Monday: I commute less than 10 minutes from the beautiful Staffordshire village of Brewood. The village itself is more like a rural holiday resort than a suburb of the Midlands conurbation.
I am usually in the office for 8.15 and kick start the day as I always do, with a Ginger shot. Half an apple in the juicer with a generous slice of ginger. Better that an expresso any day and twice as healthy.
Every morning kicks off with the overnight run of emails, before heading into a client meeting with a long-standing client of more than 30 years. These are the most rewarding clients to work with. My para-admin always has everything ready for me, she is quite literally my “keeper of promises”.
I have an afternoon meeting with a video production expert, I’m more convinced than ever that our marketing must include video - as well our article writing.
Tuesday
It is another early start followed by a meeting with a new solicitor client - yes, they need financial advice as well. I am looking forward to working with him and the other shareholder in the business.
I have an afternoon meeting with a former IFA who keeps getting asked for financial advice. He needs someone he can refer enquiries to. This may generate a few good quality prospects a year.
At 6pm I am on stage speaking to a room of buy-to-let landlords about inheritance tax planning. They all want to know how to solve the problem, but I am not sure they like what it will cost them.
Wednesday
I kick the day off with an hour at the gym from 6.30am. I spend the morning putting together client advice and suitability reports.
It is back in the office after a lunchtime run, dealing with client emails and phone calls. There is never a dull day here and I sometimes wonder what it is like not to have loads if items on the “to do list”.
I have a late afternoon meeting with my graphic designer. This time my professional services are required for a pension review. People are so confused about the pensions they have and what they should do with them. I sometimes think there needs to be an army of pensions advisers.
It is back to the office to respond to more emails and client calls. I am having to find time to finish off advice letters/emails to clients, so it is a late night at the office.
Thursday
My “keeper of promises” has booked me another client discovery meeting. This internet marketing is really quite good. The potential client and his mother have a problem with their current adviser, who is a high street bank that can only give advice over the phone from Edinburgh. They think that for a portfolio of the size they have deserves face-to-face advice. I have to agree and another meeting is arranged for next week.
I have an afternoon meeting, however for some reason my client does not show up which is most unusual. However, it does free me up to carry on working on client cases.
Friday
I kick the day off with another client prospect meeting to review a collection of pensions from two decades of work, followed by another meeting of a very long-standing client about his now virtually resolved inheritance tax liability. Very satisfying and I learnt all about their new great granddaughter.
Martin Dodd is a chartered financial planner of Midlands Investment Agency, based in Wolverhampton
