What do Google, GEICO and Wealthfront have in common?
An outside-the-box approach to company name selection Apparently, it is name changing season. Over the last year, name changes have been one of the more popular services being requested by AdvisorPR. For some, it’s due to a merger of two competing firms coming together as one. For others, it’s a proactive play to go independent...
M&A is Rampant: How to Stay Competitive
Return to Marketing Basics Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are all the rage in the financial services industry right now. But, if you don’t want to participate in these ventures, consider the other “A”—addition. As a marketing major (many moons ago), marketing 101 taught us the 4 Ps of marketing – Product, Placement, Price and Promotion....
3 things that are destroying your brand
What to stop and start right now You don’t see it. And you can’t feel, smell, taste or touch it. But it’s there – lurking on your website. On your social media platforms. In your client letters. Brochures. You may even be delivering some of it yourself. It’s client repellent. It’s out there, and you’re...
Getting to the CORE of Your Company’s Brand
Substance Sells, Generic Repels Like it or not, your business is a brand. If you engage with other people, you have a “brand image” that’s being portrayed. And yes, even if your firm is small, it still projects a brand, too. If you don’t know what that brand is, you’re likely committing a rookie mistake—don’t...
Tell The Right Story At The Right Time
Sometimes you can judge a book by its cover Have you ever been to an airport waiting for a flight only to find yourself perusing a bookstore to pick up the next title you just might read? Of the hundreds of titles to choose from -what makes one book stand out over the other? You might...
When it’s time to sell… How to maximize your brand equity
You’ve climbed the mountain. Reached the top. The pinnacle of your life’s work is under you. And now it’s time to cash in. Other than the obvious strong financials, what else is going to help you sell your financial planning business for top dollar? According to industry publications, valuations for financial planning firms are reaching...
When it’s time to buy…How to maximize your acquisition
Getting the most out of what you bought You’re in growth mode. You’re unstoppable. You’re part of the growing trend in the financial services industry of acquiring smaller RIAs to build your “mega-RIA.” And you’ve only just begun… If you’re in the business to buy businesses, you probably have this acquisition thing down. But if...
Today’s Biggest Opportunities in the Financial Services Industry (PART 2)
Creating a Marketing Plan for Retaining Gen-Xers and Millennial Clients During ‘The Great Wealth Transfer’ In my previous blog, I shared two of what I consider to be the biggest opportunities for the financial industry in 2019, including committing to mastering your craft and preparing for sales, mergers and acquisitions. The third area creating the...
Today’s Biggest Opportunities in the Financial Services Industry
Reflections and Marketing Forecast for 2019 and Beyond With the New Year comes a time of reflection for most Americans, and for me personally hits a milestone of 10 years of working in the financial industry. What has changed since the markets bottomed out a decade ago? A Look Back In January of 2009, with...
Branding, Marketing, Public Relations
Up Your Marketing: From “Me, Too” to “A Cut Above”
Step One: Doing A Complete Brand Evaluation Start with the big picture. That means taking a microscopic as well as a 30,000-foot look at how your audience and prospects view you. What is your real corporate identity? How is it any different from any other advisor? What are your core messages that feed into and...