Insights from Financial Services Consultants You Won't Want to Miss

These three subject matter experts shared some pretty awesome insights and observations with me last month. They all talk about where they see challenges and opportunities within the financial services profession.

Stop what you're doing now and listen to one or more of these audio clips. You'll be glad you did.

Khalid Usmani on marketing your financial advisory services in a noisy digital world Download link | Stream online

Vikas Oswal on managing client emotions and expectations in turbulent investment times Download link | Stream online

Neal Quon on selecting the right technology and creating a solid spending plan for your financial services firm
Download link | Stream online

As seen in NAPFA Advisor magazine

April 2016 print edition

Three Awesome Audio Interviews with Industry Innovators

These three subject matter experts were kind enough to spend some time educating me on where they see challenges and opportunities within the financial services profession. You'll see a common thread running through each of these ten-minute audios: New and innovative technology is playing a major role in helping advisors (a) solve problems for their clients and (b) thrive as business professionals.

Stop what you're doing now and listen to one or more of these audio clips. You'll be glad you did.

Dan Santner on creating a collaborative retirement planning process to win client hearts and minds
Download link  |  Stream online

Daniel Satchkov on using the right technology to compete and win in the robo-age    Download link  |  Stream online

Abby Schneiderman on building better relationships with current and prospective clients   
Download link  |  Stream online

As seen in Financial Planning magazine

December 2015 print edition

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.

See You at FPA B.E. in Boston? Here's How to Find Marie Swift.

I'll be at the FPA B.E. Conference in Boston. Find me and say hello!

I'll be hanging around these booths -- all of which are Impact friends and clients, all of which offer some pretty fantastic solutions for independent advisors and allied institutions:

• Vanare | NestEgg - Table #17

• Client Driven Practice - Table #15

• Scottrade Advisor Services - Booth 308

• Strategy and Resources - Booth 302

• Entreda - Table # TBD

• GuideVine.com - Table #TBD

• Everplans Pro - Table #TBD

See the interactive map of the exhibit hall for visual of the booths and tables.

I will also be live tweeting some of the sessions including:

Retirement Roundtable - Sept 26 at 2:20 pm ET
Robert Powell, respected journalist

Cutting College Costs - Sept 26 at 4:30 pm ET
Lynn O'Shaughnessy, respected columnist

New Rules of Marketing and PR - Sept 26 at 8:00 am ET
Jill Schlesinger, respect journalist

Robo-Advisors Point / Counter Point - Sept 27 at 2:20 pm ET
Michael Kitces (Nerds Eye View), Rich Ellinger (Wealthminder), and Lex Sokolin (Vanare | NestEgg)

Investing Roundtable - Sept 27 at 3:55 pm ET
Advisor Partners CEO - Dan Kern

M&A and Succession Planning / Financing - Sept 27 at 5:00 pm ET
Marion Asnes (Idea Refinery) + Folks from Live Oak Bank and FP Transitions

Unfortunately, I have a flight on Monday September 28 -- I am heading right to Phoenix so I don't miss too much of the Bob Veres' Insider's Forum (and I am also speaking there alongside with my strategic partner Marion Asnes) -- or I would have loved to attend the Women and Investing session sponsored by Money Magazine and staffed by a host of awesome women I know (sorry ladies, alas a different duty calls). 

If you haven't signed up yet for the Insider's Forum, you can save $75 off your first registration with this code:

2015IMPACTCOMM

If you want to find me at FPA B.E. and prefer not to look for a "chance encounter" please stop by the Strategy and Resources booth #320 and leave a message with whoever is there. If you leave your cell phone number or mobile email, I will be in touch and we can meet up!

Building Your Business with Social Media - See You in DC July 14?

Looking to jazz up your summer?

Join me for the Women Adviser Summit in Washington, DC on July 14 for a day that will reinvigorate your business!

My session:

BUILD YOUR BUSINESS WITH SOCIAL MEDIA 

Presenter: Marie Swift 
Moderator: Marion Asnes

You know about LinkedIn, Twitter and other social networks—but are you using them effectively? This session will give you step-by-step advice on:

• Building a social media plan that revs up your marketing, with compliance in mind
• Branding yourself on social media
• Promoting your events
• Gaining confidence in your online “voice”
• Tools to help spread your message, without devouring your time 

The rest of the agenda looks really good, too. 

The InvestmentNews Women Adviser Summit, a one-day workshop held in three cities, is uniquely designed for the sophisticated female adviser who wants to take her personal and professional self to the next level.

Attend and:

- Learn how to build a more profitable practice

- Discover how to help clients deal with life transitions

- Find out what your professional personality style says about you

- Get the tips you need to make social media a driving force in your business

InvestmentNews is dedicated to empowering women in the workforce, and they’re pleased to announce a partnership with Dress for Success. A portion of all registration fees will be donated to the non-profit organization that promotes economic independence of disadvantaged women, by providing professional attire, a network of support, and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and life.

See agenda for the DC event.

Register now!

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

Risk and Investing - How to Better Communicate the Trade Offs to Your Clients

When it comes to managing expectations and market / risk perceptions with their clients, financial advisors have their work cut out for them. I sat down with five industry insightfuls while at the TD Ameritrade LINC Conference earlier this year. Their comments got me nodding my head yes over and over again. 

