There are a number of structural—and, consequently, unavoidable—trends impacting the world of advisors who are focused on cultivating the affluent.
Let’s take an in-depth look at each of them:
Professional financial advisory services are becoming more commoditized. This means, in principle, that all reasonably capable professionals within a particular field can deliver the same high-caliber solutions.
While all experts are fungible, this doesn’t mean that some aren’t superior. Without question, some specialists are more adept than others. Concurrently, while technology will further commoditize expertise services, it will open up new possibilities for astute, capable and clever professionals.
Professionals are neglecting the business side of their practices. A large number of professionals are technical authorities first—and last. With increased competition, many of these professionals are concentrating more on refining their technical proficiencies than on effectively approaching their practices as profit-making businesses. It’s precisely the wrong response to the problem, but for most, it is all they know.
Because of the hyper-competition for the affluent and the commoditization of services for the affluent, professionals who fail to elevate their business acumen will be seriously hampered in becoming successful.
There’s a greater concentration of success among fewer professionals. Professionals are facing an intensifying “winner-take-most” business climate, which is advantageous for experts who can rise above their peers.
The ability to articulate problems and solutions is increasingly becoming the value proposition being provided to the affluent. In many situations, it’s also critical to enhance offerings with meaningful value-added options. Unfortunately, with so many professionals wrapped up singularly in their deliverables, incorporating value-added options is simply not happening, to the detriment of professionals and their affluent clients.
Astute professionals are leveraging these three trends to garner a disproportionate chunk of the affluent client market. It also enables them to generate a disproportionate amount of personal wealth.
