This is the epitome of personal service, which our research continues to highlight as critical to managing affluent relationships. It’s also extremely convenient for the client, which the affluent ranked as the No. 1 criteria for a good office visit.


There is no better way to really get to know someone than by visiting them in their home. You develop a better understanding of their lifestyle, their values, and see how they live. If they have pets, you’ll most likely meet them. You may even meet their children or neighbors. This all provides you with a wealth of information that will help you activate the relationship management and a relationship marketing nexus.

I use this as a metaphor, but the reality is that you should bring something akin to Starbucks lattes along for the home visit. This will ensure that there’s time for conversation (you’ve got to drink the latte) and allows you to strengthen the emotional connection you’ve built with this client. 

There’s a big difference between talking about a hobby and listening to the story behind a skiing photograph, and walking through the prized flower garden, visiting their trophy room or perusing the family photo album together. The bottom line is that this affords you with a host of surprise and delightful ideas, specific social activities you could later enjoy with the client, and prospecting opportunities.

Sourcing names is a core activity for financial advisors who are serious about acquiring affluent clients. When in client homes, you typically have more extensive social conversation than you would in the office. By the client simply being in a relaxed setting, it creates the ideal environment to source names. It’s more natural for the client to discuss what they’ve been doing in their spare time with friends and family. With your Rainmaker antenna activated, you’ll find it natural to further penetrate their spheres-of-influence and add to your pipeline.


Let’s face it, a home visit is cheaper than lunch, and much less expensive than dinner or most sporting events. Not that you should neglect the aforementioned, it’s that your only cost is your lattes and gas. I’m not including your time because this is what we consider a $1,000 hour activity–quality time with a top client.