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October 30, 2015 at 12:42 PM
Imagine trying to navigate an unfamiliar highway without road signs to assist you. Yes, GPS can help immensely, but without signs along the way, there’s no clear indication that you’re on the right track. When you visualize a sign, what comes to mind? Maybe an image of a twisting road ahead or a railroad crossing? The power of such an image allows you to take in a large amount of meaningful information without having to spend too long thinking about the decisions that need to be made at a moment’s notice.
If great care has been taken to implement signage on our roads, is it possible that your financial practice could benefit from similar attention to detail? Specifically, what if you created “signs” for your practice that simplify some of the very complex concepts that may inhibit good decision-making for prospects and clients. What if you went to work converting your planning process into pictures?
In my practice, I do a lot of income planning for clients who are about to retire. If you consider all the variables that go into a properly built retirement income plan, it can be remarkably complex and likely overwhelming for those we’re trying our best to serve. From Social Security-claiming strategies to pension income choices, investment strategies, healthcare options, inflation considerations, family relationship dynamics and estate planning, the list of concepts to understand is simply breathtaking. Imagine how our clients must feel.
One of the biggest breakthroughs I’ve experienced in my career came as the result of converting as many of these concepts as possible into pictures and diagrams that could be more easily understood by our clients. An example is the use of buckets. A simple diagram of three buckets allows me to convert the intricacies of an age-banded, multi-investment income approach into something prospects can wrap their minds around in minutes. The results are better understanding, increased collaboration and improved communication and decision-making, which leads to superior results. The simple concept of bucketing can turn a skeptic into a believer in minutes.
