Retiring IFA - Blog Archives

The IFA Acquisition Signal

If you were drowning and someone offered to throw you a life jacket, how much would you pay for it?

How much would this life jacket be worth?

All of your income?

It would be worth everything!

Compare this to how much you would pay for a life jacket now whilst you are sat reading this email...

Just as the life jacket's value drastically differs dependant on the situation, the value of an IFA business to you depends on your current situation...

Value is indeed in the eye of the beholder...

The question then becomes, how does the beholder time his acquisition to maximise value?

Below are three key acquisition indicators that signal when the timing is right for you to take on additional clients through acquisition.

1. Exhaustion of client referrals and local contacts 

Initially good service, word of mouth, marketing efforts and abnormal returns can spread like wildfire amongst your addressable market.

However, there comes a point where the channels for organic growth start to dry up and external options become more attractive...

2. Generation of excess cash in a low yield environment

With interest rates low and expectations of rate hikes squandered, it is worth thinking about the low opportunity cost of not acquiring, especially while additional capital remains cheap...

3. Missing out on consolidation by the non-consolidators

In few instances over the last decade have we seen external market forces create an environment where scale is more attractive in the industry than today.

If you have not acquired recently, it may be worth capitalising on these market advancements that have driven acquisition activity in the IFA space to an all time high...

If you can resonate with any of the above mentioned factors, then the timing is right for you to take on additional clients through acquisition. 

Do not wait until the optimal timing has passed and factors suddenly turn against you, download the eBook now (only 101 free copies available).

Don't wait until you are drowning before you buy the life jacket!

Initiate the process now by reading this short 10-minute eBook that will share with you the nine factors that accurately predict a firm profit uplift potential.

Best wishes, 

Steve Hagues

PS. Discover the five fatal errors when buying an IFA practice by clicking here

The Not So Perfect IFA Relationship!

Have you thought that you the exiting IFA owner can be a valuable asset to an acquirer in terms of ongoing profitability and success?  

You are a leader and skilled at what you do. You are the keeper of this gold mine of opportunity. 

You have invested years into building up goodwill and solid relationships! 

And I know that you will want to add value to your IFA business sale and achieve the best price by conducting a full and healthy handover with your acquirer!

There are so many IFA business sellers out there that don’t realise just how important the handover process is, and just how vital their role is within it. 

But the acquirer’s role is also extremely important and by clicking here to download our eBook you can learn why it is so important to choose the right type of acquirer to ensure a smooth handover.

The handover will only go as smoothly as the relationship you have managed to achieve with your acquirer, and if you have a healthy bond with them then you won’t be afraid to build the perfect handover that benefits you.    

So how to achieve this:

Well agreeing a premium price is one thing… Agreeing the specifics of a handover and definition of success is another matter entirely.

Have you even thought about the questions that will no doubt need an answer? You must start thinking now about: 

How long do you want the handover period to be? 

Are you prepared to fulfil a minimum amount of time in the office? 

How many appointments per week will be carried out – Have you thought about the total over the whole handover period?

Do you need to agree a plan for joint meetings? 

How will you contact clients to inform them of the sale? 

The reason that doing this is so important is because: 

To have you the retiring owner in client meetings can help with instances such as a clash of personalities. Your ongoing relationship and physical presence can assist in smoothing over any potential conflict that may arise. 

Plus having you there still playing a part in the business will help your clients relax and they won’t feel like you have abandoned them! 

Over 80% of IFA business sellers we spoke to didn’t choose the right acquirer for their business and because of that they were unable to negotiate a perfect handover which in turn meant their IFA exit played out less than smoothly. 

Don’t let that be you!

If you are in the market to find that perfect handover and are looking to attract top IFA acquirers, here are 3 ways I can help:

Claim your FREE copy of our guide that reveals the 4 most ominous types of buyers, how to spot them and most importantly how to stay away from them by clicking here. 

Book in with one of our expert consultants who can give you a no obligation valuation of your IFA business and answer any questions you have on the selling process by clicking here. 

And if you want to find the right type of acquirer to ensure the perfect exit, reply to this email with the word ‘perfect’ and I will see if I can help. 

