Robert Gignac will be speaking at the May 4th 2022 Financial Planners Forum Webcast sponsored by CE-Credits.ca. His topic will be “What Your Client Said (While You Weren’t Listening…). Details available here: CE-Credits

Session Synopsis:

A decade ago we were watched a series of TV commercials featuring a Verizon Cellular technician wandering across America asking the question “Can you hear me now?” Fast forward to 2020 and your clients are seeking true financial and insurance advice from you and sometimes having to resort to asking “Can you hear me now?”

Clear and effective communication is at the core of every successful client/financial professional relationship. Unfortunately, one of the leading causes of client dissatisfaction and eventual financial services provider breakup can be directly attributed to ineffective or improperly structured communication.

Important? Absolutely! Your existing clients and prospective clients have no shortage of financial professional and financial services alternatives to choose from. Keeping them happy and engaged can be a difficult task in today’s hyper-competitive environment – assuming you are doing everything well. If financial professionals drop the ball on something as basic as clear and consistent client communication, they will be fighting an uphill battle to retain their clients.

Understanding the role that jargon plays in hindering communication is critical. Why do we create material with a Flesch-Kincaid readability score of 30-40 (college graduate) when the average Canadian reads at 60-70 (7th-8th grade)?

Robert will offer concrete examples of what clients are struggling with today (and they have no idea how to talk to you about…) and how financial professionals can start to bridge the communication gap with your most valuable asset. Robert has over 25 years experience as a client of the Canadian financial services industry and via his Canadian bestseller “Rich is a State of Mind” he has spoken with clients just like yours from coast to coast. One of their biggest concerns in 2022 – “I don’t think you’re listening to me”.

The four key areas are:

1)           Do You Play Catch (or Pitch)? – Communication moves back and forth and requires two (or more) participants. If you’re going to play the game you had better know the rules (oh, and your parents were right all along… sorry!)

2)           Filling the Funnel – You have to fill your funnel with better questions in order to move communication forward (or backward). The better questions you ask, the better answers you’ll receive – but only when you learn to pay attention to what’s coming next…

3)           Can You Hear Me Now? – There are two kinds of listening (three if we’re being really technical…), which one you choose to use will determine how successful you are. A discussion of the “five second rule” will help reinforce point.

4)           The Golden Rule of Communication – Surprise! It’s not “They who have the gold make the rules”. It’s this: Sense – Evaluate – Respond – Repeat. Simple – Yes. Easy – No.

Get ready to truly communicate with your clients – because if you’re not willing to communicate, prepare to watch your clients take their assets and seek out someone who will.

Robert Gignac will be speaking as part of the December 15th 2021 Virtual Classroom Event sponsored by CE-Credits.ca. His topic will be “The Benefits of Storytelling in a Holistic Wealth Management Practice” Details available here: CE-Credits

Presentation Synopsis – “The Benefits of Storytelling in a Holistic Wealth Management Practice””

Let’s take a look at the component parts of Storytelling – what is it really all about? Storytelling is the art of portraying real or fictitious events through words, images and sounds. It’s the logical/verbal part of what you do for us as your clients. When we’re talking about storytelling we’re talking about real or fictitious events. As it relates to your work as an advisor – I would focus in on the real events through words, images, perhaps sound (some of us are auditory learners…), some of us are visual but more of us want to hear stories from you. You know the expression – don’t confuse me with the facts, don’t confuse me with the data – but tell me a story.

What about Holistic? It’s in the title for this session, so let’s break it down. Holistic is: emphasizing the organic or functional relation between the parts and the whole. Does this describe what you do? I certainly hope it does and speaking on behalf of your clients they certainly hope it does because personal finance covers a wide array of components. Yes, there’s the stuff we always think of -money, investing, RRSPs, TFSAs but that’s the easy stuff of what you do for your clients. That’s the stuff that the average advisors do, you make it more holistic when you start to broaden the scope – things like insurance, wills, estates, tax planning, goal-setting, family legacies, etc. When you’re working with us, your clients, on those areas – that’s what will set you apart from the run-of-the-mill financial professionals, sets you apart from the crowd. The fact that you’re here today to acquire a basic understanding of storytelling for holistic wealth management in a financial advisory practice shows me and shows me (and Alan too…) that you don’t want to be one of the crowd.

