The path to riches in niches; building long-term trust with women clients; how to help retirees stick to plans in volatility

PRACTICE MANAGEMENT: Financial advisors are often told that to grow and sustain their practice they should find a niche to serve. But identifying that community is much easier said than done. "Advisors who try to do it preemptively usually aren't as successful as the ones who do it organically," said Snappy Kraken CEO Robert J. Sofia. Check out strategies to organically determine your niche, along with success stories from advisors who landed sustainable niches. 

READ: How can new RIAs find their niche?

GROWTH STRATEGIES: Women have more unmanaged investable assets than do men, and in the coming years are set to benefit from the great wealth transfer to the tune of many trillions of dollars. Landing women as clients is one thing, keeping them and gaining their confidence to the point that they refer new prospects to you is another. "What women want is a trusted partner who explains things clearly, listens without judgment and respects that wealth is about more than dollars," said Donna S Cates of Money Matters Wealth Solutions. "It's about freedom, impact and peace of mind."

READ: Women clients want clarity, not jargon. Here's how to deliver

RETIREMENT: “Retirement isn't about numbers to clients, it's about life transitions,” writes Eric Ludwig, PhD, CFP®, assistant professor of The American College of Financial Services and CEO of Stockbridge Private Wealth Management. “The chief role of a retirement planner is to guide clients through a series of decisions over time — with all the complexity, uncertainty, and emotion that comes with those decisions.” During market downturns, it can be tough to get clients to stick to their retirement plan; here's what Ludwig recommends.

READ: Keep retirees focused on the long view when markets falter

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