Face-to-face client meetings are the most valuable use of a financial advisors time. According to the FPA time management study, scheduling and managing the timing of those meetings—which can last longer than an hour in some cases—is a real challenge for many advisors. Only a small percentage, between two and seven percent, hold all client meetings on a set day of the week. In contrast between 49 and 74 percent are flexible with their scheduling, holding client meetings at times that better suit the clients’ schedules.

Chaille and Lawrence suggest the following tips to better schedule those meetings:

• Set aside specific times for client meetings, including during the evenings if appropriate.
• Ask clients ahead of time what three things they want to discuss or accomplish to avoid follow-up meetings.
• Segment your clients according to type and then set your meeting’s agenda and timing based on the specific needs of that client type.
• Bring a planning assistant to the meeting to take notes so your attention is focused on the client.