5/25/2010

Listen to this: Building Relationships with Web 2.0 and Social Media


Vince Esposito of AdvisorConnect and Marie Swift of Impact Communications talk about ways financial advisors can use Web 2.0 and Social Media to market their services and build relationships.

Audio here:
http://www.audioacrobat.com/sa/WZT0dCrT

Slide show here:
http://www.slideshare.net/bgeyser/marie-swift-social-media

4/18/2010

FINRA Guidance on Blogs and Social Networking Web Sites

Regulatory Notice 10-06

Executive Summary

Americans are increasingly using social media Web sites, such as blogs and social networking sites, for business and personal communications. Firms have asked FINRA staff how the FINRA rules governing communications with the public apply to social media sites that are sponsored by a firm or its registered representatives. This Notice provides guidance to firms regarding these issues.

Questions concerning this Notice may be directed to:

  • Joseph E. Price, Senior Vice President, Advertising Regulation/Corporate Financing, at (240) 386-4623; or
  • Thomas A. Pappas, Vice President and Director, Advertising Regulation, at (240) 386-4500.

4/09/2010

To Blog or Not to Blog ... That is the Question

Last week, I was pleased to receive a phone call from journalist Helen Kearney.

Helen writes the Wealth Manager content for Thomson Reuters, the big news wire syndication service. She was hoping to speak with someone for a story she was writing on blogs - were they a useful marketing tool for advisors?

I was happy to share my opinions with Helen. And, yes, I did tell her that I thought blogs were a useful marketing communications tool for advisors.

I was happy to tell her about the first-ever Web 2.0 and Social Media Boot Camp powered by FPA and Impact Communications (held 2/28/10 in Dallas in conjunction with FPA's annual Business Solutions Conference) and how Andy Millard (that's Andy in the photo on the left, about to go into his video interview session), one of the 22 participants in that beta boot camp had really embraced blogging since he set up his professionally branded blog and Twitter accounts as a part of the boot camp experience.

Below is Helen's article. There's lots of good advice in it - including insights from boot camp participant Andy Millard.

I also have great news:

FPA and Impact Communications will be offering another Web 2.0 and Social Media Boot Camp on October 9, 2010 in conjunction with FPA's annual national conference (it's being held in Denver this fall). You can learn more at www.fpanet.org.

Pricing, location and other details are yet to be determined but we are thinking there will be one webinar to set the stage before the live boot camp, then a 3/4 day at the live boot camp in Denver where everyone will set up their own blog and Twitter accounts, film their first interview, record their first podcast, enter their first blog comments, and then share their results with the class while there in Denver. We'll still offer some sort of support after the boot camp - either a live webinar 30 days later or use FPA's online discussion board system.

I'll also be travelling quite a bit the next 3-6 months, talking about how to use social media to build your business while being compliant and still finding time to embrace your traditional marketing and PR activities (oh, and take care of your clients, your staff, your business, your life ...).

I'll be at IAA's Annual Conference in Chicago on April 28, FPA's Dallas Symposium on May 7 and FPA's Chicago Symposium on May 24 talking about the aforementioned topic (as well as many other conferences where I'll be talking about Marketing and PR, articulating your value as an advisor today, and much more. You can see all my speaking events at www.impactcommunications.org.

And so, without further ado, here is Helen Kearney's article:

To Blog or Not to Blog

By Helen Kearney

NEW YORK, April 6 (Reuters) - If you think blogging is something better left to your teenage daughter, think again. Financial advisers who have jumped into the world of social media say it's a big hit with their older clients -- and a great way to attract new ones.

"My retired clients spend a lot of time online. Their kids have set them up on email and they have more time to look around," said Andy Millard, a Tryon, North Carolina-based independent financial adviser who recently started a weekly blog.

Blogs can be a useful marketing tool for advisers.

READ MORE>>>
To Blog or Not to Blog

3/08/2010

At Boot Camp, Advisers Learn Social-Media Tools

Dear Boot Camp Graduates,

You may have noticed that Davis Janowski, a reporter from Investment News, sat in on our Web 2.0 and Social Media Boot Camp last week.

Here's his report:

At boot camp, advisers learn social-media tools

Sammie Gatti, Steve Johnson and "Midwest Marty" (Marty Kurtz) are quoted - and our premier got some good, positive ink!

You can "follow" Davis Janowski on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ddjanowski

Enjoy,

Marie Swift
Lead Instructor

Reminder to all Boot Camp Graduates

Post-Boot Camp Webinar (3/30/10)
A follow up Webinar will be offered to ensure you have all the help you need to leverage your new tools and build your online presence. Marie Swift and select coaches will answer your remaining questions, take a look at your evolving Web presence, comment on things you are doing wrong/right, etc. Watch for login / callin instructions to arrive via email directly from FPA.

See you there!


Twitter Digest - A Baker's Dozen

Hey Boot Camp Graduates!

Here's a quick look at what I've been reading and tweeting about:
  1. Getting the Most Out of Twitter - good NY Times article - http://nyti.ms/dqg9cU
  2. Advisers aim to ramp up marketing spending - Investment News: http://bit.ly/cListy
  3. David Drucker profiles @brettellen #1 w/ Securities America multiple yrs - FA mag: http://www.fa-mag.com/fa-news/5252-strong-alliances.html
  4. Financial Planning mag: Special Report - Your Practice Management Questions Answered: How do I stand out? http://bit.ly/cmNxeH
  5. Happy to be home after a flurry of trips. Spoke at TD Ameritrade conf, #T3Show and #FPABizSol. Next up Tiburon CEO Summit to run press conf.
  6. Dare we try this? At least we can read this journalist's blog entries about her travails. No Spend Challenge Week 1 http://bit.ly/bPv7Td
  7. FinaMetrica offers risk-tolerance test online FREE thru April if use link www.riskprofiling.com/money (offer in conjunction with MONEY mag)
  8. Gauge your appetite for risk FinaMetrica’s 25-question risk-tolerance test www.myrisktolerance.com accurate measure psychological tolerance
  9. Good article on balancing appetite for investment risk and capacity for investment risk. http://tinyurl.com/riskprofile
  10. From @RIABiz: The FPA's practice management event #FPABizSol boasts two hot speakers in its first day http://www.riabiz.com/a/139166
  11. Wow! This is a GREAT site. Full of free worksheets and articles focused on creating Financial Happiness. http://www.financial-happiness.com
  12. Securities America Advisors Collaborate and Achieve Success - podcast with Paul Lofties, plus related news release: http://shar.es/m3JOb
  13. Estate Planning in 2010 - Good article by Kate McBride, editor, Wealth Manager: http://shar.es/m3iN
Not on Twitter yet? You should be! Sign up for free at http://www.twitter.com and search "people" to find "marieswift". Then follow @marieswift and join in as the spirit moves you.

I learn a lot from following my favorite journalists and industry peers on Twitter.

Why not give it a whirl - if only just to listen?