Morningstar Advisor – December 18, 2008
Dealing with Fear in Uncertain Times
When times get tough, third-party business advice can help us get a new perspective on our problems. But sometimes the advice we really need isn't the concrete or factual kind; it's something just a bit more insightful — more inclusive of the emotions that make these problems seem worse. Which is why writer Marie Swift consulted Deborah Price, founder of the Money Coaching Institute, to gain insight into how advisors and their clients can more effectively deal with the fear the present economy is causing. Price offers some great insights and advice.
Research magazine – December 2008
Military Advice
The Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax Act of 2008 implements numerous changes to the federal tax code that benefit military personnel and their families. But the new law has received little attention in the mainstream media and may still be under the advisor radar on a national level.
Morningstar Advisor – November 2008
How to Reach Out to Clients in Times of Turmoil
Bankruptcies, bailouts, plunging indexes. What's next? "From living rooms to water coolers, bus stops to the campaign trail, everyone is talking about the market", says writer Marie Swift in this article. For financial advisors, these tough and turbulent times mean it's even more important to communicate with clients. Sure, you might agree that you need to reach out, but what will comfort your clients? In a word, perspective. Marie asks four tenured advisors — Arthur Cooper, Don Patrick, Bill Glubiak and Clyde Wyatt — for their advice.
Financial Planning magazine – October 2008
The Big Ask
As the financial planning industry has evolved over the years, so have the relationships you enter into with clients. The way you conduct business has probably changed, and with it, perhaps without your even noticing, so has the way you engage new clients. How do you begin an advisory relationship that starts, not with a small transaction, but with asking someone to trust your leadership regarding his or her financial life? How do you ask for and win all of your clients' business—and teach others who may be partners, staff members or successors to do the same? Read this article by Marie Swift’s and find out how some of the best and brightest advisors in the industry approach The Big Ask.
Practical Accountant magazine – September 2008
Marketing Financial Planning Services
Here's why marketing financial planning is different. Accounting firms that decide to branch out into financial planning are also competing against non-CPA financial planners and companies, actively promoting the services to existing clients of traditional services, as well as trying to attract new clients. Editor Howard Wolosky interviews Marie Swift, president of Impact Communications, who says the beginning of a marketing effort is client education. For new clients, the key, according to Swift, is gaining credibility from external sources, generally community influencers and the media.
Financial Advisor magazine – August 7, 2008
Keeping the Lines Open
In this article by David Drucker, find out what Marie Swift, along with a panel of experts, have to say about the electronic communications world. You can learn how to spend less time, communicating more with your clients. The article provides an eye-opener for advisors to the possibilities inherent in the Internet.
Morningstar Advisor – August 2008
Engage Your Clients and Enlarge Your Practice
Marie Swift speaks with Julie Littlechild, president and founder of Advisor Impact. According to Littlechild, the growth of your practice depends not on satisfied clients sticking with you, but on engaged clients who actively recruit new prospects. These engaged clients don’t refer their friends and colleagues as a favor to you, but they have been served and refer you as a favor to their friends and collegues. Learn how to engage your clients and enlarge your practice.
Researchmag.com – July 2008
Getting Engaged
Marie Swift asks if satisfied clients are enough to build your practice. Not according to a comprehensive study, “The Economics of Loyalty” conducted by Toronto-based Advisor Impact which is focused on helping advisors gather and use client feedback across North America and Britain, which says an engaged client is one who understand your unique market niche and actively recruits new prospects. Julie Littlechild, president of Advisor Impact, says the distinction between a satisfied client and an engaged client is best illustrated in the differences in how they make referrals.
Research magazine – May 2008
The Future of Planning
An interview with life-planning expert, Carol Anderson, founder of Money Quotient, a 501(c)(3) organization that conducts research and develops “life planning” tools and training for financial advisors. Ms. Anderson has been a participant in a think tank and a long time observer of this new “life planning” trend. In this article, Marie Swift gets her thoughts on where we’ve been and, more importantly, where we are headed.
