Financial Services Marketing Newsletter – 2Q06
The Investment Marketing Business
While we certainly never recommend strictly selling past performance in your investment offerings, it is inevitable that clients are exposed to trailing market results in both marketing materials and comparative analyses. The S&P 500’s all-important trailing 5-year number finally turned positive in 2006 and has been hovering just over 0% throughout the quarter. The five-year number has the potential to improve even more in September after the very negative third quarter of 2001 drops out of the results. The same thing should occur next year after the second and third quarters — results in the second and third quarters of 2002 pushed the index lower by nearly 30%. While this is certainly dependent on the results in the coming months, shorter-term trailing results should paint a more positive picture for the equity markets, while 10-year results would be more balanced with both up and down markets.
MBC Watch List
During the second quarter, the team at MB Consulting has been working on an innovative flash-based web presentation for a major investment firm that will be launched and broadcast-emailed to thousands of financial advisors. The presentation details new features, benefits, and enhancements to a variable annuity product that launched in May. In addition to email distribution, the presentations shelf life will be expanded as it will also be housed as a marketing tool on the firm’s website. There were three steps in the process — concept and framework development, flash execution, and script implementation for voice over. These elements then had to be synchronized into this self-contained Flash commercial presentation.
The Ticker
The second module of four-part practice management and coaching program for financial advisors launched during the second quarter. The program was designed to improve both the personal and professional lives of participants and this module introduced performance and trait analysis as a means of both personal and professional evaluation. The goal of the module was to motivate participants to examine their performance relative to the traits that drive results and focus more of their attention and effort on their most productive traits. Each module in this program includes a detailed workbook and presentation full of research, support, and interactive activities to help participants maximize results.
Consultants Corner
Is has been said that “content is king” and we certainly agree. Your firm’s “content,” or the text and messaging involved in all marketing efforts are certainly a key element of your overall brand. It is important to make the effort to align your content with your target market and to keep things up to date. Refreshing your content, whether it’s for your website, sales materials, or client correspondence, can go a long way to aligning your strategy and vision and improving the results of all your marketing efforts. Differentiate your firm from the competition and make your message succinct and clear to drive better results.