Watch the video highlights clip and download the full transcript at AdvisorsThinkTank.com.

Cloud Technology: Blessing or Curse for Financial Advisors?

The rise of cybersecurity attacks, especially involving financial institutions, is cause for growing concern among today’s advisors – for themselves, as well as their clients. How can advisors adjust to the risks and concerns over cybersecurity while still accessing the benefits of cloud technology?

While at Schwab IMPACT in Denver, I sat down with five financial services professionals for a 60-minute roundtable discussion. We discussed cloud technology, including challenges and opportunities for financial advisors. You can access several videos and a white paper transcript by clicking the image below. 

This is a "must read" for financial advisors. 

Click here now.

See What's New on Advisor's Think Tank - Investing Roundtable Now Live!

It is such an honor to be able to sit and talk with industry insightfuls such as those I selected to be a part of my last roundtable centered on the investment landscape and what financial advisors should be thinking about in 2015.

Visit AdvisorsThinkTank.com to view videos and download the white paper transcript now.

Why Client Engagement Strategies Fail - Julie Littlechild, Spenser Segal and Marie Swift Weigh In

Did you miss this special Fireside Chat? 

Scroll down on this blog and you will find links to download the recording!

Downloads from Client Engagement Webinar - here

We missed you at our fireside chat.

Here's how to get the information you missed!

To watch the recording:
https://vimeo.com/impactproductionsgroup/actifiengagement

To download the slides:
http://www.4shared.com/office/YAq3915oce/ACTIFI_Client_Engagement_Fires.html

To learn more about the ActiFi Client Engagement program:
http://www.actifi.com/clientengagement

Follow us on Twitter for other conversations and breaking news: 
handles - @spenseractifi @jlittlechild @marieswift
hashtag - #actifiengagement

Additional information can be found at:
http://www.julielittlechild.com

We look forward to hearing your client engagement success stories when next we meet!

Why Client Engagement Strategies Fail - Join Us Live on February 17, 2015!

Why do client engagement strategies fail? On February 17th, I'll be asking Spenser Segal and Julie Littlechild that very question and several more. 

We all know that client engagement initiatives can result in growth and increased profitability, but they often fail to achieve the intended goals. The two main reasons are (1) a lack of meaningful input from clients, and (2) poor execution.

On February 17th, Julie Littlechild, founder of Advisor Impact and If Not Now Research, and Spenser Segal, founder of ActiFi, and I will dialog about the problems and the solutions. 

Don't miss this special Fireside Chat!

Date:   February 17, 2015

Time:  2:00 ET / 1:00 CT / Noon MT / 11:00 PT

Free to register but space is limited. 

Register now and you will receive the recording automatically, but we also hope you will attend in real time that day so that you can ask questions and participate in this important conversation.

Financial Advisors Can Leverage the Voice of the Client to Build a Better Business

ActiFi and Advisor Impact Introduce New Client Engagement Program

Powerful Strategic Alliance Leverages Voice of the Client for Deeper Relationships and More Effective Business Development

Have you heard about ActiFi Client Engagement? This unique program combines the power of robust client feedback with the tools, support and resources to build more engaged and profitable client relationships. ActiFi Client Engagement is being powered by the Client Audit, Advisor Impact's industry leading client feedback program.  

ActiFi Client Engagement will take client feedback to the next level, layering in coaching, practice management resources and technology to help financial advisory firms take meaningful action. The program will be offered directly to individual advisors as well as through broker-dealers, custodians and TAMP's as part of a robust, integrated offer that links client feedback directly to advisor workflow, positively impacting efficiency and the bottom line.

"Working with a firm like ActiFi allows us to increase the value for advisors, while remaining focused on our core capability, which is helping advisors gather client feedback," said Julie Littlechild, founder of Advisor Impact. "In many respects, ActiFi represents an exciting future for client feedback and client engagement because they can provide the in-depth consulting and technology integration that will lead to more significant return-on-investment for advisors and their firms."

The program offers a choice of three levels – Impact, Innovate, and Transform – so advisors can choose how best to match their needs and desired commitment levels.  It will also provide access to other features offered through the ActiFi software suite. 

 

Financial Advisors and Allied Institutions:

Read more on PR Newswire

or

Listen to the Audio Interview with Spenser Segal and Julie Littlechild explaining WHY this is such important news!

What to do in the Face of a Social Media Crisis

In my weekly reading, I came across this rather good Infographic from 360PR. In the spirit of archiving good content, I am posting that infographic here. Hopefully, as a thoughtful financial services professional, you never have to do more than simply monitor and manage your online presence ... and have a plan "just in case."