Morningstar Advisor – April 2008
A New Way to Build Strategic Alliances
Marie Swift interviews Susan Bradley, CFP®, founder of the Sudden Money Institute on the right way to build strategic alliance partnerships.
Financial Planning magazine – April 2008
Website Tuneup
Marie Swift tells the story of advisor, Elizabeth Potts Weinstein, who added Web 2.0 technologies to her marketing plan -- and benefitted handsomely from her efforts. Swift provides a number of good ideas on how other advisors can improve their online presence and client communications strategy.
Research magazine – April 2008
Talking Turbulence
How can you neutralize the harmful impact the media has on your clients and their confidence? The importance of proactive client communication during times of volatility in the market is covered in Marie Swift’s article, “Talking Turbulence”.
Research magazine – March 2008
Crossing the ‘Ts’
Burk and Julie Rosenthal of Rosenthal Retirement Planning help Marie Swift explain the IRS Rule 72(t) that allows investors to take penalty-free early withdrawal from a retirement account, when it is advantageous to break the distribution schedule and when it is not.
Research magazine – February 2008
Too Much of a Good Thing
We all know you can’t get “Too Much of a Good Thing” right? Marie Swift explores the risks of concentrated stock ownership, when to divest, and some options and strategies.
You Tube Video – February 2008
Web 2.0 Technologies
Upswing CRM interviews Marie Swift of Impact Communications about Web 2.0 for financial advisors at the T3 Technology Tools for Today conference. Learn more about the T3 conference at www.TechnologyToolsForToday.com.
MorningStar Advisor – February 2008
A Grass-Roots Marketing Strategy Pays Off
Marie Swift shines the spotlight on a Grassroots Marketing Strategy that's paying off nicely for a mild-mannered CPA-turned-Advisor.
Research magazine – January 2008
The Conversion Conversation
Marie Swift speaks with Steve Medland, CFP®, a wealth manager for TABR Capital Management, serving an affluent clientele in Orange County, Calif. As they look at how tax diversification may be as important as portfolio diversification, they create a “Conversion Conversation.”
Dealing with Fear in Uncertain Times
When times get tough, third-party business advice can help us get a new perspective on our problems. But sometimes the advice we really need isn't the concrete or factual kind; it's something just a bit more insightful — more inclusive of the emotions that make these problems seem worse. Which is why writer Marie Swift consulted Deborah Price, founder of the Money Coaching Institute, to gain insight into how advisors and their clients can more effectively deal with the fear the present economy is causing. Price offers some great insights and advice.
Research magazine – December 2008
Military Advice
The Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax Act of 2008 implements numerous changes to the federal tax code that benefit military personnel and their families. But the new law has received little attention in the mainstream media and may still be under the advisor radar on a national level.
Morningstar Advisor – November 2008
How to Reach Out to Clients in Times of Turmoil
Bankruptcies, bailouts, plunging indexes. What's next? "From living rooms to water coolers, bus stops to the campaign trail, everyone is talking about the market", says writer Marie Swift in this article. For financial advisors, these tough and turbulent times mean it's even more important to communicate with clients. Sure, you might agree that you need to reach out, but what will comfort your clients? In a word, perspective. Marie asks four tenured advisors — Arthur Cooper, Don Patrick, Bill Glubiak and Clyde Wyatt — for their advice.
Financial Planning magazine – October 2008
The Big Ask
As the financial planning industry has evolved over the years, so have the relationships you enter into with clients. The way you conduct business has probably changed, and with it, perhaps without your even noticing, so has the way you engage new clients. How do you begin an advisory relationship that starts, not with a small transaction, but with asking someone to trust your leadership regarding his or her financial life? How do you ask for and win all of your clients' business—and teach others who may be partners, staff members or successors to do the same? Read this article by Marie Swift’s and find out how some of the best and brightest advisors in the industry approach The Big Ask.
