Non-awkward COI interviews
A centre-of-influence tactic shown to produce referrals is inviting COIs—like valuation consultants—to 30‑minute expert interviews for your audience, which builds trust without direct asking and has driven immediate referrals in niche practices. The format is pitched as a low-pressure way to deepen relationships and surface client introductions. (x.com).
The awkward part of asking for referrals is the ask. One wealth-management operator’s workaround is to stop asking directly and instead invite one professional partner at a time to a 30-minute interview for clients and prospects. (x.com) A center of influence is usually an accountant, lawyer, banker, or valuation specialist who already serves the same kind of client you want. Capital Group says professional referrals made up 15% of new business on average in its 2023 study of more than 1,500 advisors. (capitalgroup.com) Cerulli Associates found the same channel still matters in 2025 data published on February 6, 2026. InvestmentNews reported that centers of influence brought in 13.9% of new clients, second only to referrals from family, friends, and existing clients at 52.4%. (investmentnews.com) The problem is that most first meetings with these professionals go nowhere. Kitces described the usual version as small talk plus a vague promise to “do business together,” which often produces little or no follow-through. (kitces.com) The interview format changes the opening move. Instead of asking a certified public accountant or valuation consultant for introductions on meeting one, you ask them to teach your audience one narrow topic they already know well. (x.com) That gives the other professional a concrete benefit on day one: borrowed distribution. They get 30 minutes in front of your clients, prospects, or email list without buying a sponsorship or hosting their own event. (x.com) It also gives you a cleaner reason to stay in touch. Kitces’ 2025 framework says productive center-of-influence relationships work better when the early stage is structured around fit, client overlap, and service experience instead of loose networking. (kitces.com) Cerulli’s 2025 research points to why this works in practice. The most effective alliance-building tactics included joint meetings with clients or prospects and starting the relationship by referring value first, not by demanding value first. (investmentnews.com) A 30-minute interview is basically a joint meeting with a microphone. The accountant explains one estate-planning tax issue or the valuation expert explains one business-sale pricing issue, and both professionals get to demonstrate competence in front of the same audience. (investmentnews.com; x.com) That matters most in narrow practices where clients need multiple specialists at once. Capital Group calls this the “team client” model: one shared client in the middle, with the advisor coordinating alongside attorneys, bankers, or other experts. (capitalgroup.com) The reason referrals can show up quickly is that the interview answers a question every center of influence has before making an introduction: what will it feel like to put my client in front of you. In one recorded conversation, they can watch your preparation, hear your judgment, and decide whether your style protects their reputation. (x.com; wealthprofessional.ca)
