Unlock Your Growth Potential with Powerful Video Marketing

Discover the Art of Video Marketing and Transform Your Business!

Thursday, June 8th 12:00 PM ET

Registration Link: paretosys.co/webinar_video

Are you an advisor searching for innovative ways to stand out, connect with your audience, and attract your ideal clients? Look no further! Join us for an exclusive webinar where we unveil the secrets of leveraging the immense power of video.

In this engaging session, Duncan MacPherson and Katie Braden will guide you step-by-step on how to harness the potential of authentic and impactful video marketing. Whether you operate in person, virtually, or embrace a hybrid approach, video can revolutionize your growth and make a remarkable difference.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

• Kickstart Your Video Marketing Journey
• Maximize Your ROI
• Unleash the Power of ChatGPT
• Make Weekly Video Creation Your Best Investment

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to revolutionize your marketing strategy and elevate your business to new heights. Secure your spot today by registering for this free webinar!

Can’t make it, but don’t want to miss out? Don’t worry, register now and ask your question, and we will give you access to the recording following the broadcast.

Registration Link: paretosys.co/webinar_video

Some advisors overly fixate on building more money for their clients. However, the goal is to build better lives - which can mean different things for different clients!

And how can advisors build better lives for their clients?

By engaging them in deeper relationships, actively listening to their needs, and enabling them to make the right choices.

If you want to improve your client relationships, learn how in this new episode of Always On! Tune in here: paretosys.co/AODM_ep40

Some advisors overly fixate on building more money for their clients. However, the goal is to build better lives - which can mean different things for different clients!

And how can advisors build better lives for their clients?

By engaging them in deeper relationships, actively listening to their needs, and enabling them to make the right choices.

If you want to improve your client relationships, learn how in this new episode of Always On. Tune in to the full episode now (or download for later!): paretosys.co/AODM_ep40

Where AI falls short in financial services…

Play this short clip from the latest episode of the Always On podcast, where Tyson Ray explains why advisors might have an edge over AI in relationship management!

To learn more about strategies for improving your client relationships, stream the full episode here: paretosys.co/AODM_ep40

Everyone has some goals in life that they get super excited about. Your clients have it too. Perhaps they have their own bucket list.

Are you helping them get closer to their needs every day?

This week on the Always On podcast, Tyson Ray and I discuss how you can take your relationship management to the next level through “needs-based planning.”

Tune in now by clicking here: paretosys.co/AODM_ep40

Pareto Coaches Round Table - How to Attract Business Owners

Thursday, June 6th at 12:00 PM ET

Register Now: paretosystems.com/webinars

Take a peek behind the curtain with the Pareto Systems’ coaching team in our first ever ‘Public’ Round-Table Discussion. Stemming from the overwhelming interest we received from the ‘How to Attract Business Owners’ webinar last month, Duncan and some of our coaching bench continue the conversion going deeper into: 

• Finding your Business Owner Client Niche
• Building Credibility with Business Owners
• Creating a Value-Added Support Team

Featuring Pareto Certified Business Coaches:

• Scott Hamilton
• Terry Gronbeck-Jones 
• Mike "Cy" Cajthaml, Sr.
• Sherri Palle 
• and Duncan MacPherson

Join Duncan for this informative Go-to-Webinar webcast. Register Now: paretosystems.com/webinars

The Total Relationship: The Best Value-Add Advisors Can Offer with Tyson Ray

The biggest value-add advisors offer to their clients does not lie in the rates of return or complex financial reports. It lies in the advisor-client relationship!

In this episode, Duncan MacPherson speaks with Tyson Ray, CFP®, CExP®, CIMA®, founding partner at FORM Wealth Advisors, about the concept of Total Relationship and how it can help you grow your business organically — while maintaining a sense of purpose.

They discuss:

• Why relationship-based growth might be better than growing through acquisitions
• Areas where financial advisors add significantly greater value than AI coaching
• Strategies to improve relationship management (For example, Up or Down™ by Tyson)
• What it means to create true wealth for clients
• And more

Stream the new episode of Always On by clicking here: https://paretosys.co/AODM_ep40

What a crew!

In Denver with Ryan Edwards, Jake Rigert, Mark Friend and Michael Leyden all with First Trust discussing The Blue Square Method with a high caliber group of Financial Professionals...

Click here to view post on LinkedIn

Duncan MacPherson in Nashville with David Tokar at First Trust presenting growth strategies from The Blue Square Method on behalf of Jared Marcus, CFA.

"I remember showing up for the site visit, and they pulled out the paper calendar, a paper calendar! This was three years ago and they kept their client appointments on. And she said, I take this home on the weekend, so I know it’s coming up..."

