“How do you differentiate yourself in a Sea of Suits?”   How many people do what you do in your community? 10?          20?          50?          100?          1,000? What sets you apart? Have you ever been asked: “How are you paid?” How do you answer? Of those who do what you do in your community, if everyone charges their clients and your prospects the same way, what do you have to offer to win that client? Lowest commission? Lowest fee? Is that really different? How do you answer when a prospect asks: “What happens if you don’t make any money for me on my investments?” Is your only defense answering that you provide excellent service? Or are you really trying to talk your client into paying you for attendance?   Tough questions - all of them. But in an increasingly competitive and commoditized industry with clients demanding more value than ever, you’d better know the answers.   The good news is the answer is very straightforward. The standard by which value is measured is performance.   The appeal of performance-based investments to sophisticated and savvy investors is on the rise as more and more people are wondering just what they are paying investment managers for.   In contrast to the common industry practice of charging management fees regardless of whether performance is up, down or flat, a school of thought is taking root that the fees clients pay to investment managers should be tied to the underlying performance of their investments.   Performance based fees simply provide the means for investment managers to align their interests more closely with their clients. Simply said, when an investment manager outperforms its benchmark, their compensation increases. Likewise, if they under-perform, they get less. Imagine that!    A performance based business approach establishes a tangible measure of your success for your clients. While you can’t guarantee performance, you can assure investors that money managers are compensated for their performance measured against a meaningful benchmark. That’s differentiation your clients can’t miss.   Integrity as the foundation of your practice forges a strong personal bond that will help you build lasting relationships that span generations and provide you with many more touch points on which to capitalize as the expert of choice for your clients, on whom they can rely to meet all of their wealth management needs beyond just investments. Another key benefit not to be overlooked is the greater opportunities that come with a performance based business approach. The relationships you develop with your clients naturally lead to the type of enthusiastic, high quality referrals you want for building your business. Further, you’ll gain the respected referrals of accountants, attorneys, trust officers and other allied professionals. A holistic approach to serving all of your clients’ financial needs makes growth sustainable throughout the lifetime of your relationships. You’ll have the ability to focus your attention on a select group of high caliber clients who will be the source of the majority of your business and your emphasis will be on quality of relationships, not quantity of clients. Are you looking for a competitive advantage? Do you dare to be different?    How do you set yourself apart in a sea of suits?   Performance based fees can put you where the real money is and help you take your business to its highest level. _________________________________________________________________________     For additional information regarding Dunham & Associates Investment Counsel, Inc. and performance-based fees, please call 866-276-9534 or go to www.dunham.com.   Dunham & Associates Investment Counsel, Inc. is an NASD registered Broker/Dealer and a registered Investment Advisor. Member SIPC   * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Since our inception we have helped over 400 financial consultants make the move to independence. "I cannot express to you the joy and the increase in quality of life that I have found since leaving the wirehouse world." Shane Merritt, Branch Manager Merritt Capital Management      Tired of Searching for the Right Independent Broker-Dealer? Would you like to find your next Broker-Dealer the EASY way? Would you like access to an informed executive who can narrow your options, preserve the confidentiality of your search and save you time and hassle? With over 10 years experience placing reps with independent broker dealers, we are able to offer many unique opportunities and there is no cost to you. For example:    *Companies with deferred compensation or profit sharing    *Producer groups that provide marketing programs    *Independent Broker-dealers that offer Transition funding    *Independent Broker-dealers with 100 percent payout on VA and VUL    *Independent Broker-dealers with 95 percent pay out on investment advisory services    *Firms with proprietary research in Mutual funds, asset allocation and stocks    *Firms offering Equity participation via options or common and preferred stock    *Broker-dealers that can accommodate compliance issues    *Firms specializing in stocks and bonds    *Independent Broker–dealers that are successful with large producer groups    *A firm with 11 years experience in hedge funds that will create your own fund of funds    *Firms who are friendly to custodying assets at Schwab, Fidelity, TD Waterhouse & Fiserv    *Firms with lower ticket charges and monthly fees    *Firms with Syndicate offerings, IPOs, and market making **For a FREE "Guide to Moving Your Book," please visit: www.goingindependent.net. This Month's Registered Representative Opportunity: At this Broker-dealer, they think life should be enjoyed. The success of their relationship should be measured not only by their mutual prosperity, but also by how enjoyable it is for you all to work together. This BD combines the small-town traditions of honest hard work, common sense solutions, and courteous personal service with the large-firm opportunities of cutting edge technology, economies of scale, and comprehensive product selection. Open Architecture ...means more choices, fewer requirements. Use your own RIA or ours, choose one of their clearing firms or an outside platform, open discretionary or non-discretionary accounts, take advantage of their "a la carte pricing." Many Rep/Advisors contact this BD because they have unique needs that cause them to operate "outside the box" which many Broker/Dealers do not allow. This BD doesn't force them to fit their business models into a mold. Often, this means allowing for a choice of trading platforms, customizing a fee schedule, or creating a new program specific to that Rep/Advisor's needs. At this firm, the doors are open and the possibilities are broad. Independence Typically, when large financial institutions have acquired our competitors, parent company priorities have taken precedence over the traditional values that independent firms once represented. When a parent company views a Rep/Advisor as a "distribution channel" and makes policies based on the parent company's bottom line, then the whole idea of independence and objectivity is lost. This BD is what most independent Broker/Dealers used to be… friendly, flexible, and dedicated to service. Service Service is what you want from your Broker/Dealer. When you call this BD, you don't get a machine. The President and other key personnel are readily available to work directly with you. They are willing to work with you to set goals, both personal and professional, and to develop a business plan to help you meet those goals. When you need an answer to a question or a solution to a problem, their response time is measured in minutes and hours, not days and weeks. If you know someone who might be interested in the above opportunity or who might be ready to go Independent, please have them contact Jason Burke directly at 727-725-8876.

Here's some additional information from Turning Point, Inc..

www.BrokerBestPractices.com
www.BankBrokerBestPractices.com
www.IndependentRepBestPractices.com (*Sept 2005 REPORT AVAILABLE!)
www.FABestPractices.com (Financial Advisors)
www.InsuranceAgentBestPractices.com

By clicking on any of these links, you will be taken to a webpage where you can Preview these reports, take a short survey, and then print the entire report when you're done. It's that easy.

TURNING POINT PARTNERS:
Are you getting the most out of your business?  Are you operating at peak efficiency?  How about your marketing, your compliance,  or your HR?  We have some friends who can help you out.  Just visit our Partners section in our website for links to a variety of services that are helpful to building your business!