7 Rules of Readability webinar – January 22nd at 11am – 12pm

As an adviser, planner or paraplanner, your number one job is to help clients make an informed decision. But to understand the advice, they have to read it.
Therefore, your second job is to make your writing as readable as possible.

Join me for a readability refresher!

By the end of the session, you will be able to:

Adopt the right mindset for effective writing
Recognise the seven rules of readability
Avoid common pitfalls which lead to writing being ignored

You can register here.

It’s for you if:

You know you use too many technical terms but aren’t sure what to say instead
You’re concerned your reports are very long but don’t know what to leave out
You’re worried about consumer understanding outcome but lack flexibility in how to articulate concepts
You know you should use more diagrams but aren’t sure where to start
You’re frustrated at how long it takes to write reports
You want a step by step roadmap to follow

How to Succeed without Feeling like an Imposter: January 2025 programme

Self-doubt, feelings of inadequacy or a lack of confidence can burden and cripple career progression. This programme unlocks tools and strategies to achieve healthier thought patterns, boost confidence and collaboration within teams. Drawing on cutting edge research, the programme is both thought provoking and practical and has received great feedback from participants. The sessions build on each other, so you’re encouraged to join all four. Each will be an hour long – including time for questions.

Part one: your concept of success – January 9th at 13:00

By the end of this session, you will be able to:

Use three key questions to set goals
Begin to define your personal concept of success
Reflect on the why behind the what

You can join here.

Part 2: Imposter syndrome – up close – January 16th at 13:00

By the end of this session, you will be able to:

Recognise what imposter syndrome is
Develop your awareness as to when and where it shows up
Reflect on the factors that can cause it to be so powerful

You can join here.

Part 3: Tools to help change your inner conversation – January 23rd at 13:00

By the end of this session, you will be able to:

Recognise how to respond in the midst of an attack
Develop strategies and skills to effectively relate to feelings of inadequacy
Develop strategies and skills to manage unhelpful thoughts so that you don’t get so consumed by them.

You can join here.

Part 4: Resilience and rethinking risk taking – January 30th at 13:00

By the end of the session, you will be able to:

Recognise 4 key principles that develop your self respect, esteem and confidence over the long term
Handle setbacks, feedback and situations that don’t go your way
Develop healthy habits to strengthen your inner coach not your critic

You can join here.

5 Review Meeting Mistakes and How to Avoid Them – 19th Feb – 10:00 – 11:00

Annual review meetings are an important opportunity to cement relationships and reassure clients that they have enough. But sometimes clients are reluctant to come along. This can be for many reasons, often compounded by common mistakes made in the previous meeting.

Learning objectives:

Confidently communicate the value of your advice.
Avoid the 5 common mistakes
Ask new questions to better understand your clients

This session is being run for the PFS Power Platform – you can register here

Client Conversations: tips, techniques and tools for connection – 25th February 13:00 – 14:00

Client meetings are an important opportunity to strengthen your relationship, help your clients make decisions and feel reassured. But sometimes the conversation doesn’t go as planned.

By the end of this session you’ll be able to:

Recognise what makes a good meeting
Understand why some conversations connect, others don’t and what to do about it
Use tips to improve your listening skills
Avoid losing focus on the client(s) when others are present – such as Power of Attorneys

This session is being run on behalf of the Society for Later Life Advisers. You can find out more information here.

5 First Meeting Mistakes and How to Avoid Them – 26th March – 10:00 – 11:00

First meetings are brimming with potential. A new relationship, new problems to solve and hopefully much reassurance to offer. But many advisers misunderstand how trust is earned and end up missing opportunities.

Learning objectives:

Avoid the 5 common mistakes
Recognise the 4 ingredients of trustworthiness
Ask powerful questions which can help to demonstrate your value.

This session is being run on behalf of PFS Power – you can register here.

Previous events:

Make your communication stick – 14th January at 13:00 – 14:00

How effective is the communication you experience every day? How often have you been bored during a presentation or meeting? Had a tedious networking conversation or failed to win a piece of business that you know you should have won? Far too many?!

Experts can struggle to communicate in interesting and memorable ways because once we know something it is hard to imagine what it was like not to know it. This can result in irrelevant boring messages that are often ignored or forgotten. The session will lift the lid on how our mind absorbs information so that you can craft and deliver messages that stick.

Learning objectives:

Use effective communication techniques so that your audience will act rather than switch off and glaze over
Recognise the six principles to help your communication stick
Apply the three components of charisma so that you increase your personal impact

This is being run for the Insurance Institute of London – you can register here.

