I am a financial advisor. Some people are perfectly capable of handling their own investments without the help of a financial advisor, some are not. The thing that makes managing your own investments difficult is that it isn't just money. Its your life savings, its your security and its the difference between working longer or retiring, and also living comfortably in retirement or not. It's a very emotional thing and it is hard for some people to make rational decisions about their money when the stakes regarding failure are so high. If you are not sure if you can stick with your plan if your portfolio declines in value by 25, 40 or 50%, you may want to hire some help. If you can stand the volatility, you will certainly get off cheaper doing it yourself. Financial Advisors, (like Doctors, Lawyers, Accountants, Engineers etc all have to earn a living)
Financial Advisors are accustomed to being "interviewed" by prospective clients. He/she should explain all of your options and all of the fees, and explain what you expect to get in return for your fees. Referrals are a great idea- one of the best indicators of a good financial advisor is when they advise you of something that is clearly not in their best interest- its in yours. Ask your friends which of their advisors have told them NOT to sell in a down market, have discouraged them from buying "hot stocks" they heard about on the golf course, and have steered them away from expensive products they don't need.
Y'all are a very self-sufficient bunch. Anyone who has the self-discipline to accumulate the assets you have requires intelligence and good decision-making skills. Recommending to EVERYONE that they invest on their own assumes that they have the same er, intestinal fortitude that you do- could be a mistake. Tons of investors sold out during 08-09 and will never recover from that loss. Don't tell everyone they can do it alone- everyone can't!