Marketing-Minded Financial Planners, the Media Wants to Give You Free Publicity.txt

In this great country of ours, there are basically three ways to get yourself tons of media coverage.

You can be a celebrity. Try becoming a TV, movie or sports star. That’s a good start.

You can become notorious. Getting arrested, or enmeshed in a juicy scandal, will do nicely.

But I recommend that you follow the third route. You can become an expert.

Experts, you see, are quoted in the media all the time. All the time. The media need experts to interview and quote, just like puppies need blankets to chew on. Couldn’t live without ‘em.

To a TV, radio, or newspaper reporter, experts are essential because they explain things to the watching and reading audience. News reporters, on air or in print, may choose the news and tell it. But experts explain it all.

Sports fans might look at it this way: reporters and on-air personalities are like the play-by-play announcers. But experts are the color commentators who fill in the meaning.

Try this: I defy you to watch any news program or channel for more than 10 minutes, without seeing an expert quoted. Won’t happen. Just like you’ll never see Monday Night Football without a gaggle of commentators.

But, unless you’re ready to cough up big bucks to buy mailing lists, it limits you. You can only reach the people you already know – the ones in your database. All those people will get to know you better, and that’s good – but you won’t be meeting any new prospects. To do that, it’s either spend on lists or advertising, or learn how to get yourself some free publicity.

Ned Steele works with people in professional services who want to build their practice and accelerate their growth. The president of Ned Steele's MediaImpact, he is the author of 102 Publicity Tips To Grow a Business or Practice. To learn more visit http://www.MediaImpact.biz or call 212-243-8383.

[tags]financial planners publicity, financial planners marketing, marketing, publicity, pr[/tags]

Marketing-Minded Financial Planners, Make Your Web Site a Resource for the Media.txt

Reporters, by nature, are curious people.

If you can get them to come to your web site, they will probably poke around and spend a few minutes there, learning about your business and your capabilities.

If your web site is any good, this should make them more likely to interview you in the future.

So in your press releases, go one step beyond merely listing your basic contact info.

Think creatively and come up with a clever reason for reporters and readers to go to your web site.

For instance: offer them a list of ten tips, or links to additional resources about the topic at hand. Or – anything. Mention it in your release, and include a link.

You might even include a list of top ten tips specifically for members of the media: "Top 10 poor financial decisions that young, ambitious reporters make."

Once reporters get to your web site, make them glad they did. Provide an area full of resource and background material just for them.

This includes archived press releases, full biographies of you and your management team, publication-ready logos and photography, a history of your firm, and anything else that will grease the wheels of media coverage.

They’ll come back often if you do.

Ned Steele works with people in professional services who want to build their practice and accelerate their growth. The president of Ned Steele's MediaImpact, he is the author of 102 Publicity Tips To Grow a Business or Practice. To learn more visit http://www.MediaImpact.biz or call 212-243-8383.

[tags]financial planners publicity, financial planners marketing, marketing, publicity, pr[/tags]

Marketing-Minded Financial Planners, It's Not Who You Know But What You Know.txt

Almost every day, I hear the same question, over and over, from motivated, well-meaning financial planners who want to use publicity in their marketing mix. It goes something like this:

“Who do you know in the media? (Or, sometimes they frame it as, “Who do I need to know in the media?”) Can you get me publicity?”

My answer is always the same. Who you know in the media is only half the game. And it’s the easier half.

I'm a former newspaper reporter, and am on a first name basis with plenty of newspaper reporters. And here’s what you get from knowing someone in the media:

It gets them to take your phone call, or your e-mail. Period. That’s it.

But it’s what you know – your unique expertise and experience - and how you serve it up to those hungry media folks that determines whether you’ll become a media star.

When they know you (or your publicist), they’ll gladly give you 30 seconds on the phone to make your pitch. But – and this is the harsh truth – for you to get into print or on the air, they must make the cold, calculated judgment that what you’ve got is newsworthy. Not even the strongest relationships or friendships can bend this iron rule.

Ned Steele works with people in professional services who want to build their practice and accelerate their growth. The president of Ned Steele's MediaImpact, he is the author of 102 Publicity Tips To Grow a Business or Practice. To learn more visit http://www.MediaImpact.biz or call 212-243-8383.

[tags]financial planners publicity, financial planners marketing, marketing, publicity, pr[/tags]

Marketing-Minded Financial Planners, Don't Hold Back Information From the Media.txt

Some financial planners think that they shouldn't share their top tips with the media.

I can see some validity in thinking this way. After all, the media is going to deliver these tips to the public at practically no charge. Then all those people who might have been paying customers won't have any use for their services.

