SMART ADVISOR MARKETING

This quarter is the perfect time for business development. Don’t let the holidays distract you from your marketing efforts because many advisors generate 1/3 of their annual income in these three months. Here are just a few concepts to help you focus:

1. CD Rollovers - the chaos in the sub-prime mortgage market has spilled over into money markets, prompting many recent articles concerning money market funds that invested in speculative derivatives based on mortgages. When these funds ‘reached’ for higher yields they also introduced more risk. Many CDs mature in October and November. The Investment Company Institute said this week that banks and thrifts now hold over $320 billion in IRA funds. Action Step: data mine your clients and prospects for those who hold CDs. BYM has postcards you can use to raise awareness about the taxability of CDs, which is another good theme to use in your marketing.

2. Required Minimum Distributions - You’d be surprised how many of your clients and prospects miss these dates. Do a service for your clients and remind them that RMDs are due out by 12/31. Action Step: segment your clients and prospects into an ‘over 69′ age group and then drip on them with calls and cards about RMD.

3. Qualified Charitable Distributions as a planning option are scheduled to sunset on 12/31. These are IRA distributions directly deposited with the client’s favorite charity. It’s a good strategy for sheltering RMDs that was part of the Pension Protection Act.

BuildYourMarket.com has personalized cards you can easily have mailed for you to one or a 1000 targeted clients or prospects.

Good luck.