Practical Accountant magazine – September 2008
Marketing Financial Planning Services
Here's why marketing financial planning is different. Accounting firms that decide to branch out into financial planning are also competing against non-CPA financial planners and companies, actively promoting the services to existing clients of traditional services, as well as trying to attract new clients. Editor Howard Wolosky interviews Marie Swift, president of Impact Communications, who says the beginning of a marketing effort is client education. For new clients, the key, according to Swift, is gaining credibility from external sources, generally community influencers and the media.
Financial Advisor magazine – August 7, 2008
Keeping the Lines Open
In this article by David Drucker, find out what Marie Swift, along with a panel of experts, have to say about the electronic communications world. You can learn how to spend less time, communicating more with your clients. The article provides an eye-opener for advisors to the possibilities inherent in the Internet.
Morningstar Advisor – August 2008
Engage Your Clients and Enlarge Your Practice
Marie Swift speaks with Julie Littlechild, president and founder of Advisor Impact. According to Littlechild, the growth of your practice depends not on satisfied clients sticking with you, but on engaged clients who actively recruit new prospects. These engaged clients don’t refer their friends and colleagues as a favor to you, but they have been served and refer you as a favor to their friends and collegues. Learn how to engage your clients and enlarge your practice.
Researchmag.com – July 2008
Getting Engaged
Marie Swift asks if satisfied clients are enough to build your practice. Not according to a comprehensive study, “The Economics of Loyalty” conducted by Toronto-based Advisor Impact which is focused on helping advisors gather and use client feedback across North America and Britain, which says an engaged client is one who understand your unique market niche and actively recruits new prospects. Julie Littlechild, president of Advisor Impact, says the distinction between a satisfied client and an engaged client is best illustrated in the differences in how they make referrals.
Research magazine – May 2008
The Future of Planning
An interview with life-planning expert, Carol Anderson, founder of Money Quotient, a 501(c)(3) organization that conducts research and develops “life planning” tools and training for financial advisors. Ms. Anderson has been a participant in a think tank and a long time observer of this new “life planning” trend. In this article, Marie Swift gets her thoughts on where we’ve been and, more importantly, where we are headed.
Morningstar Advisor – April 2008
A New Way to Build Strategic Alliances
Marie Swift interviews Susan Bradley, CFP®, founder of the Sudden Money Institute on the right way to build strategic alliance partnerships.
Financial Planning magazine – April 2008
Website Tuneup
Marie Swift tells the story of advisor, Elizabeth Potts Weinstein, who added Web 2.0 technologies to her marketing plan -- and benefitted handsomely from her efforts. Swift provides a number of good ideas on how other advisors can improve their online presence and client communications strategy.
Research magazine – April 2008
Talking Turbulence
How can you neutralize the harmful impact the media has on your clients and their confidence? The importance of proactive client communication during times of volatility in the market is covered in Marie Swift’s article, “Talking Turbulence”.
Research magazine – March 2008
Crossing the ‘Ts’
Burk and Julie Rosenthal of Rosenthal Retirement Planning help Marie Swift explain the IRS Rule 72(t) that allows investors to take penalty-free early withdrawal from a retirement account, when it is advantageous to break the distribution schedule and when it is not.
Research magazine – February 2008
Too Much of a Good Thing
We all know you can’t get “Too Much of a Good Thing” right? Marie Swift explores the risks of concentrated stock ownership, when to divest, and some options and strategies.
You Tube Video – February 2008
Web 2.0 Technologies
Upswing CRM interviews Marie Swift of Impact Communications about Web 2.0 for financial advisors at the T3 Technology Tools for Today conference. Learn more about the T3 conference at www.TechnologyToolsForToday.com.
MorningStar Advisor – February 2008
A Grass-Roots Marketing Strategy Pays Off
Marie Swift shines the spotlight on a Grassroots Marketing Strategy that's paying off nicely for a mild-mannered CPA-turned-Advisor.
Research magazine – January 2008
The Conversion Conversation
Marie Swift speaks with Steve Medland, CFP®, a wealth manager for TABR Capital Management, serving an affluent clientele in Orange County, Calif. As they look at how tax diversification may be as important as portfolio diversification, they create a “Conversion Conversation.”
