I recognized a cycle I see frequently with Financial Advisors and Investment Managers.  More often than not, they are only looking at their customers as numbers.  And that vision leads to advisors and managers closing their eyes off to opportunities. It goes with the territory.  My personal observation is that when a human is very good with numbers and calculations, usually, the same brain does not lean to the interpersonal relationship building side. Well, that's all fine and good.  Except it's not really all fine and good.  And especially right now in our economy,  it is bad and doesn't serve anyone. Every talking head on TV and on the radio spouts on and on about the "financial woes" of the nation.  And people are scared.  The last thing they need or want is a financial human who doesn't want to talk with them about the numbers, or who can only talk with them in numbers speak. The only thing holding our country, region, county, city, community together is our relationships (in good times and bad.)  When we feel supported, we make better decisions and continue using our advisors and managers.  When fear is pervasive, we retract - and that means one day you're in business, the next day you're not. You may be technically the best financial advisor or investment manager on the face of this earth.  If you don't communicate with your clients on a level they understand, they will leave you to find someone who will communicate with them.  There is no getting around it, you, personally, as the service provider, need to make contact with them. If you are a highly numbers focused human, here are some comfortable ways to talk with your clients so they feel how good you are and the value you provide:

• Send out a newsletter: there are services that will create this for you so you don't even have to touch it.
• Set aside 15 minutes a day and write a hand written note to 3 clients.
• Take 10 minutes a day and call a client to ask, "Got any questions? I'm here if you do."
• Present them with a gift they see value in at their next face to face appointment

Investing a little bit of time in talking with your clients right now will keep you in the black and bring in the referrals.  Everyone remembers the person that supported them during the crisis.