But there's two things wrong with this:

First of all, it's true that most people are likely to use your information and never contact you. Then again, most people aren't likely to use a financial planner. The people you want to reach are that fraction that are looking, perhaps even subconsciously, for help with their investments. When they see your name in the paper, regardless of the information it is connected to, they will think about calling you.

Second, you aren't the only financial planner looking for publicity. And unless your wisdom far exceeds that of any other financial planner in the world, you'd better believe that your competitors will be offering practically the same information to the media. In the end, not only is the information disseminated after all, but you lose the chance to take credit for it.

Part of being a good media resource is delivering lots of good information. So share everything you’ve got. Hold back nothing. With journalists, “saving the good stuff” for paying customers is a certain ticket to becoming a media fiasco.

Ned Steele works with people in professional services who want to build their practice and accelerate their growth. The president of Ned Steele's MediaImpact, he is the author of 102 Publicity Tips To Grow a Business or Practice. To learn more visit http://www.MediaImpact.biz or call 212-243-8383.

[tags]financial planners publicity, financial planners marketing, marketing, publicity, pr[/tags]

Marketing-Minded Financial Planners, Create Your Very Own Story to Get Free Publicity.txt

One big mistake that many marketing-minded financial planners make when contacting the media is to drop what's called an "information dump."

Sending a reporter statistics on the growth of your business (no matter how impressive) or on the success rate of your stock picks (no matter how propitious) will simply overwhelm them and will not garner publicity.

What reporters want is a story – a smaller piece of information that is likely to hold their attention and help their readers, viewers or listeners.

Help the media slice and dice your professional knowledge into bits they can use. Pre-slice and dice it for them. Because when you do, you increase our odds of getting publicity.

Why attempt such alchemy ourselves? Aren’t those reporter-types the experts on doing that? Why not just “put it all out there” and let the media take it from there?

No! Because it’s you, not they, who know your own stuff the best. And it’s far easier for you to understand how they work than it is for them to pick out the right nuggets of pertinent information from your entire, lifelong accumulation of subject-matter expertise. (After all, today they’re reporting on the tax law, tomorrow it’s on to new trends in the insurance industry.)

So, your first job: create your very own story.

Ned Steele works with people in professional services who want to build their practice and accelerate their growth. The president of Ned Steele's MediaImpact, he is the author of 102 Publicity Tips To Grow a Business or Practice. To learn more visit http://www.MediaImpact.biz or call 212-243-8383.

[tags]financial planners publicity, financial planners marketing, marketing, publicity, pr[/tags]

Marketing-Minded Financial Planners Put Extra Content in an E-Zine.txt

As you start getting more media-savvy, you'll find yourself coming up with more and more information and ideas to help the public. Not all of these ideas will strike the fancy of your media contacts, but don't let them go to waste—become a media person yourself by publishing an e-zine.

Fill your e-zine with the same advice, information, and tips you use in your publicity articles. You'll want to edit in for readability on the Web—that means short paragraphs. Studies have shown that people hate reading long blocks of text on a computer screen.

You are using the same content, but have more ways to get it in front of your sources of referrals, clients and potential clients. Better publicity, better marketing, more business.

You don't have to be tech-savvy or even tech-competent to create an e-zine these days. Plenty of services now do all the tech stuff, design work, and bulk e-mail distribution for you…. for pennies. They are web-based, so you don't even have to download a program, and you can write your e-zine from anywhere.

Once you spend an hour doing the basic set up work, all you do is write a few clever words, they automatically fall into an appealing-looking template, and are then sent to your list.

Ned Steele works with people in professional services who want to build their practice and accelerate their growth. The president of Ned Steele's MediaImpact, he is the author of 102 Publicity Tips To Grow a Business or Practice. To learn more visit http://www.MediaImpact.biz or call 212-243-8383.

[tags]financial planners publicity, financial planners marketing, marketing, publicity, pr[/tags]

Marketing-Minded Financial Planners Piggyback on "Topic A" to Get Free Publicity.txt

That big story the media pursue each day is what I call Topic A. And even if it doesn't seem to have anything to do with financial planning, it often lead to huge media visibility for you.

Often, Topic A has a controversial element, such as when tax cuts or Social Security is being discussed.

The last thing that you want to do is pick sides on a controversial issue--unless you want to cut your prospect base in half by offending 50% of the audience.

But as an independent expert providing objective, valuable, nonpartisan insight and analysis, you can stay above the fray – and still win points.

You could beat your head against a wall twelve months a year, trying to get a reporter to write about your retirement planning story.

Or, by contacting a reporter when a prominent person is retiring, you could garner the free publicity you seek in a few short minutes.