 The four key takeaways will be:

1. Understanding the “How” and “Why” of Storytelling” – Storytelling is the most effective way to merge meaning and emotion. Meaning is data, it’s logic, it’s facts and figures. Emotion – that’s pretty much everything else about us as your clients and 75 to 85% of the time emotion will trump logic in a battle inside our brain – not for everybody – but for the vast majority of your clients.
2. Stop Using Data – Numbers mean we must measure things, add things, compute things yeah, we know it’s important we just don’t like it much as you do. What does it do? It brings back memories from school – of things that we no longer want to deal with. The other problem with data is facts are inherently suspect (and of course the popular “alternate facts”!).
3. The Building Blocks of Storytelling – What are the building blocks for telling stories? For some of you of a certain age demographic in the audience today you’re already humming the theme from CBC’s W5 in your head (otherwise known as The Fools Overture by Supertramp – but I digress…) the Who, What, Where, When and Why there’s your five W’s and lastly “How”.
4. The 7 Steps to Effective Storytelling – It all comes down to this: Define, Create, Choose, Hook, Elaborate, Refine and Practice

Stories can help bring that boring (and sometimes scary…) data to life and more importantly – allows us to make something old new again.

Join us at the November 17th 2021 Financial Planners Forum Virtual Classroom

Robert Gignac will be speaking as part of the November 17th 2021 Virtual Classroom Event sponsored by CE-Credits.ca. His topic will be “The Benefits of Storytelling in a Holistic Wealth Management Practice” Details available here: CE-Credits

Presentation Synopsis – “The Benefits of Storytelling in a Holistic Wealth Management Practice””

Let’s take a look at the component parts of Storytelling – what is it really all about? Storytelling is the art of portraying real or fictitious events through words, images and sounds. It’s the logical/verbal part of what you do for us as your clients. When we’re talking about storytelling we’re talking about real or fictitious events. As it relates to your work as an advisor – I would focus in on the real events through words, images, perhaps sound (some of us are auditory learners…), some of us are visual but more of us want to hear stories from you. You know the expression – don’t confuse me with the facts, don’t confuse me with the data – but tell me a story.

What about Holistic? It’s in the title for this session, so let’s break it down. Holistic is: emphasizing the organic or functional relation between the parts and the whole. Does this describe what you do? I certainly hope it does and speaking on behalf of your clients they certainly hope it does because personal finance covers a wide array of components. Yes, there’s the stuff we always think of -money, investing, RRSPs, TFSAs but that’s the easy stuff of what you do for your clients. That’s the stuff that the average advisors do, you make it more holistic when you start to broaden the scope – things like insurance, wills, estates, tax planning, goal-setting, family legacies, etc. When you’re working with us, your clients, on those areas – that’s what will set you apart from the run-of-the-mill financial professionals, sets you apart from the crowd. The fact that you’re here today to acquire a basic understanding of storytelling for holistic wealth management in a financial advisory practice shows me and shows me (and Alan too…) that you don’t want to be one of the crowd.

 The four key takeaways will be:

1. Understanding the “How” and “Why” of Storytelling” – Storytelling is the most effective way to merge meaning and emotion. Meaning is data, it’s logic, it’s facts and figures. Emotion – that’s pretty much everything else about us as your clients and 75 to 85% of the time emotion will trump logic in a battle inside our brain – not for everybody – but for the vast majority of your clients.
2. Stop Using Data – Numbers mean we must measure things, add things, compute things yeah, we know it’s important we just don’t like it much as you do. What does it do? It brings back memories from school – of things that we no longer want to deal with. The other problem with data is facts are inherently suspect (and of course the popular “alternate facts”!).
3. The Building Blocks of Storytelling – What are the building blocks for telling stories? For some of you of a certain age demographic in the audience today you’re already humming the theme from CBC’s W5 in your head (otherwise known as The Fools Overture by Supertramp – but I digress…) the Who, What, Where, When and Why there’s your five W’s and lastly “How”.
4. The 7 Steps to Effective Storytelling – It all comes down to this: Define, Create, Choose, Hook, Elaborate, Refine and Practice

Stories can help bring that boring (and sometimes scary…) data to life and more importantly – allows us to make something old new again.

Join us at the November 17th 2021 Financial Planners Forum Virtual Classroom

Robert Gignac will be speaking at the October 27th 2021 Financial Planners Forum *Live* Event in Kitchener, Ontario sponsored by CE-Credits.ca. His topic will be “Stop Playing Chess in a PokerStars World. Details available here: CE-Credits

Presentation Synopsis – “Stop Playing Chess in a PokerStars World”

If all you know is the outcome of a game of Chess – you can conclude with almost 100% accuracy that the best player won. There is no roll of the dice that suddenly removes your opponent’s bishop from the board. The outcome is determined by how skillfully each player moves their pieces.

 If you know who has the most chips at the end of a game of Poker – what do you know? You know who had the most chips. There is no way to know who the best player is, or the role that luck & emotion played. It’s possible to play poorly and win, or be the best player and lose.

 In Chess you see your opponent’s pieces. In Poker – there is always hidden information. There is no chance any of your clients might be keeping some aspects of their personal financial life hidden from view (and from you…) is there?

 Many of your clients think that personal finance is like Chess – if you have the right strategy, you will win. What happened to your client’s strategy during the 37% market drop in 22 days in March 2020? Suddenly, the client thinks the strategy is wrong and is tempted to change it. This can lead to an even worse outcome. But wait, then the market went up 42% over the next 52 days. Seriously?

