The RARE Advisor: The #1 Reason Advisors Fail

The quickest path out of financial services is to treat marketing as if it’s a part-time job. Or, worse yet, to spend less on marketing than you do a part-time employee. Let’s get serious and talk about how to fix your practice and, more importantly, how to grow it.
Just recently, I read a quote in Investment News that, well, it set me off. It's about the stupidest thing I've ever heard said. The quote is:
"Marketing is often an afterthought to some of the other activities that advising firms do".
Well, if that's the thought process, I can guarantee you those firms are in decline and are about to be out of business. That's the equivalent of a car manufacturer saying, "our job is to make cars, not to sell cars". Obviously, you have to bring clients into the practice in order to grow the practice. The fact that there are advisors who think that marketing is an afterthought, that it's some kind of comfortable side game that you can play, is asinine. If you're not growing your business, your business is, in fact, dying. It's never going to go flat. It's either going up or it's going down. We all know this. We've all learned this throughout our years in the business, or the education process we went through prior to getting in this business. But again, I would encourage you to take this to heart. This is an article from Investment News. Advisors spend, on average, less than $16,000 a year in marketing, according to this study. 85% of advisors do not have a marketing strategy, it says. Again, there is no quicker way to run yourself out of this business than to have this sort of attitude about marketing and growing your practice.
--
The RARE Advisor is a business model supercharged by Recurring And Repeatable Events. With more than thirty years of working with and coaching successful advisors, host Mike Walters (along with other leaders in the industry), discusses what it takes to grow a successful practice. With the aim of helping financial professionals and financial advisors take their business to the next level, Mike Walters shares insights and success stories that make a real impact. Regardless of the stage of your practice, The RARE Advisor will provide thoughtful guidance, suggestions for developing systems and processes that work, and ideas for creating an authentic experience for your clients.
The RARE Advisor is also a podcast! Subscribe today via Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or your preferred podcast listening service for easier on-the-go listening.
Author Info

Mike Walters is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of USA Financial, leading the firm since its inception in 1988. Mike is committed to...
Related Posts

Ideal Client Events in Action: Transition, Reframing, Celebration
In this episode of The Rare Advisor, host Aaron Grady is joined by USA Financial Practice Management Consultant, Allan Oehrlein, to explore three powerful types of ideal client events every advisor should be leveraging: transition, reframing, and celebration. More than just appreciation gatherings, these tailored events help you retain top relationships, build advocacy, and elevate your practice. From handling major firm changes with confidence to showcasing new processes and creating memorable client experiences, Aaron and Allan break down practical strategies to turn client events into long-term growth opportunities. This episode takes the strategy from Client Retention Strategies through Rare Experiences and provides actionable ways ideal client events can serve different purposes.

Client Retention Strategies Through Rare Experiences
In this episode of The Rare Advisor, host Aaron Grady sits down with Steve Phillips, Chief Practice Management Officer at USA Financial, to unpack the concept of the Ideal Client Event. Unlike traditional appreciation events, these gatherings are designed exclusively for your very best clients—the advocates and relationships you most want to replicate. Aaron and Steve explore the “what,” “why,” and “how” behind these events, from honoring advocacy and building community to creating a consistent client experience that drives organic growth and long-term loyalty. If you’re a financial advisor looking for ways to deepen client relationships and inspire advocacy inside your practice, this conversation is packed with practical insights and best practices you can apply right away.

Financial Advisor PR Strategy with Michelle Lawless (Media Minefield)
In this episode of Financial Advisor Marketing Playbook, Mark sits down with Michelle Lawless, VP at Media Minefield, to unpack how PR powers growth for advisory firms—especially in a world where AI search favors credible, third-party sources. Michelle explains the difference between advertising and earned media, why local TV news and thought-leadership placements boost trust, and how to pair traditional media with strategic LinkedIn to win in no-click search. We also discuss ROI, and Media Minefield’s process—from messaging sessions and story development to market exclusivity and national opportunities. If you want to elevate credibility, increase inbound, and become the go-to expert in your market, this conversation is your playbook. Subscribe for more advisor-focused marketing tactics!

Ideal Client Events in Action: Transition, Reframing, Celebration
In this episode of The Rare Advisor, host Aaron Grady is joined by USA Financial Practice Management Consultant, Allan Oehrlein, to explore three powerful types of ideal client events every advisor should be leveraging: transition, reframing, and celebration. More than just appreciation gatherings, these tailored events help you retain top relationships, build advocacy, and elevate your practice. From handling major firm changes with confidence to showcasing new processes and creating memorable client experiences, Aaron and Allan break down practical strategies to turn client events into long-term growth opportunities. This episode takes the strategy from Client Retention Strategies through Rare Experiences and provides actionable ways ideal client events can serve different purposes.

Client Retention Strategies Through Rare Experiences
In this episode of The Rare Advisor, host Aaron Grady sits down with Steve Phillips, Chief Practice Management Officer at USA Financial, to unpack the concept of the Ideal Client Event. Unlike traditional appreciation events, these gatherings are designed exclusively for your very best clients—the advocates and relationships you most want to replicate. Aaron and Steve explore the “what,” “why,” and “how” behind these events, from honoring advocacy and building community to creating a consistent client experience that drives organic growth and long-term loyalty. If you’re a financial advisor looking for ways to deepen client relationships and inspire advocacy inside your practice, this conversation is packed with practical insights and best practices you can apply right away.

Financial Advisor PR Strategy with Michelle Lawless (Media Minefield)
In this episode of Financial Advisor Marketing Playbook, Mark sits down with Michelle Lawless, VP at Media Minefield, to unpack how PR powers growth for advisory firms—especially in a world where AI search favors credible, third-party sources. Michelle explains the difference between advertising and earned media, why local TV news and thought-leadership placements boost trust, and how to pair traditional media with strategic LinkedIn to win in no-click search. We also discuss ROI, and Media Minefield’s process—from messaging sessions and story development to market exclusivity and national opportunities. If you want to elevate credibility, increase inbound, and become the go-to expert in your market, this conversation is your playbook. Subscribe for more advisor-focused marketing tactics!