This is an excerpt from episode 39 of the ‘Always On with Duncan MacPherson’ podcast with guest Sherri Palle, Certified Business Consultant at Pareto Systems.

Click here to watch on YouTube

The reason we say that branding is a continual effort is because the law of optimization reminds us that we have to continually refine and optimize to rejuvenate, in order to keep up with natural decline. Think of exercise. Have you noticed that disciplines take far longer to compound than neglect requires to erode them? Don’t misinterpret this. We are glass-half-full optimists, but we’re always mindful of competitive forces, commoditization and the law of familiarity. You might have heard the joke about the parkour enthusiast jumping from building to building and feeling energized, and on one jump missing the landing and falling. According to the story, someone on the fifth floor heard him yell, “So far so good!” If we allow ourselves to take things for granted, we can engineer our own collision course with obsolescence.

It’s important to Duncan that you know where he stands on certain current events. He became an Oilers fan in 1982, a year when the young team only lost 17 games in the regular season. Duncan invites you to jump on the bandwagon - he says "There is plenty of room and you’ll enjoy the show!"

"I just want to remind you, it’s not just what you earn and what you accomplished that’s important. It’s who you become and the impact you have on others."

Click here to watch on YouTube

For more on this, and other actionable best practices, download Chapter 1 from my new book "The Blue Square Method" today at thebluesquaremethod.com

If you are planning to sell your practice eventually, remember this…

Money is just one of the factors that a potential buyer will look at.

Because buyers also care about several other factors, such as your company culture, your employees’ willingness to stay, and your client relationships!

Tune in to the latest episode of Always On, where Sherri Palle explains ways to drive your enterprise value for a potential business sale by clicking here: paretosys.co/AODM_ep39

How to Maximize Your Life’s Work with Sherri Palle

Are you 10 years or less from selling your practice?

If so, now is the time to start thinking about your succession plan so you can maximize your life’s work (i.e., your business valuation).

In this episode, Duncan MacPherson speaks with Sherri Palle, Business Consultant and Coach at Pareto Systems, about how business owners can effectively plan their eventual exit and capitalize on their life’s work.

They also discuss:

• Factors that help you maximize your enterprise value
• The best place to start planning your exit if you haven’t thought about it yet
• How to ensure your legacy is intact long after your exit
• The importance of having a contingency plan (with real-world examples)
• Key considerations about WHO will take over your business (and WHEN)
• And more

Stream the new episode of Always On by clicking here: paretosys.co/AODM_ep39

"You have to fortify during times of calm, to properly defend during times of chaos. That’s the balance. Being positive, but also a little paranoid."

Click here to watch on YouTube

Replay Link: www.paretosystems.com/webinars

Many Advisors focus on developing relationships with business owners as they are a natural fit and considered ideal clients. In fact, these clients are not unlike you, they have a similar mindset, are entrepreneurial and devoted to the enterprise value of their business.

How do you become indispensable to them? How do you help them understand the alignment between what they want to accomplish and your expertise? How do you attract business owners and future pace the relationship to last long after a liquidity event?

During this presentation, learn how to:

•  Align yourself with business owners

•  Position yourself as a conduit for purposeful business succession

•  Capture assets outside of your process

Watch the replay of this informative Go-to-Webinar webcast by clicking here: www.paretosystems.com/webinars   

"You’ve undoubtedly heard the expression “go big or go home.” Well, I’m going to give you a little twist on that as it relates to business development and growth..."

Click here to watch on YouTube

The best way to take care of your business, your clients and your growth potential is to take impeccable care of yourself. You can’t pour from an empty cup. We’ve seen fee-for-service professionals strive to take care of everybody and everything around them, but it came at their own expense. Self-sacrifice does not breed respect, self-interest does. So in that hour-a-day, or whatever model you adopt, charge up your batteries, pay tribute to the temple (your mental and physical health) and slow life down a little.

Tell the world that you value and guard your time. Unless and until you do, nobody else will. You will find that people will start respecting your time more and your productivity will increase. You may even have people commenting on the initiative and inform you that they are now doing the same thing or at least considering it..

This is an excerpt from ‘The Blue Square Method’. Download Chapter 1 for free here: thebluesquaremethod.com

Advisors, would you take anyone who approaches you as a client?

Probably not. You want to duplicate your *best* clients.

Learn how to do just that in the latest episode of Always On, where Steve Phillips and Duncan MacPherson share timeless principles that create professional scarcity and lead to business growth.