Make your message stick – St James’s Place – 11th December

10:00 – 11:00

If you’ve identified that your client is in vulnerable circumstances then your communication has to be crystal clear. You’ll need to adapt and flex according to your client’s needs which isn’t always easy. This session will give some key tips and techniques to use in your annual review meetings…

This session will cover:

5 Common mistakes which lead to messages sliding rather than sticking
3 Foundations for effective communication
3 Techniques to convey technical concepts

This is being run on behalf of St James’s Place. Partners can book on below:

https://sjp-co-uk.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_bD_y8U3jR0eVn_RpAN9QHw#/registration

How to have a challenging conversation – Tuesday 10th December

12:30 – 13:30

Whether it’s dealing with a challenging client, boss or team member these crucial conversations have the potential to strengthen or weaken a relationship and need to be handled with skill and care. However many people avoid suchconversations for fear of saying the wrong thing, too much or not enough. Yet the issue is rarely resolved by ignoring or inflaming it.

By the end of the session, participants will be able to:

Use a preparation checklist
Differentiate between a “battle of messages” and a “learning conversation”
Two ingredients to reduce defensiveness
Use a memorable 4 step framework with key phrases
Avoid saying the wrong things

This webinar is being run on behalf of the CISI. You can book on here:

https://www.cisi.org/cisiweb2/shop/event-details?eventid=86855921

7 Rules of Readability – Wednesday 27th November

12.30 – 13.30

Your number one job, as an adviser, planner or paraplanner, is to help clients make an informed decision. But to understand the advice, they have to read it. Therefore, your second job is to make your writing as readable as possible. In this session, Melissa Kidd will go over her 7 rules of readability, so your reports are clear, concise and client friendly.

By the end of the session, you will be able to:

Adopt the right mindset for effective writing
Recognise the seven rules of readability
Avoid common pitfalls which lead to writing being ignored

This event is being run for Next Gen Planners.

Technically speaking: how to simply convey complex concepts – Thursday 21st November

12:30 – 1:30

Technical professionals who can succinctly communicate the value of their work are at a distinct advantage when compared to those who can’t. Whether it’s to explain the workings of a discounted gift trust or simply the concept of compounding, there are some rules of thumb to follow. Consumer Duty is requiring firms to ensure client understanding, this session shows you how.

It is specifically for professionals who often get glazed looks when describing what they do. It is for those who have complex concepts to convey.

By the end of the session, participants will be able to:

Recognise three ground rules for effective communication
Apply three techniques that can help when conveying technical information
Avoid 3 common mistakes which lead to people switching off

This webinar is being run on behalf of the CISI

You can register for free here

The 7 Rules of Readability – 29th Oct

12.30 – 13.30

By the end of the session, you will be able to:

Adopt the right mindset for effective writing
Recognise the seven rules of readability
Avoid common pitfalls which lead to writing being ignored

You can register here (this is being run on behalf of the CISI)

Make your Message Stick – 23rd October Tonbridge

If you’ve ever struggled to get your point across in a meeting, presentation or conversation, then this talk is for you. Perhaps you’re trying to convey a technical concept but you can see people’s eyes begin to glaze over? Or maybe people aren’t taking the action you want and you’re not sure how to communicate differently without damaging your relationship. By the end of the session, participants will be able to:

Recognise 3 issues we all care about
Take 3 steps to encourage their audience to pay attention
Apply the 4 building blocks of a sticky message

Please note that this session is taking place in-person and will not be available to watch live online.

8.30am Arrival, breakfast, registration
9am Clare Pleydell-Bouverie, Liontrust Asset Management – The Silicon Valley debrief – Ethical Considerations When Investing in AI
10am Luke Bartholomew, abrdn – How low will rates go?
11am refreshment break
11.15am Melissa Kidd, Motem Ltd. – Make your message stick
12.15 Refreshments and networking
1pm Close

3 CPD hours

You can book here

Giving and Receiving Feedback webinar – 9th October – 2pm

Many managers find delivering feedback one of the hardest areas of their job. They know that if it’s delivered poorly, it can be demotivating. If it’s withheld, progress can slow, frustrations can rise and relationships can breakdown. And yet when delivered well, it can strengthen relationships and increase productivity and performance.

What will it include?

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Prepare effectively for delivering feedback
Recognise the two ingredients needed to create psychological safety so that the message can be heard in the right way
Use a range of frameworks to structure the message
Address or uncover resistance to the feedback
Identify 6 tips for taking feedback well

You can register for free here

Conversations that Connect: Society of Later Life Advisers – October 8th

Central Hall Westminster, London.

How can you best help clients as they approach the evening of their lives? For some people, this stage may be a time where they can reap the rewards of their hard work. But for others their days may be lonely, filled with worry and pain.

The decisions we make around how we spend our money and time are very personal. And can often be extremely emotionally charged – especially if both are running out. This means they need to be handled with skill and care and rely on a strong connection for a message to land. This session will show you how to build that relationship for a better, more trusting conversation.