 Robert’s engaging presentation will offer concrete examples of what clients (and prospects…) are struggling with today and how financial professionals can take a leadership role as their financial services/product provider by changing from a one-dimensional game (chess) to a multi-dimensional one (poker). Robert has over 25 years experience as a client of the financial services industry and via his International bestseller “Rich is a State of Mind” he has spoken with clients just like yours, from coast to coast. Their concerns might surprise you.  They might scare you. They will certainly enlighten you.

 The four key takeaways will be:

1. Dealing with a “Bad Beat” – A Bad Beat is a hand in poker that should be a winner – but loses. They bet a strong hand – the opponent makes a poor call that turns out in their favour. Your clients likely had a full house – Covid-19 tossed 4 Jacks onto the table – and the media is saying they might never win again.
2. Playing the Next Hand – Just because you lose a hand you should have won, you don’t quit. Ask yourself the question – “What was the Goal?” and perhaps more importantly, how can we create “SMARTER” goals to better adapt to changing situations?
3. Rhythm Disrupting – How can you help your clients change trajectory toward their financial future. Help them become a 1%’er in terms of time management, help them plug holes in their bucket and keep them away from “financial fantasy” media.
4. Going “All In” – helping your client create the commitment to their financial success is not as difficult as you might think – everyone talks about “influencers” – it’s your time to become one.

 It’s been said “To change your results, sometimes you have to change the game”. Take the challenge to change your game – and your clients outcomes – to build the business you desire.

Join us at the October 27th 2021 Financial Planners Forum *Live* Event!

Robert Gignac will be speaking at the Credit Union Managers Association 2021 event on September 14th. His topic will be “What Your Member Said (While You Weren’t Listening)”, a look at the role of the Credit Union Professional within the member relationship – based on Robert’s new (for 2021) book “Your Richly Imagined Future”

Taking a little R&R time with my Sweetie! I will likely check my email once a day (but no guarantee….), same goes for voicemail… be sure to take some R&R time for yourself – it’s good for you (and the people that you care about…).

Robert Gignac will be speaking at the June 2nd 2021 Financial Planners Forum Webcast sponsored by CE-Credits.ca. His topic will be “Stop Playing Chess in a PokerStars World. Details available here: CE-Credits

Presentation Synopsis – “Stop Playing Chess in a PokerStars World”

If all you know is the outcome of a game of Chess – you can conclude with almost 100% accuracy that the best player won. There is no roll of the dice that suddenly removes your opponent’s bishop from the board. The outcome is determined by how skillfully each player moves their pieces.

 If you know who has the most chips at the end of a game of Poker – what do you know? You know who had the most chips. There is no way to know who the best player is, or the role that luck & emotion played. It’s possible to play poorly and win, or be the best player and lose.

 In Chess you see your opponent’s pieces. In Poker – there is always hidden information. There is no chance any of your clients might be keeping some aspects of their personal financial life hidden from view (and from you…) is there?

 Many of your clients think that personal finance is like Chess – if you have the right strategy, you will win. What happened to your client’s strategy during the 37% market drop in 22 days in March 2020? Suddenly, the client thinks the strategy is wrong and is tempted to change it. This can lead to an even worse outcome. But wait, then the market went up 42% over the next 52 days. Seriously?

 Robert’s engaging presentation will offer concrete examples of what clients (and prospects…) are struggling with today and how financial professionals can take a leadership role as their financial services/product provider by changing from a one-dimensional game (chess) to a multi-dimensional one (poker). Robert has over 25 years experience as a client of the financial services industry and via his International bestseller “Rich is a State of Mind” he has spoken with clients just like yours, from coast to coast. Their concerns might surprise you.  They might scare you. They will certainly enlighten you.

 The four key takeaways will be:

1. Dealing with a “Bad Beat” – A Bad Beat is a hand in poker that should be a winner – but loses. They bet a strong hand – the opponent makes a poor call that turns out in their favour. Your clients likely had a full house – Covid-19 tossed 4 Jacks onto the table – and the media is saying they might never win again.
2. Playing the Next Hand – Just because you lose a hand you should have won, you don’t quit. Ask yourself the question – “What was the Goal?” and perhaps more importantly, how can we create “SMARTER” goals to better adapt to changing situations?
3. Rhythm Disrupting – How can you help your clients change trajectory toward their financial future. Help them become a 1%’er in terms of time management, help them plug holes in their bucket and keep them away from “financial fantasy” media.
4. Going “All In” – helping your client create the commitment to their financial success is not as difficult as you might think – everyone talks about “influencers” – it’s your time to become one.

 It’s been said “To change your results, sometimes you have to change the game”. Take the challenge to change your game – and your clients outcomes – to build the business you desire.

Join us at the June 2nd 2021 Financial Planners Forum Webcast!