Advisor Fest Event Registration

Get Your AdvisorFest Webinars Passes Here

This is your central location for signing up for AdvisorFest webinars. New sessions are being added every day, but here’s a large selection to get you started.

Remember, even if you can’t make the live event of any webinar, you’ll be able to listen to the recorded, archived event until June 30th.

So go ahead and sign-up now so that you receive notification about the events and don’t miss the chance to capture valuable insights about how to start growing your business in the second half of 2009.

June 10—Wednesday

1:00 pm EST 10:00 am PST
How a Simple Lunch Strategy Can Supercharge Your Prospecting
Presenter: Dan Richards, president of Strategic Imperatives, a Toronto-based consultancy that helps financial institutions and financial advisors attract high net worth clients and build deeper client relationships.

Want to mount a prospecting campaign but concerned about the time, cost and rejection entailed? With an investment of just three hours a week and $100 a month, you'll learn a proven method to get qualified prospects out to regular client lunches without stress, pressure or fear of rejection - and end up with deeper relationships with key clients along the way.

Among the topics in this webinar:

A week by week timeline to get your lunch series going
How to choose the best prospects to invite - and a script that increases the odds of their accepting your invitation
Tapping into your clients' contacts to fill the room
The secret to delivering a high impact talk
Putting your lunch series on automatic pilot

4:00 pm EST 1:00pm PST
On Pricing and Defending Your Value in Good Markets and Bad
Presenter: Leo Pusateri, President, CEO of Pusateri Consulting, an international consulting firm that helps empower organizations and individuals to discover, articulate, and capitalize on their unique value.

Pricing your services is one of the most important business decisions you need to make. Most Financial Entrepreneurs do not apply enough thought, time or rigor to the process. We will look at the pressures clients are placing on advisors to justify their fees, and present specific ideas on how to compete on your true value, not on the slippery slope of price.

The concepts are based on Pusateri Consulting's "Pricing Your Value" curriculum, which it co-developed with Toronto-based PriceMetrix, a North American leader in helping advisors increase the quality and value of their books of business.

This session will help you answer:

Are you pricing your value, or pricing your client's perception of your value?
Have you inventoried everything your firm, team and you do for clients?
How are you creating pricing power through differentiation?
Do you have pricing integrity across your books of business?
What is your pricing policy? Have you chosen -- and articulated -- the right benchmark?
Do your unique value proposition and price support and "nourish" each other?
How confidently can you respond to the question: "My account is down. You are still getting paid. I need you to reduce your fees?"

June 11—Thursday

1:00 pm EST 10:00 am PST
Selling Financial Planning in a Post-Crash World: Why Clients and Prospects
Need You Now More Than Ever
Presenter: Elaine Floyd, CFP®, Horsesmouth's director of retirement and life planning, and author of Savvy Social Security Planning for Boomers.
Sponsored by Vanguard

When asset values are rising, the "wealth effect" makes people think they have nothing to worry about. They feel comfortable financially and believe there is nothing more they need to do to achieve their financial goals. But when account values fall, home equity sinks, and paychecks are in danger, complacency vanishes and people wonder what they can do to feel more secure. The solution? Old-fashioned financial planning recrafted for a post-crash world.

In this session we will present ideas for acquainting (or reacquainting) clients and prospects with the importance of financial planning along with delivery options that let them maintain the degree of control they desire. You'll learn how to:

Encourage clients and prospects to tell the story of what they need now, in their own words
Listen for clues to how you can best help them
Conduct a professional financial checkup (checklist of areas to cover included)
Define your services in a way that clarifies your respective roles and responsibilities
Establish a vision for the future and a plan for working together

4:00 pm EST 1:00pm PST
Bubble Trouble: Behavioral Finance Insights to Help You Safely Manage the Power of the Herd

Presenter: Steve Utkus, director of the Vanguard Center for Retirement Research. Investors have survived the rise and fall of two major economic bubbles in the last decade alone: The technology bubble of 1999 and the subprime mortgage bubble of 2008. The rational discipline of finance tells us bubbles shouldn't happen. But the emotional study of psychology tells us that bubbles are inevitable and unavoidable. Vanguard behavioral finance expert Steve Utkus looks at these two disciplines to explain the bubbles of the last two decades and beyond.

He'll review research that reveals:

How to manage clients and money successfully through bubbles
Ways to keep your own bubble tendencies, and the bubble tendencies of your clients, in check
The psychological reasons we allow bubbles to form through a combination of poor analysis, overconfidence, and herd mentality
Lessons that can be learned from the most recent sub-prime mortgage crisis

June 12—Friday

1:00 pm EST 10:00 am PST
Leading Your Own Referral Revival
Presenter: Bob David, a 20+ year industry veteran, is an advisor coach and referral expert based in Richmond, Va.

This is the prospecting opportunity of a lifetime, yet many advisors have lost faith in their ability to grow their business through referrals because of circumstances beyond their control.

