Ep 438: Boosting Client Retention And Satisfaction By Asking Better Questions As Your Authentic Self with Nikki Savage
Financial Advisor Success
Michael Kitces
4.8 • 696 Ratings
🗓️ 20 May 2025
⏱️ 90 minutes
🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In this episode, financial advisor Nikki Savage discusses her approach to enhancing client retention and satsifaction by engaging in thoughtful, intentional relationship-building—specifically asking deep questions that uncover her clients’ true needs and using that insight to create highly personalized experiences.
Listen in as Nikki reflects on filtering feedback to stay true to her values and how building her practice authentically has been at the center of her success. She also explains why a strong advisor-client fit is essential, how she addresses client misconceptions to maintain focus during market volatility, and how in-person events help connect with her ideal target prospects by creating a comfortable setting to discuss financial challenges in their lives.
For show notes and more visit: https://www.kitces.com/438
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Welcome to the Financial Advisor Success Podcast, where you go behind the scenes with |
| 0:07.1 | financial planner, speaker, and consultant Michael Kitsis to hear stories of how leading |
| 0:12.4 | financial advisors navigated the inevitable challenges that arise on the path to success |
| 0:17.4 | and get insight from leading industry consultants about how to break through to the next |
| 0:22.2 | level in your advisory business. And now here's your host, Michael Kitsis. Welcome, everyone. Welcome |
| 0:29.3 | to the 438th episode of the Financial Advisor's Success podcast. My guest on today's podcast is Nikki Savage. |
| 0:36.5 | Nikki is a senior director in the Tampa, Florida, Office of the RIA Sequoia Financial Group, |
| 0:41.4 | where she manages approximately $150 million in assets under management for 100 client households. |
| 0:47.2 | What's unique about Nikki, though, is how she has been able to boost client retention and satisfaction |
| 0:51.7 | by asking key questions that help her reach a deeper level |
| 0:55.1 | of understanding with prospects and clients and ultimately provide them with a higher level of service. |
| 1:00.3 | In this episode, we talk in depth about how Nikki uses a series of questions to dig deep into |
| 1:04.9 | a client's background to ensure they feel heard, understood, and cared for, how Nikki views |
| 1:08.9 | the importance of having a good match between an advisor's strengths and personality and their client's needs, and why this suggests that not |
| 1:15.1 | every advisor-client relationship is a good fit, and how Nikki adds a personal touch to client |
| 1:19.6 | gifts in order to ensure they stand out in cement lasting relationships, improving client retention |
| 1:24.3 | in the process. We also talk about how Nikki tends to avoid small talk |
| 1:27.8 | when starting client meetings, preferring to instead follow up directly on a previously discussed |
| 1:32.0 | event in their personal lives, demonstrating her ability to see them as unique individuals. |
| 1:37.0 | Nikki's tactics for addressing mistaken assumptions, prospects, and clients sometimes bring to |
| 1:41.3 | the table to calm their nerves during market volatility and keep them focused on their goals and how Nikki prepares a customized meeting summary and follow-on task |
| 1:48.6 | list and has the client acknowledged that it reflects their experience in the meeting as well |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Michael Kitces, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Michael Kitces and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.