Creating an organized process for client meetings can help you and your team build a more successful business.

“The minute [you see] advisor teams putting structure around their client reviews and client meetings,” says Joanne Ferguson, president, coach and consultant with Advisor Pathways in Toronto, “you’re seeing more assets, more referrals and greater share of wallet.”

These tips will help you develop an effective meeting process:

> Make extra time
When scheduling appointments, leave some time to catch up.

Build in about 15 minutes after ever appointment, says Ferguson. That way if the meeting goes long or if you need to do some follow-up work, you can do so without sabotaging the day’s schedule.

> Give your clients a reminder
Confirm the meeting with clients ahead of time.

If you have appointments in January, have a team member call the clients in December to remind them of the meeting, says Ferguson. Or, generally, call a week or two in advance.

This way, Ferguson says, if the client has to cancel, you have time to fill that space with another appointment.

> Tell clients the agenda
Let the client know exactly what you plan to cover beforehand.

When you or a team member call the client as a reminder for the meeting, says Ferguson, briefly go over the agenda.

Doing so will give the client time to think about anything else he or she would like to bring up at the meeting, or any details he or she should mention about items already on the agenda.

> Get ready
Prepare for the client meeting ahead of time.

It’s less stressful for the whole team if everyone knows which client is coming in and what he or she wants to talk about, Ferguson says. Be sure to read over the client’s file before he or she arrives.

> Confirm the meeting length
When the client arrives, remember to confirm the amount of time set for the meeting, Ferguson says, whether it’s an hour or 45 minutes. That way, the client knows what to expect and isn’t surprised when you start to wrap the meeting up.

> Take the time to listen
Sometimes, advisors make the mistake of sticking too closely to the agenda instead of listening to the client, Ferguson says. Don’t rush on to the next item if the client wants to discuss the current topic further.

Make sure you are listening to what your client is saying and, if necessary, change the course of the meeting.

Next: Organizing more efficient team meetings.