Aspirations Discovered and Achieved

The BIF Review is the ideal complement to The American College of Financial Services’ rigorous CFP® Certification Education Program. The BIF Review’s progressive 8-week schedule focuses exclusively on topics necessary for success on the CFP® Exam. Candidates that choose to combine the in-depth foundational knowledge gained from The College with the targeted Exam Prep resources and strategies provided by The BIF Review should rest-assured knowing they are doing everything possible to set themselves up for Exam Day success.

This course covers four areas: the leadership role, who is the leader, leadership traits, and contingency approaches to leadership. This course provides the insight required for leaders to learn what type of leader they are and to understand those that they lead. Self-discovery is important so the leader understands how and why they respond in certain situations. This course explores how leadership is different from management, leadership competencies, and the application of skills for successful leadership.

This course covers a variety of areas: leadership communication, intrapersonal and interpersonal effectiveness, networking, mentoring, coaching, leading and empowering others. Communication is critical for proper operation of today’s organizations and companies. This course explores various ways to communicate verbally and non-verbally and as many other ways to ensure the organization is informed as to what is required. In addition, the importance of effective meetings, feedback, delegation, and empowerment are essential for mission accomplishment.

Participants evaluate organizational culture and leadership in business and formulate ways to develop effective cultures within their organizations. Integration of systems and processes as part of the culture is also addressed in the course. The objective is that a leader contributes much to culture and must lead others to productive and successful cultures.

Participants evaluate strategic leadership and planning in business and formulate ways to develop strategies within their organizations. Successful execution of developed strategies and business plans are also addressed in the course. The objective is that a leader provides the foresight of what is to come and ensures that the organization is ready to execute and grow in a way dictated by the business plan.

Participants evaluate team leadership, ethics, diversity, and crisis leadership in business and formulate ways to lead diverse organizations in an ethical manner. The importance of team and crisis leadership are also emphasized in the course. within their organizations. Successful execution of developed strategies and business plans are also addressed in the course. The objective is that a leader provides the foresight of what is to come and ensures that the organization is ready to execute and grow in a way dictated by the business plan.

Participants evaluate leading in a changing environment in business and formulate ways to lead diverse organizations by dealing with organizational change. The importance of understanding and diagnosing change are also emphasized in the course. Successful change leadership perspectives and processes are also addressed in the course. The objective is that a leader provides the foresight of what is to come and ensures that the organization is ready to execute and grow in a way dictated by the business plan.

Teaches financial professionals industry-proven methods for successfully identifying, selecting and approaching prospects for financial products and services. The course covers procedures for creating prospect awareness, target marketing concepts, and prospect qualification and prioritization techniques. Students learn how to overcome the psychological barriers to prospecting and innovative approaches to setting income and activity goals. Strategic, tactical and operational business planning processes are presented in detail, along with effective contact management systems.

The course focuses on the consultative approach to the marketing/planning process needed to build mutually beneficial relationships with clients and help them achieve financial security. Students learn how to conduct the initial and fact-finding meeting to discover a client’s needs and financial situation. They will also learn how to present recommended actions that will address the client’s needs and initiate an implementation discussion. Finally, the course covers the communication skills that successful advisors use to cultivate client relationships.

This course teaches multiline insurance professionals to use the periodic financial review to help their property and liability customers obtain the various insurance and other financial products they need to achieve their dreams and protect their income and assets. The course provides an overview for how to establish need, gather and analyze information, and develop recommendations for products in the various levels of the revised financial planning pyramid. Products discussed include: disability income insurance, life insurance, long-term care insurance, mutual funds and annuities.

Begins with an overview of the two basic types of life insurance policies — term and whole life — and then builds on that knowledge with an overview of the many product variations sold in today’s markets. The course also explores personal, family, and business uses of life insurance products, as well as policy illustrations, cost comparison methods, income and estate taxation, policy provisions, marketing ideas, and ethical issues facing the financial advisor. Provides a review of the selling/planning process for life insurance product solutions.