Some advisors fear raising the referral topic because of poor portfolio performance. Others question in their minds whether they are "referral worthy" and now their referral conversations project uncertainty. This session is designed to help you dramatically change your referral mindset. You'll learn how to:

Develop unshakable referral self confidence regardless of what is happening in the markets
Avoid referral request traps and pitfalls that sabotage results and doom your efforts
Target the right prospects the right way at the right time
Build effective referral scripts that are conversational and flow naturally
Get clients to "see the light" and spread the word about you for you
Convert your clients into "true believers" in what you are doing and why
Implement a referral strategy you can believe in.

4:00 pm EST 1:00pm PST
Emotionless Stock Picking: A 30+ Year Veteran Explains How He Does It
Presenters: William F. Nicklin is a partner in a full-service brokerage and investment management firm providing advisory services to high-net-worth individuals and families, institutions, and corporations. He is also co-founder of Horsesmouth and author of the Opportunity Log column. Wendi Webb is senior editor at Horsesmouth, Wall Street Watch columnist, and author of Rich Niche Prospecting.

Bill Nicklin made his clients money in 2008 and added assets to his billion dollar book. He succeeded where others failed because he has honed the art of stock picking to a process that not only yields year-over-year positive returns, but attracts entire portfolios of multi-million dollar investors and their families.

If you can imagine differentiating yourself from your competition by developing a process for better investment selection, then this session is for you.

Nicklin will outline key situations and characteristics for investment selection, including the underlying dynamic of stock-picking so that you know not only the principles for successful investment selection, but also when and where there is an opportunity in the first instance. You'll learn how to:

Unearth uniquely positioned companies who are positioned to capitalize on big trends
Evaluate balance sheets so your investments are safe and profitable
Find companies who are benefiting from a surge in demand
Prospect an industry for new stock ideas and new clients
Hedge against market and individual security downturns
How to adapt a portfolio to any set of conditions with the right "picks"
Achieve portfolio balance using combinations of 'picks' that protect portfolios from being 'too early' or 'outright wrong'

June 15—Monday

1:00 pm EST 10:00 am PST
What's Working Now: How Top Advisors Land HNW Clients Even in a Financial Crisis
Presenter: Maribeth Kuzmeski, president of Red Zone Marketing.
Sponsored by Vanguard

Some advisors are doing a land-office business even in the worst economy in 50 years. So how are they doing it? In this session, Kuzmeski will share new research and explain specific, detailed tactics that elite advisors are using now to bring in new clients and gather more assets from their existing clients. These tactics are easily transferable, repeatable, and implementable. Attendees will leave with ideas they can use immediately to bring in new clients. You will learn:

New ways to network with high net worth individuals.
Strategies for working with charities and their main donors.
How to make your strategic alliance referral network work for both parties.
Methods to develop the necessary relationships and connections with high net worth individuals who will want to work with you.
Using the media—radio, TV, internet, magazines, newspapers and books—to gain the exposure that some celebrities receive.

4:00 pm EST 1:00pm PST
Roth Conversion Opportunity 2010: Getting Your Clients Ready
Presenters: Kaye Thomas, author of Go Roth! Your guide to the Roth IRA, Roth 401K and Roth 403b, and Elaine Floyd, CFP®, Horsesmouth director of retirement and life planning, and author of Savvy Social Security Planning for Boomers.

In 2010, the income limits for Roth conversions will be lifted. Will you be ready? Whether you choose to create a marketing campaign out of Roth 2010 timeframe or simply want to be prepared for client questions, now is the time to fully understand the Roth conversion process along with the nuts and bolts of Roth accounts.

In this session Roth IRA expert Kaye Thomas will present the advantages of converting to a Roth IRA and offer some guidelines you can use to determine if a Roth conversion is suitable for clients. We'll cover:

The pros and cons of converting to a Roth IRA
How to determine if a client should convert
How to do the conversion
What are the new rules for 2010 and beyond?
Business opportunities for IRA rollovers and Roth conversions

June 16—Tuesday

1:00 pm EST 10:00 am PST
Advisor-to-Advisor: 3 Investment Strategies That Repair Damaged Portfolios and
Motivate Clients and Prospects to Act
Presenter: Wendi Webb, Horsesmouth senior editor and three guest advisors

As Warren Buffett said, "be fearful when others are greedy and be greedy when others are fearful." These three advisors, inspired by Buffett and other investment greats, motivated their clients to act when the markets tanked and sheltered their portfolios from the storm.

Whether they follow a standard MPT type philosophy, a tactical asset allocation strategy, or incorporated alternative products/managers into the mix, these three advisors will share their strategies for:

Adding downside protection
Managing client expectations and fears
Introducing new products and services
Repairing badly-damaged portfolios
Hedging against future corrections

4:00 pm EST 1:00 am PST
I'd Rather Have a Root Canal Than Do Cold Calling! A Script Clinic
Presenter: Shawn Greene, president of Savage&Greene, is a sales and customer service skills trainer. She is the author of I'd Rather Have a Root Canal Than Do Cold Calling

Everyone hates the idea of "cold calling." But telemarketing is one of the most effective marketing tactics available to advisors—30% of all people reached listen to the caller to the end, an amazingly high rate. Because of that, it's no surprise to veterans in the industry that many hugely successful advisors either started by cold calling, or continue to call throughout their career, making effective and profitable contacts on a regular basis.

