Picture seeing a client with their eyes glazing over as you explain a diversification strategy with yet another spreadsheet full of numbers.
Now picture this instead: you tell them about an elevator in an earthquake, one held by a single cable, the other by four. Instantly, they lean in. That’s the power of storytelling. In a profession where trust is everything and complexity is the norm, the ability to tell a clear, memorable story isn’t just a soft skill it’s a competitive edge.
In a world of data, charts, and complexity, storytelling is a powerful tool that helps advisers cut through the noise, build trust, and inspire clients to act.
Top-performing advisers use stories more often and more effectively than their peers. Research shows they communicate with simplicity, connect emotionally, and attract referrals through clear, relatable narratives (Mitch Anthony, The Financial Professional’s Storybook). They don’t overwhelm clients with jargon instead, they use analogies like gardening, fly fishing, or elevator cables to bring financial concepts to life.
Why does this matter? Because clients make decisions emotionally, not logically. Stories trigger emotion and memory, making them more persuasive than spreadsheets. A good story helps clients understand, feel confident, and act -whether it’s investing during uncertainty or creating a retirement plan.
Stories also build trust. Sharing your journey into advice, how you helped a widow regain control, or even a lesson learned from a mistake makes you more human, relatable, and credible. As Don Connelly says, “People don’t buy what they don’t understand” and they won’t act unless they trust the messenger.
Everyday situations like someone asking, “How’s business?” become opportunities when answered with a brief, compelling story. That’s the essence of situational storytelling: be ready, be real, and be brief.
Try These Storytelling Analogies:
Elevator Cables
One adviser explains diversification by drawing two boxes, one with a single line overhead and the other with four lines overhead. She says: “Do you know what these are? They’re elevators one supported by a single cable and the other by four cables. Which one would you rather be in during an earthquake? We need to apply the same diversification principles to your portfolio … just in case.”
Delayed Journey
Delaying the decision to start your investing plan is like delaying an important trip. If you need to drive 60 miles in one hour, that’s doable. But if you wait 20 minutes, you’ll have to drive 90 miles an hour reckless and unsafe. The time to invest is when you have the money. You can’t start soon enough.
Window Panes
Owning a single asset class is like having one large picture window. If it breaks, it’s expensive to replace. A diversified portfolio is like a window with many panes. It is less dramatic, but if one pane breaks, it’s manageable and inexpensive to fix.
AstuteWheel users can integrate storytelling into their client meetings by pairing stories with our structured advice tools. Start with your story, then show how your advice brings it to life.
