Perfecting Your First Meeting - 25 June 2025
Manchester

This full day, in-person course is for you if you want to enhance your skills in your first meeting with clients.

It looks at how you can win more of the right kind of clients every time and is for financial advisers or financial planners of all levels.

You may be new to the profession or looking for some new ideas.

Led by financial planners for financial planners the day will help you put in place a proper structure for first meetings and will build on the skills needed to make the first meeting a success for both you and your prospects. Competence comes with plenty of purposeful practice. The day will provide you with a safe environment where you can develop your skills through role play.

Learn how to:
  • Present yourself / your firm BEFORE the meeting
  • Be aware of what you are saying without speaking
  • Use effective questioning and listening techniques
  • Effectively communicate your value
  • Close a meeting and gain commitment
Your facilitators for the day are
Steve Martin - Director, Chartered Wealth Manager, Certified Financial Planner

Steven Martin

Steve is originally from Ayr in Scotland but moved to Altrincham in 2003 now lives full time in Spain. He is a Chartered and Certified Financial Planner (CFP™) as well as a Chartered Wealth Manager, a holder of the Investment Management Certificate and is a former Assessor of the CFP™ licence.

Steve founded Smart Financial Planning Limited in 2008 and serves as it chief executive. He also founded Smart SSAS, a pension trustee business in 2011 and Smart Divorce, a divorce specialism in 2018 and released the Change The Future programme in 2020. In 2021 he launched Smart Financial International to support clients moving out of the uk into Europe.

He was Chair of the Manchester branch of the Institute of Financial Planning for 5 years before standing down in 2015.

Steve is married with two children, is an Ironman Triathlete, a keen runner and a CrossFit level 1 coach and is a committed fund raiser for the CF Warriors and the Cystic Fibrosis trust.

Steve has over 20 years’ experience in the profession, having been a Partner and Managing Director of previous firms.

Steve specialises in advising business owners as both a financial planner and a business consultant as well as expatriating UK nationals.

Damien Rylett - Director, Chartered Financial Planner

Damien Relent

CEO, Brunel Capital Partners, Pilgrim Financial Planning and CEO  of IronBright Investment Management.

A former IFP Branch Manager and Conference Chairman who has spoken at a number of events on Practice Management.

Damien established Brunel Capital Partners, a Bristol based financial planning firm in 2011. He is responsible for mentoring and developing the firm’s young, upcoming financial planners. Having acquired Pilgrim Financial Planning, a Somerset based IFA practice in the summer of 2016, Damien is overseeing the firm’s transition from a traditional model to a comprehensive financial planning offering. Damien is also CEO of IronBright Investment Management, a DFM built by financial planners for financial planners. Both Brunel and Pilgrim are Chartered Financial Planning firms.

Damien has been delivering Lifestyle Financial Planning for the past 16 years and now uses his wealth of experience to coach and train other advisers and financial planners.

An experienced sports coach, Damien is able to transfer the skills acquired in this arena to the financial planning world to help advisers and planners be the best they can be and deliver their service with passion, integrity and empathy.

FAQs
  • 9:30am coffee and registration
  • 10:00am start
  • Lunch included
  • Formal finish 4:30pm
  • Questions / extras till 5pm
  • Min 8 - Max 10 delegates.
Location

Smart Financial
Beehive Lofts, Unit 4.1  
Waulk Mill
51 Bengal Street 
Manchester M4 6LN

What are my transport/parking options getting to the event?

Parking details TBC. 
Beehive Lofts is a short walk from Manchester Piccadilly train station. If you are local, you can take the Metrolink to Piccadilly.

From further away, fly to Manchester airport and take the train to Piccadilly or  taxi to office (about £25.)

Where can I contact the organiser with any questions?

You can email taina@fptraining.academy with any queries.

Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event?

No, you don’t need a printed ticket.

TESTIMONIALS
"The event is a breath of fresh air in a world of IFA smog.

“Helping clients to live a lifestyle they desire as opposed to flogging a product has to be the way forward”

There are great opportunities for financial planning done right and these courses and the inspiring adviser community help advisers develop the skills they need for the new advice driven world. "

Course was a refreshing change from the standard ”sit and listen” seminars and the opportunity to practice and receive live feedback is unique

Although I feel I'm pretty good at first meetings, I'm happy presenting the bucket etc, I still wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything. I was. The practice was really valuable but the post bucket fee discussion has now improved and holds no fear! Thanks

This really is a worthwhile event for any adviser young or old. The day is driven by delegates and you really do get out what you put in! A ”must” in any adviser's calendar because otherwise how often do you do ”purposeful practice”? This event was a really good way to purposefully practice a first meeting. It's designed for all levels of adviser and can help in a number of ways.

This is a course that makes you uncomfortable, as it challenges how you currently set up, conduct and review the first meeting. And for that, it has to be applauded. I will never again see role playing as something I did when I first entered the world of financial services. Practice makes perfect! (well, nearly!)

A thoroughly enjoyable day with extremely valuable content. The Facilitators were great, supportive and helped in sharing their experience in lifestyle financial planning.

An excellent course, and an extremely good use of my time, to help me improve my delivery to clients and therefore their experience and outcomes. I would urge every IA member to attend this course.

Lifestyle Financial Planning has to be the future standard for all involved in providing financial advice to clients. Having the opportunity to practice in a safe environment and learn from seasoned pro's is an absolute godsend.

A really worthwhile seminar to attend. Fantastic to attend an event where it is much more about theory, practice really does make perfect!

A day well spent with positive like minded colleagues that are all willing to help me progress and develop my Lifestyle Financial Planning business

A great informative day with Steve, Damien and Tamsin who shared lots of tips and guidance. It was great to be able to practice in a safe environment. It helped cement the training from Inspiring advisers.