Does this describe your advice firm?

What people want, and what people think they want, from an advice business are two different things.

People generally think they want advice on where markets are heading, on which sectors they should be exposed to and, crucially, which fund managers they should trust to manage their investments?

Thankfully, as awareness grows about how markets work, about the random nature of fund performance and and how financial advisers really add value, people are starting to look for completely different things. When they experience good advice and good financial planning, they love it.

I read an excellent post the other day about what clients truly want from an advice firm, which includes this helpful list:

"Honesty. Competence. Integrity. Placing the investor’s interest ahead of the firm’s interest. Transparency. Consistency of message and philosophy. Clear and ongoing communication."

So, does this describe your advice firm and its value proposition? If not, it may be time to change your focus.