Even in the age of Do Not Call, advisors can ethically reach highly qualified prospects. In this session, you'll learn:

Why cold calling still works
Why many advisors are reluctant to call and how to overcome it
How to do "consultative cold calling" that respects people' time and intelligence and avoids invading
How to construct scripts and improve the scripts you're using now

June 17—Wednesday

1:00 pm EST 10:00 am PST
5 Key Profitability Challenges Advisors Face and How to Boost Business Fast
Presenter: Peter Vessenes, CEO of Vestment Advisors, a national business consulting firm that specializes in helping clients increase profits while making their organizations run more efficiently and effectively.

In the wake of last year's revenue losses, advisors must pay special attention to fixed and variable expenses as well as overall profitability. Vessenes will explain the five simple steps you can take to improve your practice cash flow in any market environment.

You'll learn:

How to track your monthly profit-loss against a budget
How modest increases in your top line revenue can result in phenomenal bottom-line growth
The value of paying yourself a salary first
Why (and how much) you should reinvest in your business
How to reward your team's performance

4:00 pm EST 1:00 am PST
Demonstrating Your Value to Clients: What's Working Now
Presenter: Nicole Coulter, senior editor of Horsesmouth and author of Secrets of Successful Client Events

Client service is more important than ever in a post-crash world. Clients' nerves are still rattled, and extra effort on your part can reassure them that they're still on track for their financial goals. Many advisors have revamped their client service approaches during the last year and you'll hear what's working, what new approach appear to deliver better value to clients, and which specific actions help advisors differentiate themselves.

In this session, you'll learn:

Timely communication and listening techniques that connect with what's on clients' minds most
How some advisors discuss new investing and wealth management methods
What types of special client events and workshops are working

They types of "extra efforts" that cement relationships and win referrals

June 18—Thursday

1:00 pm EST 10:00 am PST
The Great Client Event Experiment: Connecting With Top Clients and Prospects
Presenter: Nicole Coulter, Horsesmouth senior editor and author of Secrets of Successful Client Events (coming in July, 2009).

If you're looking for a fun, low-stress and easy way to get back to servicing clients and meeting qualified prospects, then you want to find out more about the Great Client Event Experiment.

Based on interviews and research with high-performing advisors, Coulter has put together a compelling, step-by-step plan for hosting a small wine tasting and dinner for your best clients, their friends and your top prospects. And you can do it within the next 45 days for less than $1,000. Ther's no better way solidify relationships with your best clients and gain introductions to new potential clients. New Horsesmouth research shows that top advisors excel at hosting small client events. This session gets you on that path.

You'll learn:

Why small client events can be so effective
What details add to clients' favorable impressions
Keys to pulling off a successful wine or dinner event
Steps to take for your own event
Tips on how to make your event run smoothly
Tactics for the all-important follow-up

4:00 pm EST 1:00 am PST
How to Get People to Take Action
Presenter: Joe Lukacs, president and founder of the International Performance Group Inc.,

People are paralyzed by fear, emotionally wounded and filled with a high degree of uncertainty. Many advisors feel the same way, plus after nine months of a global financial crisis, they're emotionally exhausted. So it's no surprise that advisors find it more difficult than ever to get clients and prospects to take action. What to do?

In this session, Joe Lukacs will walk you through understanding and utilizing the key levers that get clients and prospects to act.

You'll learn:

How to motivate people to take action
How people make decisions
How values affect decisions
The six decision-making syntaxes that drive people
How to deal with prospects in this context
Strategies for circling back to people
The opportunity presented by market volatility

June 19—Friday

1:00 pm EST 10:00 am PST
Staying Positive Month After Month—Breaking Through the Inertia
Presenters: Jim Rohrbach, Success Skills Coach, coaches business owners, entrepreneurs, and sales professionals on growing their clientele. William Y. Smith, CFP®, a financial advisor since 1980, has written dozens of popular motivational articles for Horsesmouth.

Being a financial advisor requires amazing amounts of sustained self-motivation. It's hard to do, especially when so many demands are placed on you from so many different and competing interests. So where do advisors get the motivation to stay positive month after month, and often in the face of various forms of rejection. And what happens if you lose the motivation that once fueled your business to new levels of success?

In this session we'll discover what top advisors do to keep themselves powered up month after month. You'll learn:

How to recover from burnout
How to banish negative thoughts
Create a plan that works
Increase your energy
Get important things done

4:00 pm EST 1:00pm PST
How to Structure Your Day During an All-Hands-On-Deck Era
Moderator: Nicole Coulter.
Presenter: Steve Sanduski, CFP®, managing partner, is the Managing Partner of PEAK, a financial advisor training and consulting firm.

Many advisors attempt to cram so much into every day that they lose track of their big picture goals and become easily discouraged when their to-do list remains unfinished. Successful time management may be simpler than you think: Begin each day with a list of the six most important activities for the day in order of priority, and don't stop until you get them done.
You'll learn:

The single most important thing you can do to be super productive
How to minimize distractions.
How some of the most successful business icons follow this "Six Most Important" strategy
How to stay motivated with a mission statement and business plan
The benefits of time blocking
The single most important thing you can do to be productive