One of the pressures on advisory firms is changing consumerpreferences.

Advisors who want to call themselves a quarterback or acoordinator when they describe their services are talking inclichés and abstractions; clients will eventually begin to hear andthink, “Oh, you get paid for doing nothing.” Dig deep and spendsome time figuring out what you really do, and how thatcreates a satisfying client experience.

Here are some steps to help you get better aligned so you arebuilding the business you want and attracting the clients who willrespond to your real strengths:

1. Talk to some trusted clients. This isimportant and courageous. Ask a couple of trusted clients how theyfeel about your services, what they like and, most important, whatthey think could be improved.

You may not want to do everything they say, but their commentsare worth considering. You should implement enough of theirsuggestions to prove that you were really listening to them andvalue their advice.

2. Talk with your team. Is everyone on the samepage regarding the service offering to clients? What suggestionswould team members make to enhance the client experience? How wouldthey change or improve the operating environment?

Team members are often a great source for quick, easyimprovements to a business; plus, this action has the added benefitof empowering staff members.

3. Join a study group. In an industry of smallbusinesses, it’s great to find colleagues who share similarchallenges and concerns. You can share intel on trends and newtechnology, and troubleshoot for one another. Many of the nation’stop advisors have formed study groups based on commonalities andgoals. Some even run their own business ledger to account for duesreceived and jointly approved expenditures that support the greatergood.

Related: Using 'nimbility' to serve insurancecustomers

If you are a financial services agency executive, it might makesense to meet with trusted peers on a regular basis to share ideasand discuss business evolution.

4. Invest in a client survey. Surveys, if doneright, can be costly (both in time and financial resources), but itis important to know what your clients, over all, think about yourbusiness. Once you commit to a survey, though, realize that you arealso committing to addressing any issues it reveals.

You may find that you are shifting the emphasis at youragencytoward the most valuable service, and away from tasks youlike to do but clients don’t really care about. It is good to knowthat sooner rather than later.

Matt Lynch is the Managing Partner of Strategy& Resources, LLC, a financial services consulting firm. He canbe reached at [email protected],office: 937-938-8408 or mobile: 937-602-5386.

Related: Building your insurance agency 'dream team' in2017.