This August, while not seeing very much in the way of sunshine, Scotland did see the first meeting of its IFP Scottish Branch with Nicola Jackson CFP^CM as the new branch chair.

IFP chief executive Nick Cann chaired the meeting and provided delegates with useful updates on IFP operations.

Members then welcomed three well known and experienced practitioners to share their ideas and best practice on the specific topic of Adding Value as a Financial Planner.

Dr Norman Dalgleish CFP^CM from Turcan Connell, first to speak, talked about the Financial Planner’s ability to turn on ‘The Tap’. Planners will typically meet a client at outset, sort through their shopping basket of investments they have acquired over the years, then, where appropriate, consolidate and streamline their affairs to ensure they meet the client’s objectives both now and in the future. In this way, planners can provide clients with a structure where they can ‘turn on the tap’ of future income as and when they require it.

Alan Dick CFP^CM of Forty Two Wealth Management covered many useful angles and in particular stressed the need for planners to talk less to clients and listen more, suggesting they should spend half as much of their time listening as talking.

Stepping back, asking clients searching questions and then allowing them time and space to think evokes a level of trust and response from them never achieved if planners continually talk over them. Very insightful.

Finally, Sandy Robertson FIFP CFP^CM of Acumen Financial Planning introduced delegates to ‘COCO’. Not an in-house entertainer as you might first think, but rather a computer software system that allows planners to quantify their client’s goals and objectives and then calculate a financial plan on which they work together with their clients over the longer term. This allows Acumen to offer a bespoke and individual solution for each client relationship of which cashflow modelling is an integral part.

Branch chair Nicola Jackson commented: “Thanks to all our contributors for some great ideas and tips. I was pleased to see such strong interaction from our 20- strong attendance, which made for a great atmosphere and evening full of debate.

"This debate and exchange of ideas is something which I wish to encourage and build upon in the branch as I put together our Branch Programme for 2012. Here’s to an exciting year next year!"