! Resources:  Practically Speaking Blog | Raef Lee’s Twitter | SEI LinkedIn | SEI Facebook  

At times like these when the markets are volatile, clients are looking for answers and ideas. John Anderson says this is actually the best time to do proactive marketing because people are open to change. In today’s episode, John explains how you can take on the right marketing mindset needed to make the most of 2019, meet your clients’ needs, and grow your business. In this episode, you’ll learn: The difference between a traditional advisor and a marketing-focused advisor Why marketing should be treated like an investment, not an expense How to set realistic goals for your growth The importance of building a persona when creating a marketing plan And more! Tune in now to learn about the marketing mindset that will help you grow your practice in 2019! Resources:  Practically Speaking Blog | John Anderson’s Email | John Anderson’s Twitter | Do You Have the Right Marketing Mindset Going Into 2019?  

While many advisors intend to create a business plan for their firm’s future growth, most of them never get around to doing it. Today, John Anderson shares how advisors can start the new year on the right foot by creating a manageable, yet insightful, one-year business plan that assesses your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. In this episode, you’ll learn: How to effectively evaluate all areas of your SWOT analysis Why you should assess not only what you want to start, but also what you want to stop Why the constantly changing nature of the industry can create new threats to your business Who you should be sharing your analysis with And more! Tune in now to learn how you can strategically plan your growth for 2019! Resources:  Practically Speaking Blog | John Anderson’s Twitter  

If you think your clients aren’t on social media because you don’t see any posts from them, you might be missing out on a huge opportunity. Today, Heather Wilson breaks down common misconceptions advisors have about connecting with their clients on social media. Heather also provides you with helpful tips for engaging your clients through your personal Facebook page and becoming a better listener on social media. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why LinkedIn might not be the best place to look when you’re trying to connect with clientsThe difference between listening and stalking on social mediaWhy you shouldn’t assume your clients aren’t active on social mediaWho Silver Surfers are and which social media platform they loveHow you can use Facebook’s list feature to control what your clients see from your accountAnd more! Join Heather today to learn how you can connect with your clients, including the Silver Surfer generation, on social media! Resources: Practically Speaking Blog | Heather Wilson’s Twitter | SEI LinkedIn | SEI Facebook   Tuning-In To Your Clients on Social Blog Post | How Advisors Can Make a Splash with the Silver Surfers (aka Boomers) on Facebook

When it comes to social media at SEI, Heather Wilson does it all. From managing all of the business unit’s social media activities to running the Practically Speaking blog and podcast, Heather is all over SEI’s online presence. Today, Heather helps you get to know more about who she is, what she does, and why she’s passionate about her work. In this episode, you’ll learn: How Heather went from majoring in music to working at SEIWhat her biggest piece of advice is for those getting started in their careersWhat she loves to do in her spare timeWhich TED Talk that has stuck with her for yearsAnd more! Tune in now to learn more about Heather! Resources: Practically Speaking Blog | Heather Wilson’s Twitter | SEI LinkedIn | SEI Facebook

Twenty years ago, if you referred a friend to your adviser, your friend probably would have called the advisor to learn more about them. But times have changed. Now there are many different ways that prospective clients can check out advisors before talking to them. And unfortunately, these clients often find themselves looking at a sea of sameness. So, how do advisors separate themselves and create a successful system for getting referrals? Today, John Anderson shares nine best practices successful advisers use for referrals and explains how you can implement these practices yourself. In this episode, you’ll learn: The power of the persona How to create a value proposition that will resonate with your target audience How to show, not just tell, clients why you’re different than the rest The value in developing your staff as part of the client experience And more! Join John today to learn nine actionable steps you can take to help increase your referability! Resources: Elements of Referability Whitepaper | Practically Speaking Blog | John Anderson’s Twitter  

At Independent Advisor Solutions by SEI, Allie Carey is all about finding creative solutions to advisors’ problems. Get to know more about Allie Carey in today’s podcast as she shares more about who she is and why she’s so passionate about helping advisors. In this episode, you’ll learn: What Allie does as the director of client experience at Independent Advisor Solutions How Allie’s skills and experience make her perfect for her role Why Allie considers John Glenn, Condoleezza Rice, and her mother to be her heroes Why she wouldn’t want all the money in the world And more! Listen now to learn more about Allie and why her strengths help make advisors even stronger! Resources: Practically Speaking Blog | Allie Carey’s Twitter | SEI LinkedIn | SEI Facebook