Click here to listen now (or download for later)

Achieving Professional Scarcity and Professional Contrast with Steve Phillips (Ep. 38)

Stream the new episode of Always On by clicking here: https://paretosys.co/AODM_ep38

Creating professional contrast and scarcity, improving referability, alleviating loyalty fatigue…These are all key pieces of the bigger puzzle: How to grow your practice to the next level?

In this episode, Duncan MacPherson speaks with Steve Phillips, Chief Practice Management Officer at USA Financial and a Business Consultant at Pareto Systems. They share best practices and timeless principles to help advisors build profound client relationships that lead to advocacy.

They discuss:

• The importance of combining technological aids with the “human touch”
• Shoot Your Trailer: an effective strategy to articulate your value to prospective clients
• How to improve the quality of your referrals (in other words, duplicate your best clients)
• How to deepen your client relationships amidst volatile markets
• Why small gestures can go a long way in improving your overall client experience
• And more

We would love to hear your thoughts on this episode or answer any follow-up questions. Please feel free to reach out!

Every business should be built to be sold for maximum value and include a ‘torch’ that the acquirer can grab hold of to keep the momentum going. Your enterprise value is reinforced by your processes that continuously convert clients to referral-generating advocates.

Need help staging your business, and ensuring you have the best possible exit? Talk to us today: www.paretosystems.com/schedule-a-call

"Life is like the seasons, the markets are like the seasons. But as you know, as the advisor of the future, it’s not just about asset management... Practice management and relationship management are just as important, especially during times of turbulence and uncertainty."

Click here to watch on LinkedIn 

To learn more visit thebluesquaremethod.com

You know who your ideal clients are; determine what characteristics make them a fit for your business. Often, professionals get into the habit of identifying their target or ideal client either by a minimum revenue threshold or by speaking in vague terms. Either of these tactics makes it difficult to effectively communicate to your team or current clients who is the best fit for your business, and who should be introduced to you.

Do you have an up-to-date Ideal Client Profile? No, what other Opportunity Gaps do you have? Find out, take our free PMI Assessment today at www.practicemanagementindex.com

At Pareto Systems, our objective is to enable our community, which are generally high-caliber fee-for-service professionals, to always be working on their business and on themselves, personally and professionally.

Learn more about how we help our clients reach new levels of growth, schedule a call with us today by clicking here: www.paretosystems.com/schedule-a-call

Part of the exercise is just revisiting the ideal client profile. Who is the ideal client? Who is the most deserving client?

This is an excerpt from episode 37 of the ’Always On with Duncan MacPherson’ podcast with guest Terry Gronbeck-Jones. Click here to watch on YouTube

Find links to the entire episode by clicking here: paretosys.co/AODM_ep37 

If you want to find out what the value of your practice is and what your options are, you take it to the market. Now, maybe you’re not going to sell it today, but the market always speaks. It will tell you the exact value of your practice because somebody’s going to put an offer on the table. You may think it’s worth X, and they may think it’s worth Y, but the truth of it is the market’s going to tell you what your practice is worth.

Tune into the ‘Always On with Duncan MacPherson Podcast’ for insights and strategies on increasing your business’s enterprise value from industry leading experts by clicking here: www.paretosystems.com/podcast

How to Maximize Your Life’s Work & Retire Happy

In this fast-paced webinar, Duncan MacPherson was joined by Sherri Palle, one of Pareto’s most experienced Coaches. Sherri has worked with many Pareto clients on preparing for their succession and building out their exit plans, ensuring they capitalize on their life’s work.

Sherri and Duncan discussed:

• What are the highest contributors to building enterprise value?
• What can I start doing now to plan for my eventual exit?
• How do I ensure my legacy is intact long after my exit?

Click here to access the replay of it, and other, previous webinars

There’s a very simple mantra that every business is built to be sold. We all know the concept of forced savings, using a reliable process to create a nest egg for ourselves, and we advise our clients to do the same. Every investment of effort you make working on your business contributes to "forced savings." A synergy arises when you do this, and things come together to drive your enterprise value.

Tune into the ‘Always On with Duncan MacPherson Podcast’ for insights and strategies on increasing your business’s enterprise value from industry leading experts by clicking here: www.paretosystems.com/podcast

Have you considered going franchise ready - or are you already in the process? At Pareto Systems we help clients transition from an organic growth model to a scalable growth model - with minimal friction.

Many transitioning clients ask us “How can I find someone that aligns with my team, will contribute to our growth strategy, and will continue with us for the long-term?” Through our Building Exception Teams process, we help set many Advisory Teams up for the best possible outcomes.

