Whenever the markets become ‘scary’ due to current events, advisors can anticipate calls from anxious clients wondering what to do next. These clients are often in fight-or-flight mode, which can make it difficult to have a rational discussion or a productive conversation about their financial plan. And if an advisor jumps straight to data – trying to ‘prove’ why staying the course is the right decision – the client may become even more frustrated and reactive. So how can advisors navigate these conversations in a way that helps clients regain a sense of control?
In our 160th episode of Kitces and Carl, Michael Kitces and client communication expert Carl Richards explore how empathy-centered conversations can help clients emotionally reset before engaging in rational decision-making. They discuss a structured five-step framework that financial advisors can use to guide clients from fear back to confidence – helping them feel heard first before introducing logical reasoning.
When a client calls in distress, the first step is to greet them with empathy. If the client says they are worried, it can help to reflect that concern back to them with a simple acknowledgment, such as, “You sound very worried. I feel worried when I watch the news, too.” Next, creating space – such as taking a minute to grab a glass of water or introducing a natural pause – can help slow the pace of the conversation and ease tension. Once the client feels more at ease, the advisor can affirm their goals by reinforcing what truly matters to them, such as ensuring they can continue spending a certain amount in retirement. From there, the advisor can remind them that their portfolio was built to support the client’s long-term goals and designed to withstand market hiccups, declines, and corrections. Finally, once the emotional intensity has subsided, the advisor can introduce data and historical patterns to provide reassurance.
Still, some clients may insist that “this time it’s different”. In these cases, it can help to acknowledge that while the cause of each scary market downturn is unique, the market’s pattern of recovery has been remarkably consistent. Walking the client through how their individual portfolio would perform in a recession can also be reassuring. Often, the worst-case scenario isn’t financial ruin – it may instead be a matter of weathering a few years without an increase to their year-over-year spending. These conversations can also be a great opportunity to affirm why portfolios are structured for risk management, especially since the same client who fears a downturn today may, in a strong market, wonder why they have to rebalance when they could be chasing higher returns!
Ultimately, the key point is that scary markets feel scary – but advisors don’t need to rely solely on data to convince clients to stay the course. While historical patterns provide perspective, no one truly knows what will happen next. By leading with empathy and curiosity, advisors can guide clients through market volatility with confidence and care, ensuring they leave conversations feeling heard, understood, and reassured!