Are your mass communications helping you strengthen or weaken your relationships with your clients In today’s episode of the Practically Speaking podcast, Allie Carey, director of client experience at Independent Advisor Solutions by SEI, explores how mass-communication missteps can jeopardize advisors’ relationships with their clients. She also explains how advisors can leverage mass communications to better serve their clients’ unique interests. In this episode, you’ll learn: A real-life story of an advisor who damaged their relationship with a client through their mass communications The importance of segmenting clients according to their life stages rather than their revenue How to use segmented lists to curate content suitable for all clients And more! Tune in now and learn how to use mass communications to strengthen the bond between you and your clients! Resources: The Dangers of Mass Communications Blog Post | Practically Speaking Blog | Allie Carey’s Twitter | SEI LinkedIn | SEI Facebook  

Meet Brian Briggs, one of the amazing Practically Speaking team members and the head of Next Gen. In today’s episode, Brian helps you learn more about him by discussing the many roles he fulfills as a part of the Practice Management Solutions Team. Brian also speaks openly about his unconventional definition of “success” and his passions outside of the office. In this episode, you’ll learn: How Brian came to work with the Practically Speaking team What he loves about his job Who Brian’s favorite people in history are Why he’s a fan of motivational speaker Eric Thomas And more! Tune in now to learn more about Brian and what he brings to the Practice Management Solutions team! Resources: Practically Speaking Blog | Brian Briggs’ Twitter | SEI LinkedIn | SEI Facebook  

If you’re a financial adviser who is looking to recruit and retain new advisors within your practice, it may feel like finding that perfect someone is like trying to find a unicorn that doesn’t exist— but Brian Briggs argues otherwise. In today’s episode, Brian shares how you can find that unicorn and enhance your practice through time and growth. Here’s what you will learn: About the importance of looking at the journey, not just the end goal or the now Why advisors need to look in the mirror when thinking about hiring a younger advisor About the advantages that a younger advisor can bring to your practice Where to look for talent And more! Tune in now to learn how you can find your unicorn to help enhance your practice! Resources: On the Contrary, Unicorns DO Exist | Advisors: That 40-Year-Old Successor, Like the Unicorn, Does Not Exist! | Practically Speaking Blog | Brian Briggs’ Twitter  

The advisor landscape is changing. As the industry moves from an advisor-centric world to a client-centric world, it can be difficult for advisors to keep up with industry changes and what clients want. Luckily, John Anderson is here to help. In this episode, John discusses: How advisor services have changed over the decades from product-driven sales to the personalized advice we see today How advisors can find an approach that is personalized, scalable, and mechanized The importance of recognizing that not every type of planning will be suitable for everyone How workflows are a key ingredient for a successful business of the future—even if you’re a small business And more! Listen now to learn about the direction in which advisor services are heading and what changes you can make to stay ahead of the curve. Resources: The Next Wave of Advice Management | Practically Speaking Blog | John Anderson’s Twitter Individuals and firms mentioned in this podcast are not affiliated with SEI or its subsidiaries. SEI has a minority interest in Advizr.  

In this debut episode of the Practically Speaking Podcast, John Anderson, SEI’s managing director and head of practice management solutions, gives listeners an introduction to not only himself, but also to his team and the work they do for advisors. To help you learn more about him, John discusses: How he went from working in computer programming to a career in financial services How John created the Practically Speaking blog and found success in providing valuable content to advisors Members of the Practice Management Solutions Team and what they do How John defines success And more! Tune in now to learn how John and the Practice Management Solutions team are helping independent advisors! Resources: Practically Speaking Blog | janderson@SEIC.com | John Anderson’s Twitter | SEI LinkedIn | SEI Facebook Disclosure: As of June 30, 2018, The SEI Advisor Network, now Independent Advisor Solutions by SEI, works with 7500 advisors.