Best Wishes

Stephen Hagues

P.S. Click here now to download our eBook to learn about the pitfalls when choosing an acquirer for your IFA business. Trust me, reading this will save you a lot of effort when it comes to planning your exit strategy and its only 15 minutes of your time now instead of wasting precious time later!

The Deadly Seven! Top IFA Exiting Mistakes to Avoid 

When it comes to that time in life and you are imagining the joy of never having to be rudely awakened by your alarm clock again, it is all too easy to be clouded by the luxurious thought of retirement…

I can hear you now…

“…Gosh, it is going to be wonderful! I can have more time with my family…”

“I can enjoy my hobbies with my newly acquired freedom…”

“And of course I cannot forget about that juicy cash pot at the end of it all…”

But stop thinking about the rewards for a second! How did you get to your paradise?

Before you let yourself become seduced by all those beautiful apples in the garden of retirement…

…You need to think about the journey to your very own Eden…

…but, beware you don’t miss-step!

Otherwise, the deadly sins of selling will set you up for a very big fall!

Don’t unwittingly con yourself out of thousands of pounds by being caught off guard. Download our eBook on The Seven Deadly Sins of Selling by clicking here to recognise and avoid them!

92% of sellers we surveyed confessed that whilst they didn’t think it would be easy selling their IFA business, they were struck by a glancing blow at just how easily they fell prey to:

Little or no preparation

Fish and chip Charlie offers after due diligence

Taking a hands off approach

Failing to pre-qualify buyers

And, it doesn’t stop there!

If it was you and your exit experience, I am sure you would be guilty of falling into the same traps, wouldn’t you?

After all this though, the majority of frustrations and challenges that you will face within your exit strategy can so easily be avoidable…

… By investing just 10 minutes of your time now into reading our complimentary eBook, click here to discover why seizing the first cash rich acquirer is not always the best.

You could find yourself without an IFA business and with nowhere near the remuneration of what was offered to start with!!!

An offer that actually, if you think about it, wasn’t a divine offer in the first place!

So, don’t let the snakes rob you with their surprise attacks! Click here now to download our eBook and together we can thwart those pesky sins trying to darken your Retiring experience!

Best Wishes

Steve Hagues

PS. Want to throw a little light on the subject? Click here to read the Five Golden Rules to selling your IFA Business!

IFA Clients Are Not Forever! 

Are you dealing with current business challenges? 

Did you know that if you get more clients, your business has the power to solve over three quarters of those challenges! 

But not just any clients... I am talking about your desired client. 

Clients that don’t negotiate on your prices and pay your fees willingly. 

Clients that trust you. 

And most importantly, clients that will keep on returning to you to use your services again and again, as well as recommending you to their friends, relatives and business colleagues! 

Attaining more of these desirable clients means you will see an increase in your revenue and profits.

And a decrease in hassle and stress for you! 

Just think about what having a healthy stream of clients could mean for you.

Your business will grow.

More money for you personally, and with that you could:

Upgrade your holiday experiences

Buy that dream family home.

Ultimately you will end up having more security and freedom to take on more opportunities both personally and professionally. 

The world can be your oyster!

But did you know that attaining more clients is one thing that the majority of IFA business owners struggle with the most!

It is actually a bigger issue than you think and has the potential to get worse if businesses aren’t proactive enough to do something about it. 

By investing 10 minutes of your time and clicking here to download our eBook you can read all about the 5 most common major traps that IFA acquirers fall into. 

A staggering 95% of acquisitions fall down due to these traps and by not educating yourself on them you are setting up your IFA business acquisition to fail. 

If you are looking to make sure your IFA acquisition is handled adeptly then here are 3 ways I can help:

Claim your FREE copy of our highly recommended guide which can give you the top tips on how to avoid the pitfalls in acquisition by clicking here. 

Book in with one of our highly trained consultants who can answer all your questions and give you a ‘hot to trot’ market update by clicking here. 

And if you want to know the secret method to securing those desired clients, reply to this email with the word ‘secret’ and I will get straight back to you! 

Best Wishes 

Stephen Hagues

PS. Click here to download our eBook so you can achieve the ideal client base that compliments yours!