Learning objectives:

By the end of the session, participants will be able to:

Adopt a mindset to build connection
Use key questions to deepen their conversations
Develop their listening skills

You can book here

Working with Imposter Syndrome

Sept 18th at 10:00 – 11:00

Do you ever feel as though self-doubt, feelings of inadequacy or a lack of confidence is burdening you and your career progression? This session unlocks tools and strategies to achieve healthier thought patterns, boost confidence, and enhance leadership and collaboration within your teams.

By the end of the webinar, participants will be able to:

Recognise what imposter syndrome is
Increase their awareness as to when and where it shows up
Develop strategies and skills to effectively relate to feelings of inadequacy
Apply strategies and skills to manage unhelpful thoughts so that they don’t get so consumed by them

You can register for this free session here.

7 Rules of Readability – PFS Tyne Tees Conference

Sept 19th – Ramsdale Hotel – Durham

Your number one job, as a suitability report writer, is to help clients make an informed decision. But to understand the advice, they have to read it. Therefore, your number two job is to make your writing as readable as possible. In this session, Melissa Kidd will go over her 7 rules of readability, so your reports are clear, concise and client friendly.

By the end of the session, participants will be able to:

Adopt the right mindset for effective writing
Recognise the seven rules of readability
Avoid common pitfalls which lead to writing being ignored.

Book here

Breaking Bad News

Sept 5th at 13:00 – 14:00

We all have to deliver bad news at some point. And no doubt many of us have been on the receiving end of a blunt, poorly delivered, badly timed message which sent us reeling. So what are the building blocks to craft a challenging message? Drawing on research from the medical field, this 60 minute webinar will include practical tips, frameworks as well as some points on which to reflect over the longer term.

This webinar is being run for the Chartered Insurance Institute and Personal Finance Society and will include relevant examples.

By the end of the session, participants will be able to:

Recognise the 4 factors essential in communicating bad news
Use a preparation checklist
Understand what to avoid saying

You can book here.Get it Write: CATS Paraplanner Conference

June 26th – online 14:30 – 15:00

Whether you are writing suitability reports, emails, or letters, helping clients to understand financial advice recommendations is no easy task. This engaging and practical session will steer you away from communication traps, lay down some communication ground rules so that you can strike the right tone, build trust, and write concisely. Consumer Duty is calling for clearer communication – this session will show you how.

Learning objectives:

By the end of this webinar, you will be able to:

Understand three ground rules for effective communication so that you build trust and your client takes action
Apply three techniques that can help when conveying technical information
Use three tips to help with report writing

The session includes real life examples of poor writing from suitability reports that participants are asked to edit using the ideas, tips and techniques that are being shared.

You can sign up here:

Make your Message Stick

June 20th: 1pm – 2pm – online

If you’ve ever struggled to get your point across in a meeting, presentation or conversation, then this talk is for you. Perhaps you’re trying to convey a technical concept, but you can see people’s eyes to begin to glaze over? Or maybe people aren’t taking the action you want and you’re not sure how to communicate differently without damaging your relationship.

Learning outcomes:

By the end of the session, participants will be able to:

Recognise the 3 issues we all care about.
Use 3 steps so that their audience cares about their message.
Apply the 4 building blocks of a sticky message.

You can sign up here.

Purely Paraplanning 2024: Thriving in a Changing Landscape

Wednesday 8th May – London Etc Venues

I’m looking forward to running a session on Writing for Readability.

As a Paraplanner, your number one job is to help clients make an informed decision. And to understand the advice, they have to read it. This is sometimes easier said than done. But not when you follow some guidelines!

I’ll be covering:

3 Principles for effective communication
7 Rules of readability
Key mistakes to avoid

You can sign up here.

Corporate Confidence: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

Thurs 11th April at 1 – 2pm

Do you ever feel as though self-doubt, feelings of inadequacy or a lack of confidence is burdening you and your career progression?

This session unlocks tools and strategies to achieve healthier thought patterns, boost confidence, and enhance leadership and collaboration within your teams.

By the end of the webinar, you will be able to:

Recognise what imposter syndrome is
Increase your awareness as to when and where it shows up
Develop strategies and skills to effectively relate to feelings of inadequacy
Apply strategies and skills to manage unhelpful thoughts so that you don’t get so consumed by them.

You can register here:
https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/4529906/7845670642755460F0BBF6908B38239C

Connecting Conversations – PFS XCHANGE: Later Life Planning Conundrums

I’m excited to be running a series of masterclasses at the PFS Spring Conferences.

What does true wealth mean for your clients? Beyond the numbers, percentages and pie charts, how can you help clients lead a rich, rewarding life so that they flourish in their latter stages? This practical and interactive session will offer insights, questions and metaphors to deepen your client conversations.