To learn more about our Building Exception Teams process schedule a call and talk to one of our experts, click here: www.paretosystems.com/schedule-a-call

Growing up-market, consistently attracting very attractive clients and all the considerations that go into that, include sometimes growing down and either automating certain relationships, allocating certain relationships to different people on the bench, or in some cases, disassociating completely.

Tune into the latest episode of Always On, where Pareto Systems Business Consultant Terry Gronbeck-Jones shares how he helps financial advisory teams improve and grow their business by clicking here: https://paretosys.co/AODM_ep37

In a recent conversation with a client, I told them, ’I want you to set a goal to have 52 long weekends. And in the next five years, I want you to set a goal to have a six-month sabbatical.’

Your business is supposed to serve your life, not the other way around! But how can you achieve that? How do you build processes and systems where you don’t have to be actively involved all the time?

Pareto Systems Business Consultant Terry Gronbeck-Jones and Duncan MacPherson discuss how to make this happen in the latest episode of Always On.

Tune in now: paretosys.co/AODM_ep37

Avoiding a Plateau: A Case Study in Professional Contrast and Scarcity with Terry Gronbeck-Jones

This can require advisors to adopt changes that seem counterintuitive at first - such as disassociating from certain clients.

In this episode, Duncan MacPherson talks to Terry Gronbeck-Jones, co-founder of Mindset Consulting and a business development consultant at Pareto Systems. They highlight the benefits of right-sizing and explain how to approach it effectively.

They discuss:

• Major barriers to right-sizing (and how to overcome them)
• How to communicate your decision to disassociate with clients such that it enhances your brand
• How to position your network of COIs in front of clients
• Hidden opportunities in questions such as “What do you do for a living?” or “Do you have a minimum?”
• And more

Stream the new episode of Always On by clicking here: https://paretosys.co/AODM_ep37

Asking for referrals can be perceived negatively by clients, and can reflect poorly on you and your team. The goal is to leverage your client’s desire to be helpful to others, and position the concept of a referral as a value added service that you provide to the friends and family members of your clients. Encourage your clients to introduce you when the right situation arises, and ensure they clearly understand the process on how to proceed with an introduction.

Do you have a process in place for client introductions? No, what other Opportunity Gaps do you have? Find out, take our free PMI Assessment today by clicking here: www.practicemanagementindex.com

The most valuable intellectual property in your business is the information you have on your existing clients. What you know about your clients’ goals or aspirations as it relates to their money and the services you provide is important; however, the critical asset is what you know about your client’s family, occupation and recreational interests - this is your clients’ WHY.

WHY haven’t you taken the PMI Assessment? It’s free, and it will help you to identify the Opportunity Gaps that can propel your business to the next level. Take the free PMI Assessment today at: www.practicemanagementindex.com

It is the implementation of an IDEA that sets it apart from everything else and brings it to life. A strategic plan lets you implement efficiently and more predictably. Strategic Plans can have real value if they are thoughtfully created, referred to regularly, adjusted as needed, and involve the entire team. Strategic planning can be simple, and it can help you establish and meet your targets.

Want to know where you rank in Practice Management? Take our free PMI Assessment today at www.practicemanagementindex.com

Have you considered going franchise ready - or are you already in the process? At Pareto Systems we help clients transition from an organic growth model to a scalable growth model - with minimal friction.

Many transitioning clients ask us “How can I find someone that aligns with my team, will contribute to our growth strategy, and will continue with us for the long-term?” Through our Building Exception Teams process, we help set many Advisory Teams up for the best possible outcomes.

To learn more about our Building Exception Teams process schedule a call with us today and talk to one of our experts by clicking here: www.paretosystems.com/schedule-a-call

You are not asking clients to buy a product. You’re asking them to buy into a process.

So, if you want clients to really buy in, you need to have an effective client engagement process in place.

Not sure how to do so? Check out the latest episode of the Always On with Duncan MacPherson podcast by clicking here: paretosys.co/AODM_ep36

Being Process-Driven with Peter Dobrich

You’ve got 24 hours in a day and five days in a work week. Wouldn’t it be incredible to be able to put more sand in your hourglass?

It is possible if you become highly process-driven and liberate yourself from the daily minutia of financial planning, which can be easily automated, streamlined or outsourced!

In this episode, Duncan MacPherson talks to Peter Dobrich, President at Private Financial Group. Peter shares his proprietary process, Your Life Print FORMula, which has helped him grow organically and improve his client relationships.

