Carriage Trade News
February 2010
In This Issue
Differentiate your practice through financial education
Article about differentiating your practice through a target market

Meeting the challenge for financial fitness

One effective strategy to differentiate your practice is to provide financial education to your clients and in your community.   If you are interested in financial education and literacy and are part of LinkedIn, join the discussion in our LinkedIn group, "Meeting the challenge for financial fitness."  The group is comprised of representatives from all aspects of financial education.  We strive to maintain a healthy dialog about what works in helping young and old, rich and poor, get a better handle on their personal finances.  The group emphasizes what works. Perhaps you will get some ideas to help you differentiate your practice.
Join our Financial Educaton group

Financial Fitness logo large
 
A LinkedIn group to discuss and promote Financial Education.
Follow-up Links
 

Webinar:

Greetings!

Greetings!

Our webinar in February helps you find a way to differentiate yourself in a crowded market.  I was just with an advisor yesterday who told me about another advisor who gained significant traction by creating a simple financial analysis tool, naming the tool and publicizing the availability of the tool.  Other advisors have made themselves special for a select group of clients by making public their focus on those clients-publicizing their target market.  Other advisors make themselves special, by doing something unique:  writing a book, speaking on a topic, focusing on a niche.  The webinar helps you explore seven ways you can differentiate yourself.  A companion article describes how you might select a target market as your differentiator.

This newsletter is designed to provide ideas for managing your practice. If you have topics we could include that would help your practice, let us know. We would love to hear from you.

Differentiation Strategies for Financial Advisors

Create Compelling Stories To Stand Out From Your Competitors ... and Win More Clients

Carriage Trade

The competition for new clients is fierce in the financial advisor industry. You're up against the big guys who offer a comprehensive suite of financial services ... as well as financial advisors deeply entrenched in the region for ages. Although competition is tough, there is a secret strategy for becoming the victor -- develop a compelling story that differentiates you from the masses.

 

John Comer, Certified Financial Planner and financial advisor

consultant, helps financial advisors develop their unique, compelling

story. He teaches you what prospective clients want to hear, how to

align your story with their interests, and differentiate yourself. After

attending this eLearning course, you'll have a unique tool to stand

out, be more memorable, and convince prospects to work with you -

without hard core selling.

 

In this webinar, you'll learn how to:

� Find audience-grabbing elements for your story within your practice

� Write your story and refine it until it positions you strongly versus

the competitors

� Tell your story in a way that prospects are intrigued and want to

hear more

� Integrate the story into every aspect of your practice - on the web,

in your marketing material - to ensure consistency of impression.

 

Thursday, Feb 18,2010

1:00pm - 2:00pm

Eastern Time

$99 per connection

Save 20% at checkout with

this discount code: 49085c71
 
Register Here

 

To get a preview of the webinar, check out an additional article:  Differentiation Strategies for Advisors.  The webinar will provide more insights and practical applications of the ideas in the article.

How to select a target market to increase your results
 

After Scott Hanson, CFP�, consulted with employees of a local Sacramento Calif. firm on early retirement, the number and quality of new clients caught his attention.  He and his partner saw the similarities of the workers and realized that focusing on these employees would lead to a successful practice. Indeed, that focus led to creating the Hanson McClain Retirement Network, a network of over 100 independent advisors.

 

Even if you never focused your practice, your clients probably have some similarities because your style is comfortable for them.  To uncover these similarities, examine the characteristics of your top clients.  List the following across the top of an Excel spreadsheet:  "client name, employer, industry, neighborhood, referred by, trade/civic association, hobbies/interests, other."  Next, complete the form by filling in the information for each of your 25 or 30 best clients.

 
To read more of this article click here.
John Comer photoOf course, if you would like even more support, we would be happy to talk to you about our consulting and coaching work.  Our program, Defining your Carriage Trade Experience, helps you identify your target market and ideal client, create a marketing plan to penetrate that market and align your client service with the needs of that market.  We also can create communication tools for you (brochures, web sites and presentations), define a customized project to meet your strategic marketing goals and provide flexible coaching to keep you on track.

Let me know how I can help you.

Sincerely,
 

John Comer
Comer Consulting, LLC
 
John Comer photo
Comer Consulting, LLC, helps financial advisors define their Carriage Trade Experience and communicate their individuality.  The term "carriage trade" started in the early 1900s as shop owners began going out to the carriages of their wealthy customers rather than requiring the customers to come into the stores.  Like those shop owners who found ways to provide an extra level of service to their most important patrons; we believe today's financial services professionals need to find a way to provide extra value for their clients.  Today's financial services professionals need to meet their clients at the curb.  Comer Consulting is here to help. 
 
 
For more information about Comer Consulting, LLC, check out our web site
Save 20%
Save 20% at checkout on the webinar by using this Promotional Code:  49085c71.  This code should be typed into the "Promotional Code" box on the registration form.  Click here to register for this webinar.