FPA / UMKC "Career Day" in Kansas City November 6, 2015

I was pleased to hear from my local FPA chapter and the instructors at UMKC who are partnering with the KC chapter to put on Career Day 2015. If you are in the area, please join us for the afternoon, November 6, 2015, on the UMKC campus.

This is an important conversation and I hope to learn as much from those attending as they will learn from me. If attending is out of the question for you, please post your questions on this blog and I will respond here. Details about my presentations and how to RSVP are shown below.

The Evolution of the Financial Planning Industry: 3rd Wave Trends, Threats and Realities

A presentation focused on the past, present and future of the financial planning profession followed by conversation on the topic or secrets of branding in the robo age presentation

WHO:             Marie Swift presenting at FPA Career Day

                       Sponsored by FPA Kansas City Chapter

                       In Partnership with University of Missouri, Kansas City

WHEN:           Friday, November 6, 2015

11:10 a.m. to 12:10 p.m.

Swift Presentation on Evolution of the Profession

12:10 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Group Dialog or Swift Breakout Session on Branding

1:00 -->

Other speakers and activities

WHERE:       University of Missouri - Kansas City
                     Henry W. Bloch School of Management

                     5110 Cherry St.
                     Kansas City, MO 64110-2499

HOW:           To RSVP contact Brandy Johnson at brandy@fpakc.org

DESCRIPTION:

The overlapping influences of social media, robo advisors, Skype, changing attitudes of baby boomers, expectations of new generations, and a raft of other social and technological upheavals have brought the financial services industry to an inflection point. Change has been a constant in the financial advice business but a fundamental shift has occurred due to factors such as the following:

·      Clients have better access to information and think they are better informed

·      It is as easy to find an advisor across the country as it is to find one down the street

·      Advisors service clients hundreds of miles away

·      Practitioners have direct access to potential clients through the web Investors can make their praise and criticism known to everyone online and via apps of their mobile devices

·      Clients can get up-to-the-minute portfolio information on their phones

·      Independent advisors can run a successful practice in the cloud with virtual staff

·      Investment management firms can hire a robo and fire their research and trading staff

We are witnessing the beginning of a third wave in financial services. The first wave was about product. The second wave was about advice. What will define the third wave? Changes taking place today will act synergistically to affect the very nature of the relationship between advisor and client -- and we are starting to see how all of that will play out.

At this FPA sponsored event, 3rd Wave Collaborative co-founder Marie Swift will talk about service models over the years and how today’s best technology-enabled advisors, supported by allied institutions, are building out their firms with an eye to the future.

After Swift's main presentation, attendees may chose to dialog over lunch with FPA members and UMKC faculty and students about Swift's session or join Swift in a breakout room to talk branding in the robo age.

GuideVine Launches Summer Scoop, Dishes Out Useful Financial Tips

“Summertime – and the livin’ is easy,” or at least it should be when it comes to getting simple answers to common financial questions. That’s why GuideVine is launching a campaign to provide the general public with daily “scoops” of useful information in short 1-2 minute videos, easy to view no matter where you are.

Follow them on any of their social media pages - Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Plus - to get the #SummerScoop2015! All the content comes straight from expert financial advisors who live and breath these topics. Simply press “play” each day, and by August 31 you’ll know a lot more about how to manage your finances! Want to help the financial literacy cause? Share this content on social media! Watch Introductory Video Now Learn More at GuideVine.com

When Portfolio "Crash Testing" and Goals-Based Financial Planning Merge

This interview with Bill Winterberg, founder of fpPad, and Daniel Satchkov, CFA, president of RiXtrema, a portfolio crash testing system for financial advisors and financial institutions, while at the T3 Enterprise conference in Atlanta last week reminds me of ...

A Reese's Peanut Butter Cup: The marriage of portfolio crash testing with financial planning goals is a perfect combination. Totally delicious!

Satchkov gives a shout out to Robert M. Wyrick, Jr., managing member of MFA Capital Advisors in Houston; Wyrick's suggestion for the marriage created the initial development spark.

Watch this 2 minute video now:

Free Business Building Workshops in Five Cities

Loring Ward Workshop Prepares Advisors for the Future

Focuses on Best Practices to Enhance Client and Advisor Experience

As part of its ongoing effort to help independent financial advisors become the most trusted professional in their clients' lives, Loring Ward will hold its Building Your Foundation for Future Growth workshop in five cities across the country. Presented in close collaboration with noted institutional money manager, Dimensional Fund Advisors, the workshops are focused on helping financial advisors take the next step in their wealth management journey and better address clients' rapidly evolving needs, goals and expectations.

Unconventional in their wisdom and powerful in their prescriptions, the workshops are founded on the best practices of some of the top advisors across America. They are designed to encourage advisors to think differently about key areas of their practice.

