Distinguished Financial Planner Marlene Outrim, founder of Uniq Family Wealth, urged Financial Planners today to adopt the globally-recognised six steps Financial Planning process as one way to produce "Financial Planning heaven" for their firms.
She told delegates at the CISI’s annual Financial Planning Conference today that following the six steps process, globally recognised by the FPSB standards body, was at the heart of her business and urged others to do the same.
The process begins with 'discover session' - meeting the client and getting to know them and then establishing their objectives and going on to produce a full Financial Plan.
She said too often Planners talk but don't listen and urged them when meeting clients to put their pens down, "shut up" and listen. Even writing while clients were talking could put them off outlining their dreams and aspirations.
She added that Uniq had prospered by taking the time to develop strong long term relationships with clients but she "knew the line" when it come to getting to know clients and always retained a professional approach.
She explained that following the Six Step Approach to Financial Planning provided an essential structure to Financial Planning that might be missed in some firms.
It was important, also, to review clients' plans full each year and not just treat the annual review meeting as a portfolio update.
She said: "The review is not just an annual meeting, it's a new planning cycle."
She also urged delegates: "Never become inflexible or stifle creativity or take the focus off clients."
More than 350 Financial Planners and other financial experts are attending the two day conference near Windsor, one of the biggest events in the Financial Planning calendar.
The CISI’s Financial Planning Conference 2026 is spotlighting AI integration this year as well as how to attract and train new talent. Lifestyle Financial Planning will also feature.
The conference is at the De Vere Beaumont Estate near Windsor and the final day is today, 9 October. It is the biggest gathering of Certified Financial Planner professionals in the UK and the agenda has been developed in collaboration with the CISI Financial Planning Conference Committee.
Speakers have included Rory Sutherland, vice chair of Ogilvy UK, storytelling expert Matthew Dicks from the USA, FPSB CEO Dante De Gori CFP, Founder and CEO of AI for Non-Techies, Heather Murray and Jamil Qureshi, a leading voice in performance psychology and TEDx speaker.
Topics being covered include behavioural science, storytelling frameworks to build trust and deepen client relationships, top AI tools and prompts for Financial Planners, global insights and driving performance.