Accomplished risk adviser and author, Chris Unwin, has challenged advisers to define themselves in a single word.
Within the context of the adviser seeking to improve their conversion rate of turning prospects into clients, Unwin says the answer to this challenge lies in the adviser firstly understanding their primary role as a person’s financial planner, and that this primary role can be defined in a single word.
In his workshops, Unwin often asks advisers which single word best describes their primary role: “…the most common responses I get are ‘coach’, ‘educator’, ‘adviser’ and ‘helper’, all of which are understandable and they certainly form a part of what we do for our clients.”
Unwin, however, challenges his peers to consider that the best single word to describe their primary role is ‘facilitator’.
…I was always quite clear on what my primary role was for my clients
“From my very early days in the business, I was always quite clear on what my primary role was for my clients, and that was to make it as easy as possible for my clients to make the right decisions for their financial future, and these decisions were seldom ‘rocket science’. Therefore, I believe that the single word that best describes our primary role for our clients is ‘facilitator’, which is derived from the Latin word ‘facile’, which means easy.
Unwin told riskinfo this single-word definition of facilitator has become even more relevant in today’s consumer world in which prospective clients can access large volumes of information but still need an experienced financial adviser to assist in distilling the information they collect in order to assist or facilitate their path towards an appropriate investment or insurance solution.
While Unwin accepts his peers may hold different views in terms of a single word that best defines their primary role, he says that his own successful career as a risk-focussed adviser has been grounded in shaping his own approach to prospective and existing clients around his role as a facilitator.
Riskinfo will release an extended article from Unwin in the March edition of riskinfo eMagazine, which focusses on helping prospects become clients. Meanwhile, Unwin is conducting a series of workshops during March in each of the five mainland capitals. Click below for further details, especially if life insurance advice forms part of your client proposition:
To all those starting out as risk advisers in this incredibly tumultuous time, I salute you. If I was to offer just one bit of advice for success it would be to invest in a Chris Unwin seminar. He is by far the best teacher and coach I’ve come across in three decades in the risk field. What he doesn’t know about risk selling and teaching isn’t worth knowing. Strongly recommended and whatever fee he charges from time to time is MUCH more than worth it for what he delivers. At least one of his seminars should be considered absolutely mandatory for each new entrant into this field and at least one every few years for established advisers who need a quality ‘refresher’ on the basics. God knows we all need that with the rubbish flying around the game currently. Chris has an amazing ability to bring it all back to earth and remind us all of the sense the basic approach, properly done, still makes.
One last thought – a few attendances at some of Chris’ seminars will do more for a new risk writer (or old established ones) that all of the irrelevant mooted new financial planning ‘exams’ the regulators want to impose on risk writers. You know the ones – exams that test knowledge on derivatives, credit default swaps, international currency exchange and other esoteric subjects. These irrelevant subjects (to riskies) are the things that public servants deem necessary for all RISK WRITERS to spend money and valuable time learning. These will not help me protect or look after my clients better – NO WAY will they. They are IRRELEVANT. Any adviser of sound mind knows his or her time is FAR, FAR better spent face to face with their clients helping in REAL ways to protect their families and income. The exam subject matters above give ZERO help in assisting clients with risk products. It is like forcing army recruits to take the same exams as navy recruits or making a GP take the same exams or continuing education as a brain surgeon. I am in full favour with the idea of a dedicated RISK WRITER exam and ongoing dedicated RISK CPD program. Why is there not a separate licence for a risk adviser? If there was then Chris Unwin should write the exam!
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