Over the course of two hours, financial advisors will learn how Loring Ward:

· Can help them build better portfolios and become a true wealth advisor

· Has partnered for more than two decades with the #1 mutual fund company amongst advisors, Dimensional Fund Advisors (DFA)*

· Frees up advisor's time to focus on what really matters to clients ‹ meeting their financial AND life goals

· Provides a wealth of resources ‹ including investment, behavioral, back office, marketing and practice management

Each workshop will be held from 10 am to noon, and lunch will be provided. Locations and dates for the workshops are:

- September 18 ‹ Columbus, OH

- September 25 ‹ San Diego, CA

- September 26 ‹ Sacramento, CA

- October 1 ‹ Minneapolis, MN

- October 2 ‹ Kansas City, MO

For more information, contact Loring Ward¹s Advisor Relations Team at (800) 366-7266 ‹ Option 6 or visit www.loringward.com/Future. These workshops are complimentary, but space is limited, so please register today.

ABOUT LORING WARD

Loring Ward (LWI Financial Inc.), based in San Jose, California is a Turnkey Asset Management Provider (TAMP) dedicated to helping independent advisors become the most trusted and valued professional in their clients' lives. Loring Ward's Asset Class Investing philosophy combines more than eight decades of market data, Nobel Prize-winning academic research and the latest discoveries in behavioral finance.

From Investment Management to Business Management to Practice Development, Loring Ward is committed to giving advisors the tools, training and support to provide clients with a world-class experience.

As of September 2013, Loring Ward has $9.1 billion in assets under management. For more information, please visit www.loringward.com.

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*Source: Cogent Research 2013

LWI Financial Inc. ("Loring Ward") is an investment adviser registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Securities transactions are offered through its affiliate, Loring Ward Securities Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. IRN R 13-301 (Exp 9/15)

Advisor Tip: Become a local business booster

Advisor Tip: Become a local business booster

Why: Promoting other professionals and small- to mid-sized businesses in your community positions you as a generous “others-first” leader, generating goodwill, affinity and share of mind

Nobody likes a chest-thumper. But everybody likes a business professional who lifts up other people and is a booster for their cause. Many small- and medium-sized businesses struggle with sales and local visibility, and would be grateful for your support. Think of ways to collaborate with these smaller, community-based businesses. The good karma will almost certainly come back to you.

For example, plan and host a “Let’s Get Organized” presentation at a locally owned diner or coffee shop. Over coffee and pie, you welcome a small group of guests—folks who have been invited by the other business friends involved—and set the stage for the 90-minute session. A local home organizing specialist or Feng Shui expert could speak of creating a stress-free environment. You could share ways to organize family finances and tame the paper monster. Or host similar event at a locally-owned bookstore, but simplify the refreshments and promote a local author’s book, which would be available for purchase and personal autograph as guests leave. You stand by, taking pictures with a digital camera, asking for guests to jot down their name and email address on a clip board so that you can send them a copy of their photo with the expert and/or author.

Variations to the local business collaborative are endless: A garden tour and gardening tips from an expert in the spring (you talk about making money grow in a healthy and plentiful way). A cooking class and wine tasting at a culinary center (you talk about using the right mix of ingredients to produce a perfect financial stew). A class on creating a LifeBio or Ethical Will at Jesuit or Zen spiritual retreat center (you talk about balance and clarity around personal finances). A walking tour around the local art galleries with planned mini-lectures and refreshments at various stops (you talk about community spirit and conduct a drawing for a local work of art).

How this helps: The financial services industry took a beating during the banking crisis and Wall Street scandals in 2008/09. Being visible and others-centered creates a caring face for your business and opens the door for conversations with new clients, cross-pollination with the other professionals involved, and possible media attention if your event and venue are timely and different enough from the standard business fare. Co-hosting events and positioning yourself as a local business booster gives you reasons to send out invitations and news releases, generate email and social media campaigns, and contact new strategic partners.

In the age of digital communication and social media, let’s not forget to get out and “see the people” – in real life. People are busy but once a community of interest is established, the rapport and connections should carry through into other educational or business social events. The possibilities are endless – philanthropic angles and volunteer activities are also a winning strategy, with the potential to produce an endless ripple in the right circles. We are known by the company we keep, so picking good circles and purpose-driven activities can not only help build business but enhance personal satisfaction and create an perpetually-renewing sense that we have plenty to share, and that people matter beyond just the business realm. The law of reciprocity is always at work.

Check out these other related articles on Financial-Planning.com:

Building a Financial Services Business that Sells Itself
http://www.financial-planning.com/blogs/marketing-maven-marie-swift-getting-client-referrals-2680883-1.html

Building Share of Mind as a Local, Vocal Name
http://cdn.financial-planning.com/blogs/marketing-maven-marie-swift-local-expert-exposure-2680712-1.html

Creating Perfect Events can Produce Perfect Clients
http://www.financial-planning.com/blogs/marketing-maven-marie-swift-advisors-events-clients-recruitment-2680457-1.html

Anthony Petsis and Associates Supports the DARE Program

Great example of taking an advertising strategy and giving it a PR twist

The strategy created a downspout of good PR for the firm.

