Client engagement is a blessing

You can tell clients you’re a caring person who wants to help others, and they might believe you. Or you can show them by inviting them to be part of your efforts to help. Then you become the financial advisor who stands out from the crowd and who they’re proud to refer to their friends and family. 

“I would be philanthropic regardless of my profession,” said Katherine Kimball, B.S., a five-year MDRT member from Lynn, Massachusetts, USA. “I care about helping people both as a professional and in my personal life. I believe that people can tell when someone is sincere in their involvement.”

Being a blessing

In 2016, Kimball started distributing 40 to 60 Blessing Bags a year to people experiencing homelessness in her community. Each one-gallon zip-top Blessing Bag is filled with toiletries and food items helpful to those without a home, such as granola bars, toothpaste and toothbrushes, hand-sanitizing wipes, lip balm, socks, shoelaces, combs and hats. Katherine also makes bags with menstrual products since many homeless shelters often don’t have those. In addition, she includes a note in each bag to let them know someone is thinking about them as well as a list of local resources for them.

In 2017, in her holiday newsletter to clients, Katherine told them about Blessing Bags. In 2018, one of her clients used the idea as a team-building event at her company. In January 2019, Katherine partnered with a local dance academy to assemble 200 bags, with the dancers and their families taking home bags to give out. 

Client referrals

“Clients love the idea,” Katherine said. “Every time I post about it on social media, I have someone reach out to me to schedule a meeting.” 

The pandemic slowed Katherine’s efforts with making this an event with clients, but she continues to pack and distribute the bags personally. “My father [MDRT Foundation Past President Brent R. Kimball, CFP, ChFC] and I also bought and delivered 22 sleeping bags to a local homeless shelter since we were not running these events. I was always more focused on spreading the idea, but now that we are seeing clients in person again, we are reaching out to clients to pick up where we left off in running these events,” said Katherine. 

“I hope this idea can inspire as many people as possible,” said Katherine. 

For more about how giving back to the community plays a role in business:

• Listen to “When I realized giving is important and how it overlaps with my business” 
• Watch “Missing opportunities? Widen your network and build influence” [MDRT members only]