They discuss:

• The importance of having a FIT process instead of being all things to all people
• How Peter attracts and connects with business-owner clients
• How you, as an advisor, can easily tap into Private Financial Group’s proven process
• The much-needed mindset shift from financial advisor to CEO
• And more

Stream the new episode of Always On by clicking here: https://paretosys.co/AODM_ep36

It’s an introduction, not a referral. Take the word referral out of your language and focus more on the activity rather than implied productivity. Then, tell people why you do it. It’s rooted in your sense of purpose. Helping people is why you chose this profession, and it’s easily the most fulfilling part of it. Punctuate that by saying, “if you ever happen to introduce someone to me, they do not need to become a client to take advantage of this service. If they are important to you, they are important to me.”

Download Chapter 1 of The Blue Square Method for free now!

Top advisors today are using video as a key component in their growth strategy. Digital media has become one of the most important ways to communicate with clients and prospective clients.

In this fast-paced webinar, Duncan talks to the co-founders of Idea Decanter, Laura Garfield and Sharon Gottula, about the videos that are having the most impact on advisory practices. If you’re looking to grow faster, these stories are the best place to start.

They also discuss:

• Why you should include Video in your strategic plan
• The most important things to consider when creating video
• Key tips on producing video

Bonus: Learn how to transfer the Pareto Systems messaging to evergreen content that works (even when you’re not working).

Watch the replay by clicking here: www.paretosystems.com/webinars

Most of your clients don’t “go there” because they are unclear of how it looks to get involved in someone’s life and potentially put their own reputation on the line. They are undermined by a subconscious “no good deed goes unpunished” mindset, so they don’t get involved, even when the opportunity is presented. It’s not that they’re unconvinced or unmotivated, there is just some uncertainty about referring, so they don’t. Some may be out there singing your praises and endorsing you because you are dependable, but it sputters out quickly when it lands in the friend’s mind. Unless and until a client or partner is crystal clear about how it will reflect on them and the friend, there’s a blockage.

Download Chapter 1 of The Blue Square Method for free now at: thebluesquaremethod.com

In Charlotte, NC with Josh Gongaware at First Trust along with a stellar group of financial professionals discussing the best practices that create growth and efficiency.

Everything we’ve discussed to this point will make you undeniably more refer-able, but there is one more piece that needs to be put into place to convert referability into a steady stream of good quality introductions: Communication. You must always position and articulate the concept of an introduction as a service you are providing, not as a tactic to drive your business.

Download Chapter 1 of The Blue Square Method for free now at: thebluesquaremethod.com

Branding not only impacts prospective clients and existing clients, it impacts other influencers like strategic partners. Branding is the lifeblood of advocacy. It is reputational and can be relayed. Marketing can create transactions, but does not go anywhere near as far as branding when it comes to referrals. Introductions from advocates are a recurring revenue stream for your business and build the very fabric of your business. Transacting is like sewing without a knot at the end of the thread. Lastly, and it bears repeating, branding helps achieve stewardship, meaning your value is bought, not sold.

Do the ads drive referrals, or do they make people wonder why you still have to do advertising? Do the ads increase the awareness of professional scarcity and contrast, or do they undermine them?

Download Chapter 1 of my new book The Blue Square Method for free now at: thebluesquaremethod.com

"If you’re really thinking about selling your practice, realize that there are probably a hundred buyers that are out there right now. I’m not talking about another financial advisor. I’m not talking about somebody in your town or in your city. I’m talking about real buyers..." This is an excerpt from episode 35 of the ‘Always On with Duncan MacPherson’ podcast with guest Ted Jenkin.

Click here to watch on YouTube

The Anatomy of an Offer with Ted Jenkin 

There is a simple mantra in business: Every business is built to be sold.

Whether you plan to exit in the next 18 months or after 10 years, it is important to know your options so you can achieve the best possible outcome.

In this episode, Duncan MacPherson talks to Ted Jenkin, CEO of oXYGen Financial, about the anatomy of a business sale. As someone who has sold a multi-million-dollar business himself, Ted has valuable insights on how to effectively navigate the sale of your business from start to end. They discuss:

• The current and future outlook of the M&A space (including private equity firms)
• Actionable steps to increase your potential valuation multiple
• How exit planning can help you de-risk your position and achieve a higher sense of purpose
• The best place to get started if you have given zero thought to selling your business
• And more

Stream the new episode of Always On by clicking here: https://paretosys.co/AODM_ep35

The congruency you display, by backing up your statements of “having a process” by actually having one, puts additional distance between you and the pack. Still, in the pursuit of balance, don’t let yourself tip too far over into the science of building a business – remember the art. It is one thing to not “go through the motions” when it comes to best practices and standard operating procedures, you also need to combine it with your calling as a professional with a purpose.