Learning objectives:
By the end of the session, you will be able to:
Recognise what leads to fulfilment: 6 human needs
Adopt a mindset to build connection
Use key questions to spark engagement
Develop your listening skills to deepen your conversations

Dates include:

London: 27th February
Glasgow: 12th March
Manchester: 14th March

Make your message stick

Wednesday 21st February 2024, 17:30 – 19:30

I’m delighted to be talking at the Women in Platforms Event held at Nucleus office in Edinburgh.

You can register here if you’d like to join.

Venue: Nucleus Financial, 12 Blenheim Place, Edinburgh, EH7 5JH

Get it Write – a masterclass for paraplanners and advisers

Wednesday 21st February 2024, 10:00 – 11:00

I’m running a free webinar for the PFS focusing on writing.

Whether it’s through suitability reports, emails, or letters, helping clients to understand advice or recommendations is no easy task.

This session will steer you away from communication traps, lay down some communication ground rules so that you can strike the right tone, build trust and write concisely.

By the end of this webinar, you’ll be able to:

Understand three ground rules for effective communication so that you build trust and your client takes action
Apply three techniques that can help when conveying technical information
Use seven tips to help with report writing
Write emails that get actioned.

It includes real life examples of poor writing from suitability reports. And you’ll be asked to edit them using the ideas, tips and techniques that I share so you can enhance your skills.

You can register for free below:
https://pfspower.org/webinars/get-it-write/

Some exciting announcements coming soon! New conference sessions on the horizon for February and March 2024. Watch this space!

Ace your Annual Review – 2nd Nov (PFS National Conference, Newport)

Annual review meetings are an important opportunity to cement your relationship and hopefully reassure clients that they have enough. But all too often clients are reluctant to come along. In this session, we’ll look at ways you can reposition this meeting in the client’s mind, show your value and help you make the most of the time.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of the session, you’ll be able to

1. Adopt the right mindset for a great meeting and prepare your client

2. Ask questions to reinvigorate the relationship with long-standing clients

3. Follow up in a way that will inspire action

How to Finesse your First Meeting – Illuminate Live Conference Tour

Tuesday 26 September Manchester The Mere Resort
Wednesday 27 September London etc.venues St Paul’s
Thursday 28 September Bristol Leigh Court
Tuesday 3 October Southampton Leonardo Royal Grand Harbour Hotel
Tuesday 10 October Edinburgh Sheraton Grand
Thursday 12 October Birmingham The Belfry

First meetings are brimming with potential. Some clients will be nervous, some will be confident, some will have no idea about what’s involved or what they’d like their future to hold. So how can you help them navigate such big decisions, especially when you have only just met?

Even though no two clients are the same, we all have similar psychological needs. And when we can tune into these, we can turbo charge rapport.

Learning objectives

By the end of the session, participants will be able to:

Develop their trustworthiness by recognising and addressing 5 psychological needs in prospective clients
Use techniques to help prospective clients open up, talk and gain clarity
Develop their listening skills and relational intelligence.

Futher information:

https://nucleusfinancial.com/advisers/events/illuminate-live-info

Two New Report Writing Masterclasses: Thursday 16th November and Wednesday 13th December

Three experts, two cities and one fantastic event!

The Co-Laboratory and CATS are joining forces. Caroline Stuart and I are thrilled to be teaming up with Mel Holman of CATS (Compliance and Training Solutions) once again to put on a Report Writing Workshop.

The session, titled ‘Communication Matters – Report Writing Masterclass’ will be held over two dates: (Thursday 16th November and Wednesday 13th December) in two cities to increase accessibility.

Each place costs £147 and includes lunch.

Since the introduction of Consumer Duty, communication has never been more important. The one-day workshop will focus on ensuring reports and communications are client friendly, clear and compliant – and that they meet Consumer Duty requirements.

Covering compliance aspects, such as what does COBS and the FCA say has to be in a Suitability Report? The session will also answer: What is ‘good practice’ to include in a report and also, what doesn’t need to be there?

It will also look at report-writing techniques; how to write so that the client wants to read it – using language, styles and layout techniques. This will include readability tips, word choice as well as how to make them more visually appealing – using graphics.

Aimed at financial advisers, planners, paraplanners, administrators, compliance and quality assurance professionals – the workshop is relevant for anyone who is involved in writing and/or checking reports.

Book your place at either of the workshops here:

Birmingham – Thursday 16th November 2023. 09:30 to 16:30 at EBI Portfolios, Suite 7, Beecham Business Park, Northgate, Aldridge, WS9 8TZ
https://app.tickettailor.com/events/sparrowsolutions/1003221

London – Wednesday 13th December 2023. 09:30 to 16:30 at Edentree Investment Management 24 Monument Street, London EC3R 8AJ
https://app.tickettailor.com/events/sparrowsolutions/1004589