Read the related article in Marie Swift's

Marketing Maven column for Financial Planning magazine.

Build a Rich Niche with Professional Insights and Advice

 Watch this 3 minute clip now on AdvisorTV.

 Scott Hanson, Co-Founder, Hanson McClain Advisors and Hanson McClain Retirement Network talks about the fiduciary standard and what's best long-term for clients. He also says risk tolerance has changed for clients and that the industry needs to "get it right this time" if we are to restore trust after the erosion caused by recent Wall Street scandals. 

Watch this 3 minute clip now on AdvisorTV.

The Business Of Life - Financial Planning from the Inside Out - with Michael Kay

Michael Kay, author of the forthcoming book The Business of Life: An Inside-Out Approach to a More Successful Financial Planning Practice (AdvisorPress, December 2010) on why so few people know how to communicate when it comes to discussing their finances.

Long-time wealth manager Sue Stevens talks about finding financial happiness and her new book "Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is" in this podcast with Impact Communications' Al Martin in May 2010. Spend 5 minutes listening to Sue and Al talk about money, meaning and the pursuit of happiness.

In addition, Sue was a guest on the Good News Broadcast radio show with host Paul Slatkis in July 2010. They spend 10 minutes talking about finding balance, budgeting using Maslow's pyramid of needs, putting your money to work in wise ways, and much more.

Here's why you should listen to Sue: 

Stevens, a leading thinker in the financial planning community with a thriving wealth management practice based in Chicago, says money should support the things one truly loves in life. In her new book, Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is, Stevens draws on real life stories to inspire readers to make profound changes that not only improve their lives, but the lives of others as well.
"By paying attention to a few key areas, you can transform your relationship with money from frustrating to inspiring," says Stevens, a Certified Financial Planner professional and founder and president of Stevens Wealth Management LLC, Financial Happiness LLC and Stevens Visionary Strategies. "Instead of endless worry, you can create a life that you look forward to living because it reflects who you are and what is important to you."
In Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is, Stevens details a transformational process that includes Portfolio Peace of Mind , It's Not Just Retirement, It's the Rest of Your Life and The Financial Bridge to help readers discover a path that leads to inspiration and hope about relationships with money. After that examination, Stevens leads the reader through the Radiant Wealth concept which helps readers put their money where their heart is and think beyond the traditional measures of wealth.
Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is helps readers:
- Reflect on what matters most
- Get inspired
- Make changes to better align use of money with values
- Examine net worth for balance
- Find financial happiness and reach a state of Radiant Wealth
"Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is is a must-read for anyone who wants to re-examine their relationship with money," says Stevens. "Money is not just about making it and spending it but being engaged with it and making it do the things that make you feel good."
"Few writers know more about personal investing than Sue Stevens," says Taylor Larimore, co-author of The Bogleheads' Guide to Investing.
"Sue has been a member of our Q&A With the Experts Panel for some time now," says Mel Lindauer, a co-author of the Boglehead's book. "Every year, when I introduce her, I say that she has more meaningful professional designations after her name than anyone I know."
Founder and President of Stevens Wealth Management LLC, Financial Happiness LLC and Stevens Visionary Strategies, Sue Stevens has held leadership roles in top financial organizations for 20 years. Stevens is frequently named as one of the top advisors in the country by Worth, Bloomberg, Reuters and others. In 2008, Stevens was named one of 50 Distinguished Women in Wealth Management by Wealth Manager magazine.

(pictured: Sue Stevens, left, and Kathleen L. Ryan, right, at the Vanguard Diehards VIII gathering in 2008)
Long associated with Morningstar, Inc, Stevens was Director of Financial Planning and authored award-winning columns as well as founded Morningstar's personal finance newsletter Practical Finance. Stevens holds an MBA from University of Chicago, a Masters of Science in Wealth Management from The College for Financial Planning, the Certified Public Accountant/Personal Financial Specialist (CPA/PFS) designation, and is both a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER certificant.
Learn more about Sue Stevens at www.financial-happiness.com, where a subscription to Financial Happiness is free and gets you instant access to the monthly True Wealth Blast, a Spending Worksheet, a Net Worth Statement and much more.
The book, along with the other educational tools Stevens offers free or low cost to the general public, is a great gift book!

NAPFA Members and other independent financial advisors may want to buy a number of books and/or subscription memberships for their clients. Many of the NAPFA check lists and philosophies are included in Steven's book, newsletter, website, etc.

The Fundamentals Never Change

Economic indicators suggest the global economy is stabilizing. The financial dark cloud of the Great Recession may indeed be lifting. It’s given investors some renewed optimism. I’m reminded by this improving economic climate that no matter how dynamic markets are, the core principles of providing quality client-centered financial advice never really change.

I spoke with Roger R. Bell, president of Roger R. Bell & Company, Inc. in Dublin, Va., to get his thoughts on the immutability of financial planning. Here are four timeless tips that can help deliver long-term client relationships.

As published by Research magazine, August 29, 2009 - read:

The Fundamentals Never Change