If clients keep saying,“I’ll just come back when I need you,” they may not be rejecting ongoing service – they may simply be repeating back what you’ve accidentally taught them.
Ouch. I know.
But hear me out.
Most advisers who tell me they want more ongoing service clients don’t actually have an ongoing service problem.
They have a positioning problem.
Because if you spend 45 minutes talking about the plan, the modelling, the SOA, the strategy and the paperwork, then casually mention ongoing service at the end like it’s the optional dessert menu…
… of course the client thinks it’s optional.
It’s all about positioning
You didn’t mean to position it that way. But you did.
But the good news?
You can fix it.
I’ve listened to hundreds of adviser meetings over the years.
Advisers in solo practices. Growing practices. Established practices. Practices doing amazing work for clients.
And I keep seeing the same pattern play out.
The adviser genuinely believes the ongoing relationship is where the real value lives.
They know the magic is not just in the SOA.
It’s in the implementation. The follow-up. The accountability. The course-correcting. The “life changed, what do we do now?” conversations.
But then, when they explain their process to the client, they spend almost the entire meeting talking about the plan.
The modelling.
The recommendations.
The strategy.
The paperwork.
Then, right at the end, they say something like:
“And then we also have an ongoing service option if you’d like that.”
Can you see the problem?
You’ve just spent the whole meeting teaching the client that the plan is the main event. And ongoing service is the add-on.
Like leather seats in a car – nice to have, but not essential.
Don’t make the SOA the hero
Rather than making the SOA the focus, I’d explain the entire journey.
Something like:
“So you’re probably wondering how all of this works.
The easiest way to think about it is in three parts – tools, plan and help.”
Step one: The tools
“First, we use tools to give you clarity.
For example, we use financial modelling software to answer the big questions properly.
“Can you afford to retire?”
“Will your money last?”
“What happens if you work longer?”
“What happens if you spend more?”
“What happens if you downsize?”
“What happens if you help the kids financially?”
Instead of guessing, we can actually model these scenarios and see the impact before you make decisions.”
This is where I’d show them the tool in the meeting. Not for 20 minutes or with their information in it – just a demo example so they can see how it works and think:
“Oh, that’s how they create clarity.”
Casually drop that this is something you update at least annually with the client as their life changes or the government changes the rules.
You can do the same thing with your research tools.
Show them how you compare super funds, show them how you assess different options, help them understand that there is a process behind the recommendations.
Step two: The plan
Then move to the plan.
“Once we’ve got clarity, we build your plan.
This is where we bring together all the moving parts – your super, tax, cash flow, debt, insurance, estate planning and goals – and create a strategy that makes sense for your situation.
The goal is to give you a clear direction, so you know what needs to happen and why.”
Most advisers are very comfortable talking about this part.
In fact, they’re often a little too comfortable talking about this part.
Because while the plan is important, it isn’t where the journey ends – it’s where it begins.
Step three: The help
This is the part I think many advisers rush past far too quickly.
“Once the plan is in place, we help you get it done.
Because I don’t believe in handing someone a giant document and wishing them good luck.
Most people are busy. They don’t want to chase paperwork, fill in forms, follow up providers, coordinate professionals and work out what needs to happen next.
They want someone to help them implement the strategy and keep things moving.
That’s what we do.
We help with implementation. We help with follow-up. We help with accountability. And when life changes, we’re here to help you make the next decision too. Which is why we have a progress meeting in July” (whenever you have an annual review).
Then I’d summarise it simply.
“Tools to give you clarity.”
“A plan to give you direction.”
“And help to get it done.”
Then shut up
Seriously.
This is the point where I see a lot of advisers accidentally talk themselves out of the opportunity.
The client is sitting there processing what you’ve just said. They’re thinking about whether this feels valuable. They’re comparing it to their current situation and working out whether it’s the kind of support they’ve been looking for.
But instead of giving them space, the adviser jumps back in.
They add more detail. They start justifying. They answer objections that haven’t even been raised yet.
Don’t do that. Pause.
Ask:
“How’s that sitting with you?”
Or:
“Which of those three feels most valuable for you right now – the tools, the plan or the help?”
Or my personal favourite:
“On a scale of one to ten, how right does this feel for the kind of support you’re looking for?”
Then follow up with:
“What makes it that number and not lower?”
That’s a powerful question because it gets the client talking about the value. Not you.
And when clients start explaining why something matters to them, they start taking ownership of the decision.
Don’t wait until the first meeting
There’s another mistake I see advisers make all the time.
They wait until the first appointment to explain ongoing advice – but that’s too late.
Your marketing should already be doing some of that heavy lifting before a prospect ever speaks to you.
Not by saying:
“We provide annual reviews.”
(Nobody is getting excited about that.)
Show people what ongoing advice actually looks like. Share client stories. Show the journey. Show what changed over time.
Show the human outcome, not just the technical strategy.
Because when a prospect reads:
“Over the next three years of working together…”
They immediately understand that this isn’t a one-off transaction.
It’s a relationship. And that relationship is where most of the value lives.
The shift
If you take one thing from this article, let it be this:
Stop positioning ongoing advice as what happens after the plan.
The plan isn’t the destination.
It’s the starting line.
And when clients understand that, ongoing service stops feeling like an optional extra and starts feeling like the obvious next step.
That’s when these conversations become easier.
That’s when prospects stop asking whether they really need ongoing support.
And that’s when you start building the kind of business that isn’t constantly chasing the next new client.
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