Please also take a look at my articles for the industry publications listed below:

Marketing and Practice Management Advice for Financial Advisors 

• Advisor Roundtable from Guidevine - http://www.guidevine.com/roundtable/author/marieswift
• Marketing Maven from Financial Planning magazine - http://tinyurl.com/fpmarketingmaven
• IdeaXChange from WealthManagement.com -  http://wealthmanagement.com/author/marie-swift
• Advisors' Think Tank from Impact Communications and Select Sponsors - http://www.advisorsthinktank.com

Marketing and PR Perspectives for Financial Institutions and Allied Professionals

• Advisors' Think Tank from Impact Communications and Select Sponsors - http://www.advisorsthinktank.com
• Marketing Column from Money Management Executive -  http://tinyurl.com/mmemarketingcolumn

I'll be at a number of industry conferences in 2015 so tackle me and say hello!

Happy Thanksgiving. I am grateful for all the wonderful conversations and friends I've made the pst 25 years in the financial services industry.

Yours in Creative Alliance,

Marie Swift

Branding Your Financial Advisory Firm - Advice from Diane MacPhee and Marie Swift

Did you miss the webcast today on branding your financial advisory firm? We had a very robust andspirited conversation! I was joined by advisor coach extraordinaire' Diane MacPhee and the ever-delightful Maggie Crowley, marketing manager for Advisor Websites. We had so many questions, we couldn't get to them all. So I offered to put up this blog post and open up the discussion board here.

Maggie Crowley will be posting a link to the webcast recording (check the comments section).

And if you have more questions to ask Diane, Maggie or me, post them here and we will respond.

Thanks again for a great session everyone!

Marie Swift, Diane MacPhee and Maggie Crowley

A Candid Conversation with David Booth of DFA and Alex Potts of Loring Ward

Imagine sitting in on a candid discussion with David Booth and Alex Potts as they talk about what keeps them up at night, robo-advisors, ETFs, lessons learned five years post the Great Recession trough, and more. I had the privilege of doing just that ... and I am bringing a transcript of that conversation to you via AdvisorsThinkTank.com. 

Download the Kindred Spirits transcript now.

Finom Helps Investors Find Financial Advisors Based on Performance, Not Platitudes

First-of-its-Kind Platform Helps People Find, Meet and Hire the Best Investment Advisor for Them Based on Verified Performance Data, Personalized Goals and Preferences

Finom, the pioneer in the analysis of investment adviser performance, and the only free decision-making tool that helps consumers find the best financial advisers based on personalized needs, goals and adviser performance track record, announced today the launch of its web platform available now at finom.com. The company is rolling out its service in the Chicago market with plans to expand its offering to additional markets later this year.

“Until now, consumers have not had access to data, technology or tools to properly assess advisers in an objective and personalized manner. Choosing an investment adviser is one of the most important decisions investors will ever make,” said Aziz Lalljee, co-founder and co-CEO of Finom. “Instead of handing over your entire investment portfolio and retirement savings to someone based on a tip from a friend during a round of golf, we believe consumers should be able to make informed, data-driven decisions based on transparency and trust.”

The free, easy-to-use website gives users the ability to search, compare and meet with investment advisors who best match their needs. Users create a personalized investment profile based on their responses to a five-minute risk assessment and adviser-fit questionnaire related to age, geography, investable assets, financial commitments, investing history, risk tolerance and goals. The platform then returns a list of matching advisers with detailed qualitative profiles and risk-adjusted performance measures for each adviser. Adviser profiles list services offered, client types, investment approach, fee schedule, services offerings, areas of expertise and firm history.

Finom’s powerful proprietary platform includes a rating ("Enthusiastic," "Strong" or "Reserved") of each adviser tailored to the user’s specific investment objectives and preferences. The platform even simulates how the user’s investments would have fared, after fees, under each suggested adviser's management, thus empowering financial consumers with actionable and personalized intelligence for the first time ever.

Users can sort and view profiles, compare up to three advisers side-by-side and choose to meet with as many advisers as they like, free of charge. If a user decides to hire an investment adviser found on Finom, the company will charge the selected adviser a fee that cannot be passed on to the client per Finom’s agreement.

All advisers on the Finom platform have gone through regulatory checks and a robust screening process; they are all independent, fee-only investment advisers who are registered with either the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or with their appropriate state regulator(s). Advisers on the platform have provided Finom with client-specific, monthly holdings data for the universe of their client accounts, typically over 5-7 years and updated quarterly. Finom analyzes, displays, and scores historical risk-adjusted returns across a range of investment horizons, risk tolerances and asset classes.

Finom aims to do for financial advisers what Morningstar did for mutual funds – provide comprehensive and rigorous intelligence on adviser practice and performance – thereby empowering consumers to make a more educated and informed decision when selecting a financial adviser to meet and potentially hire.

ABOUT FINOM

Finom, a pioneer in financial adviser comparison technology, brings radical transparency and analytical rigor to the financial adviser search and selection process. Finom helps consumers search, find and meet with investment advisers in a personalized, rigorous, and transparent way - with unprecedented access to performance and practice information. Advisers are featured based on a user’s specific investment goals and preferences, and assessed and rated with analytical rigor. The company was founded by David Gomel and Aziz Lalljee in 2011 out of the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, and is headquartered in Chicago. Finom Financial LLC is registered with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). For more information, visit finom.com.

FINOM LAUNCHES SERVICE TO HELP CONSUMERS MAKE INFORMED AND OBJECTIVE DECISIONS WHEN FINDING A FINANCIAL ADVISER

www.finom.com