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The Top 10 List of Ways to Be a Fabulously Successful ACA Sponsor
This is a list compiled by actual ACA members who were irrevocably turned off by sponsors who failed to do these things.
- Use the term “fee only” rather than “fee based” (The difference really matters to us; we are FEE ONLY)
- Learn that we charge our clients a retainer fee and therefore don’t measure our businesses by AUM and probably don’t know what the number is
- Treat the relationship as a partnership (We happily and loyally deal with firms that join with us to better serve our clients and/or help us manage our practice more effectively/efficiently)
- Demonstrate your understanding that we incorporate all the financial pieces of our clients’ lives (estate planning, real estate, taxes, insurance, estate planning) even if the product/service you offer is related only to investments
- Learn how our approach to financial planning is different from that of most advisors and respect that we are committed to those
- Offer products/services that support our financial planning and client services philosophies
- Talk to us about how your service supports our ability to serve (or get) clients, driven by your understanding of how we do what we do
- Know that we prepare taxes for clients and that tax planning is an integral part of the ACA approach (Even the few of us who do not prepare taxes take tax implications into account in every financial planning decision)
- Respect that we are busy and limit your number of touches
- Understand that we work with a broad spectrum of clients - not just the very wealthy