10 Tips for Coaching Your Clients in the Stock Market

The 2022 Winter Olympics are on TV every day. Worldwide, about 1.92 billion people watch. Sunday was the Super Bowl. Some 36 million U.S. households tuned in. 

People love spectator sports. Has watching the stock market become a spectator sport?

People watch CNBC for business and financial news. CNBC Digital averaged 84.9 million average monthly unique viewers in 2020, according to the network. In business news, it reported 115 million unique viewers in March 2020, up 98% from the previous year. Your client is likely among them. 

Are your clients rejoicing over up days and panicking over down days? That isn’t good for their blood pressure. Are they spectators sitting on the sidelines instead of taking action in their own portfolios? Are they blaming you for the ups and down in the stock market?

Let’s get back to the Olympics. It’s believed that the Olympic Games encourage people to engage in sports and exercise themselves. Does watching the stock market encourage clients to become more active investors? That’s where you come in.

See the gallery for 10 things to keep in mind while “coaching” your clients in the stock market.

1. Remind your clients that athletes have coaches.

Regardless of the sport, professional athletes have at least one person who helps them perfect their skills. They critique them. They insist that they practice. They praise and encourage them. They make sure they are eating properly.

Advisors: You are your client’s coach. They have the raw skill. In this case, it’s money and the ability to earn more and add more to their portfolio. You encourage them to focus their attention on what’s happening in the market right now.

2. Remember that athletes have goals. Investors should, too.

They have studied their sport. They know the numbers achieved by record holders. That’s the number they need to beat. If they are going to compete in Alpine skiing, speedskating or bobsled, they know it’s a timed event.

Advisors: Clients need to be reminded why they are investing, what they are trying to achieve. Like athletes, they should measure their progress.

3. Encourage your clients to leave their comfort zone.

Coaches push athletes to compete with themselves, surpassing their own personal best scores.

Advisors: The stock market can be volatile. Clients might sit watching the financial news, worried about what will happen next. Advisors should be spotting opportunities and making suggestions. Regardless of whether they act or not, when things calm down, clients will remember that  you provided direction. 

4. Encourage your clients to dip into their reserves.

Athletes get tired, but their coaches encourage them to persevere. They tell them not to quit, to dig deep and find that extra energy for the final push toward the finish line.

Advisors: Some clients might think of investing in the stock market like playing poker. They play only with the chips they have on the table. Opportunities come along…