Which is better?

If you can link your expertise to Topic A, you stand a great chance of getting media coverage for yourself. Jump onto that story and hold on tight.

Often, Topic A involves politics. As a subject-matter expert, your job is to explain, not to take sides. When each side has a proposal, you simply describe what the effect of the President's plan will be, and what the effect of Congress's plan will be.

Much of the discussion is held on political shows, where people are constantly arguing. Avoid these types of programs, and stake your claim in consumer and business oriented shows. There are plenty.

Let the noisemakers make noise, and while they do, you shed the light.

Ned Steele works with people in professional services who want to build their practice and accelerate their growth. The president of Ned Steele's MediaImpact, he is the author of 102 Publicity Tips To Grow a Business or Practice. To learn more visit http://www.MediaImpact.biz or call 212-243-8383.

[tags]financial planners publicity, financial planners marketing, marketing, publicity, pr[/tags]

Know Your Financials Like The Back Of Your Hand.txt

You know what I find funny?

Most people start a business so they can enjoy the benefits of the ‘extra’ money and wealth that owning a business can create.

Yet many business owners have no idea about understanding their own financial statements. And that’s where their money is!

To me it’s such an irony.

And it’s something that I definitely rectify with every client I work 1-on-1 with.

By the time they’ve finished with me – they know their financials like the back of their hand… in fact they showing their accountants a thing or two…

Over the years I have noticed that most small business owners don’t look at or understand their financial statements.

This can be for any number of reasons.

Maybe your accountant hasn’t taken the time to explain it to you.

Maybe you don’t want to learn them - after all who did understand math’s at school, or enjoyed doing it?

In my experience I have found that the typical business owner starts a business because they have the drive and the personality to influence and convince people.

And I have found that on most occasions, not all, that type of a personality doesn’t enjoy doing paperwork and financials.

And that’s okay… but to make it as a successful business owner and add another million or so to your business - I suggest that you really become excellent at reading and understanding financial statements.

Because the best and wealthiest business owners do.

As with any area of your business – you should know what you’re doing – but it doesn’t mean you have to do it.

So employ people to do your financials – but you’ve got to have the knowledge and the experience to know that the people that you are employing are doing it properly.

And this is certainly the case with your businesses and your personal financials.

If you don’t know how to read and understand them, you’ll wind up in big trouble with them at some point in your career… be assured of that.

So start now.

Don’t fall into the trap of LEAVING it to your accountant. It’s the biggest mistake you can make. You should be doing it WITH your accountant.

If you have an accountant now that you started with, the chances are that your business is heading into areas that they are not as competent in. Because when you started business – your business was small and you probably weren’t making great money. So you probably hired a ‘lower end’ accountant at that time.

And that’s fine. You just need to know because as your business grows this ‘lower end – accountant’ may not have the skill set to cope with your growth.

It’s like different levels of sport.

Take for example football.

There’s local football, inter-district football, state level football, and National Level football.

As the level increases – so does the expertise needed by the players, the coaches and the administrators.

And so it is with Businesses.

It’s the same with me.

My skill set is excellent with taking $1 million businesses up to $2 to $5 million. I can work with businesses that are smaller than that, or that are bigger than that – but I’m perfectly suited to the niche of taking $1 million business to $2 to $5 million.

So I concentrate on businesses in that niche.

Above this mark, or below it comes a whole new set of skills that I don’t particularly want to be involved in.

Now back to you…

You’ve got to take an active role in creating your financials.

Ideally you should know all your expense categories so that for any payment made in your business you know which category it should go into.

And you should know all your allowable tax deductions. Like the back of your hand.

It’s your business, your money and your life – so control them.

You should also have up to date and accurate financial statements.

Some of these statements you should be looking at daily. Some weekly, some monthly. Some quarterly.

And you should be actively involving your book keeper and your accountant in this analysis. So that you’re all up to date and focused on growing the business.

It’s what all top business owners do, and it’s what helps them to continue to grow and prosper – so that they can not only grow their business – but enjoy the rewards that only a well controlled and profitable business can provide.

On my 1-on-1 Business Coach Program I’ll take you through a process that will have your head spinning with how easy it is for you to understand your accounting reports. And how easy it will be for you to understand your financial position.

I’ll also take you through the best ways to work with your accountants so that you are kept up to date and accurate so you know exactly what’s going on in your business all of the time.

It’s such a refreshingly simple ‘demystifying’ process that all of my clients love once they’ve learnt it because they really know where every cent of their money goes. It gives them more control and understanding of their business.

They all realize just how important knowing their financials is for their business growth and success.

