Happy Thanksgiving from Turning Point, Inc.!
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News You Can Use
This issue's article is by Lisa Gray of graymatter STRATEGIES LLC, a financial journalism and marketing consulting firm based in Memphis, TN.  

Why Employ a Marketing Process? By Lisa Gray   Why do you need a marketing process? Doesn't advertising still work? And isn't marketing just, well...marketing? According to the Investment Management Consultants Association's membership survey conducted in June 2003, only 6.5 percent of respondents indicated success in obtaining new clients from advertising. (see "The New Family Office: Innovative Strategies for Consulting to the Affluent," page 158) Investment management consultants (CIMA®s) are viewed as offering the 'cream de la crème' of investment advice. Yet firms who employ them and even independent advisors who focus on investment process continue to pour huge amounts of money into 'marketing' campaigns (direct mail, expensive publication ads, etc.) that feature a product or service. Even consulting or financial planning can become a type of product or service if it is inadvertently presented as such.   Twenty years ago, financial advisors were clients' only source of information about investing. Advertising was all that was really needed. Differentiation was much simpler.   Well, it's no news that today, things are a little different. Investors are absolutely inundated with information. Instead of needing more, they need someone to help them sort through the mess. Instead of needing more products or services, they need solutions to their problems.   Although the transaction side of the business is still predominant, the advisors getting the serious money offer real advice. These advisors offer solutions tailored to clients' specific needs. Even smaller investors today want a process; therefore, the popularity of financial planning, money managers, and other advice-centered practices is growing. They also want access to investment venues formerly reserved for the ultra-wealthy; hence, the managed money and hedge fund industries' growth over the last decade.   So what does all this have to do with marketing? The investor marketplace is demanding more complete investment solutions, but firms and advisors alike are still marketing like they did 20 years ago. How are investors to know where they can go to find real advice, real solutions? Realizing that marketing is a process that matches marketplace demand for financial services today is absolutely essential to advisor success now and in the future. Building a high level clientele today requires much more than just advertising and running 'marketing' campaigns; it requires a process that shows clients your particular expertise in helping them find the solutions they seek. Lisa Gray, CIMC is president/CEO of graymatter STRATEGIES LLC, a financial journalism and marketing consulting firm based in Memphis, TN. She has 15 years' experience in wealth management and is the author of "The New Family Office: Innovative Strategies for Consulting to the Affluent," www.iibooks.com. This Month's Registered Representative Opportunity: Since 1986, this Broker-dealer has been committed to giving independent financial advisors the leverage they need for achieving success. Today, it is one of the most progressive broker-dealer firms in the country with more than 1,000 independent professionals around the U.S. and over 250 support staff in its Florida headquarters. This B/D provides independent financial advisors support and flexibility to assist them in finding their customers the right investments for more of the life they want to live. Because their executive team and board of directors were all once and currently are full-service reps, they understand the business and the fact that their customers are you, the reps. Regardless of your specific model, whether you are a transactional equity rep, a planner, a fee-based rep, insurance rep or traditional broker, they have the people and infrastructure in place to help you succeed. They believe they have the tools to help you elevate your business and reach your professional and personal goals. If you want a career move that will take you to new heights, this B/D may be the right place to be. At this Broker-dealer, the entrepreneurial spirit is on. The intense corporate pressure is off. With no incentives to sell proprietary products, you have the flexibility to advise your clients what you believe is in their best interest. If you want it, they have a support team that will scour the industry for you looking for new products and services, to keep you and your clients one step ahead in this fast-changing market. Their approach gives you freedom to do what you do best. They have built a platform that can transform any existing platform, whether you are currently working as a lender, an insurance agent, or a registered rep. You have access to the same resources of any traditional Wall Street firm, as well as multiple clearing arrangements always at your fingertips. With that comes the flexibility to manage business and clients your way, and a payout rate that truly recognizes your talents and abilities. Payouts - They recognize your talents and expertise, and feel strongly that you should be highly rewarded. At this B/D, independent financial advisors typically enjoy 70-90% payouts, one of the most rewarding plans in the industry. However, payouts are flexible and often depend on the financial advisors performance and volume. A recruitment consultant works closely with you to determine a beneficial arrangement based on your individual business model. For this and other Registered Representative opportunities, please visit www.goingindependent.com (go to our Opportunities section and click on Hotjobs) or contact Mitch Vigeveno directly at 727-725-8876.

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"I've used Turning Point for several years and know my needs will be placed first. I've always found it easy to work with the company as they're accessible, responsive and professional in every sense of the word. I'd be hard pressed to consider using any other firm"
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Quote of the day:
"The world stands aside to let anyone pass who knows where he is going."
David Starr Jordan (1851-1931)