Successful financial advisors emphasize people skills, not product offerings, says Jamie Williams, an advisor with Investment Planning Counsel in Kentville, N.S. “It’s ultimately about connecting with people at a very personal level,” he says.

The value that an advisor brings to the relationship with a client cannot be the product, says Williams: “It has to be an overall planning approach. The investment is just one solution. What we do is greater than that.”

The personal connection is built on trust, and financial advisors must earn that trust over time. A good ear and a big heart help. “For people to trust you, you must be able to communicate well and show people you care,” Williams says. “You need to exude confidence.”

Effective communication also involves translation: speaking the client’s language. “We simplify the complex,” he says, “and take care of the rest.” — DONALEE MOULTON