In these times, clients are feeling insecure because of the unprecedented market situation and rightly so. It becomes our job to find the right solution and advice to help them steer through these times as best as possible. Clients are also becoming increasingly sophisticated and informed. As a Financial Planner, you have to be on top of your game or you will be quickly made obsolete or worse, become led by your own client, which may sometimes lead to disaster for themselves.

With needs becoming more complex and financial products becoming more varied, we need to be creative and flexible in cutting through the clutter and finding that right comprehensive mix for our clients. The only way to do this is to be constantly open-minded, innovative and updated and keep four simple must-haves to stand out in the financial planning industry:

Thirst for Knowledge
Always be willing to learn and believe that knowledge is your key tool and value-add. Trust knowledge and not your emotions because numbers never lie. Never be complacent with what you think you know and never have preconceived assumptions or formulas because every client is different.

Understanding & Application
More than just knowing, you must be able to understand and appreciate the market situation in order to apply your knowledge for the benefit of your clients.

Pressure-proof
You must be able to handle the pressure of expectation because as a Financial Planner, more is expected from you than if you were representing a bank.

People Skills
Communication, empathy, ethics and sincerity are needed here.

For those who are considering a career as a financial planner, here are some tips:

Find a Mentor:
Find someone good, follow and learn. Not everything has to be learnt the hard way.

Find your Market:
Try to identify your niche, a market which you enjoy handling and as such, will do better with ease.

Think BIG!
Singapore is respected as the financial hub and a safe haven. Use it to your advantage!

The most important reward is just being able to help. When you solve a client's needs or know that your clients have become your friend, or experience touching moments when someone you have helped looks at you with a gratitude so deep that words aren't enough. That is when you know that you have arrived! So apply the MUST HAVES above and get rewarded when you feel the appreciation of your clienteles.