Know your financials like the back of your hand.

Copyright ฉ 2006 by Casey Gollan. All Rights Reserved

Business Coach, Mentor And Growth Specialist

Casey Gollan, Business Coach, Mentor And Growth Specialist. Grows $1 Million p.a. Small Businesses Into $2 to $5 Million p.a. Businesses Over a 2 to 3 Year Period.

[tags]business coach,business growth,business mentor,small business expert, financials,wealth,profit[/tags]

Keep The Publicity Machine Rolling with Reprints.txt

More than half of America skips the Super Bowl, the nation’s most-watched TV event. So it stands to reason that not all your prospects will see your publicity, even if you’re on 60 Minutes and Oprah. Create a strategy to use your publicity proactively to reach and impress everyone with it. Here’s how…

You’ve worked hard, gotten your story in. You’re a media star. Wait… Job’s not done!

You want everyone in your mailing list – not just those who read today’s paper – to see it. Create a nice-looking reprint and mail, e-mail or fax it to everyone you know. You heard me right, everyone. Customers and prospects aren’t enough.

Everyone else on your list – that should include friends, neighbors, and vendors. These folks may not be prospects, but they surely know people who are. They are a potentially rich source of referrals for you. (Note: Check with the publication to see if permission is needed to reprint. Sometimes they will create the reprint for you—for a fee.)

Article reprints should look appealing and be easy to read. Take time and care to get them looking good. Ask a print shop or local designer to help out if need be. Or just have someone computer-savvy and design-minded give it a once-over. It’s worth the small investment.

Ned Steele works with people in professional services who want to build their practice and accelerate their growth. The president of Ned Steele's MediaImpact, he is the author of 102 Publicity Tips To Grow a Business or Practice. To learn more visit http://www.MediaImpact.biz or call 212-243-8383.

[tags]financial planners publicity, financial planners marketing, marketing, publicity, pr[/tags]

Joint Investing Important Financial Questions to Answer Before Marriage.txt

Marriage is on of the most important decisions you will make in your life. If you are lucky enough to have found someone you want to spend the rest of your life with, make sure you take the steps to ensure your marriage success. Nearly 50% of all marriages end in divorce. Even more staggering is that about 90% of marriage breaks have their origins in money problems. It is important to have a joint financial plan which both parties agree to and are comfortable with. Fully understanding what the financial future holds is important. When questions arise within the marriage the “plan” can be used to address and mediate these problems.

The first question that needs to be asked is “Who is responsible for handling the money?” This is a question that most people never consider before tying the knock. There is often an assumption that the other person is handling everything and then you find out that no one is controlling your finances. It is important that, as a couple, if you are planning on investing, that you have the financial stability to be able too. Make sure you decide on who is going to handle the checking, savings, investment, and emergency accounts. Who will be responsible for doing the investment research and monitor your growth. In addition, plan on having regular meetings in which you chat about your finances and investments. Couples usually do not discuss money unless they are in the middle of an argument and obviously nothing can be resolved then.

Another issue that will directly affect if, when, and how you invest is if both people are going to work. If both people are going to work will it be full or part time. This is important because having a budget and knowing exactly what your expenditures are, will reveal what available funds you have to invest. Additionally, if you have children who will be staying home with them? Obviously two incomes can allow for more investing however a single income, if used correctly, can be manipulated in such a way that it covers all necessities, a few luxury, and long term investment.

The topic of joint or separate checking accounts is a conflict which a married couple probably won't see until well into their marriage. At that point the problem is unresolvable. Make sure you decide if you will have joint checking, savings, investment accounts or will each person have their own. Many people share a joint checking and saving which money from both incomes is deposited into for household expenses. Then there can be joint investment accounts which will benefit the whole family. Due to companies offering their employees 401K and IRAs, those should be kept separate.

Make sure you chat about what each person's long and short term goals are. After ten years of marriage you don't want to find out one person has longed to retire early and sail around the world while you have envision something much less adventurous. Knowing long and short term goals will allow your financial advisor to diversify your investments in such a way that each of your retirement dreams can be achieved.

Most pre-marriage planning has to do with the wedding. Very few people have the foresight and the will to actually plan a marriage. Take the time and effort to openly discuss money and investments. Being true partners before marriage and solving the conflicts before they happen will not only make your wedding day less stressful but may, in the end, save your marriage.

Visit the Global Investment Institute and signup for our free Investing For The Beginner E-Course at http://www.Global-Investment-Institute.com Investment webmasters or publishers, please feel free to use this article provided this reference is included and all links remain active.

[tags]Joint Investing, marriage[/tags]