Basic Communications Plan

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Cynthia Gregory
5 years ago
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1 Basic Communications Plan For Top 50 by Roger J. Tuttle, CLU, ChFC Tuttle Financial Advisors, Inc.

The importance of communicating with all clients and yes even with prospective clients, cannot be overstated.

Let s review some specifics in a possible plan that may be used with your client base. 1.

Annual reviews are the foundation of a quality business relationship. Annual reviews are not voluntary. In order to be a client, the individual or the firm must agree to annual reviews. 2.

Completed face to face when possible but always scheduled even when it is just a call. WebEx is a great tool for this important contact. 3.

2 The importance of communicating with all clients and yes even with prospective clients, cannot be overstated. In a previous article, A Finite Client Base I have laid out a possible matrix for establishing a plan to communicate that is as automatic systematic, as you can make it. Let s review some specifics in a possible plan that may be used with your client base. 1. Annual Review: It is not a selling opportunity but an opportunity to review, educate, discover new planning opportunities and to obtain quality introductions to new prospective clients. Annual reviews are the foundation of a quality business relationship. Annual reviews are not voluntary. In order to be a client, the individual or the firm must agree to annual reviews. 2. Quarterly reviews: May be done by phone or in person. They should be relatively brief but the effort to reach out to the client should be made and the contact should be scheduled. Completed face to face when possible but always scheduled even when it is just a call. WebEx is a great tool for this important contact. 3. Newsletter: Hard copy sent from you with a short note attached. Purchase the newsletter from a third party such as Liberty Publishing or Emerald. Along with the review process, it completes the foundation of a powerful service and communications plan with you and your clients. Always mail from your office using stamps. It s okay to use labels if you use clear labels and ensure that they re on straight. High touch and may be supplemented with other inserts such as approved pieces from your broker dealer or articles written by other professionals you use as a strategic relationship. 4. E-Newsletter. Sent no more frequently than once per month. There are numerous vendors that will tailor it to your practice. It is a supplement to your hard copy newsletter not a replacement for it. 1

5. Birthday Cards: The card should be hand addressed and a first class stamp used for mailing. This is a very important touch with your client.

Birthday Call: Take 2 min and call your client simply to wish them a happy birthday.

It s the thought that counts. 7. Holiday Card: Christmas or Thanksgiving. Hand addressed, stamped and signed by all members of the firm.

This is a highly personal touch and can have the reverse effect if it appears to be automated or done by an admin team member. 8.

Use it sparingly, but it makes a good adjunct to your other communications. 9. Annual Gift: Send a small meaningful gift every 12 to 15 mos.

3 5. Birthday Cards: The card should be hand addressed and a first class stamp used for mailing. This is a very important touch with your client. Do it right. No short cuts and no third party vendors doing it for you. The client will know if it is really personal vs automated. 6. Birthday Call: Take 2 min and call your client simply to wish them a happy birthday. You ll only reach half of those that you call and it won t be a big time consumer. If you are unable to reach them; leave a message. It s the thought that counts. 7. Holiday Card: Christmas or Thanksgiving. Hand addressed, stamped and signed by all members of the firm. No labels, no postage meters, no pre- signed by machines. This is a highly personal touch and can have the reverse effect if it appears to be automated or done by an admin team member. 8. Seasonal Card: Happy 4th of July, Happy Memorial Day, Happy Labor Day, Happy Bastille Day or Happy Leif Erickson Day. It really doesn t matter what you send. Okay to use a third party vendor for these cards because they do not have quite the same impact as the others. Use it sparingly, but it makes a good adjunct to your other communications. 9. Annual Gift: Send a small meaningful gift every 12 to 15 mos. Don t tie it to a holiday. Make it special. It is best done right from your office. Put a personal note in each gift. You re limited only by your imagination and by your broker dealer notes: Monthly send an with attachments of articles of interest. It is very easily done if you have a fully up-to-date CMS. Simply compose a personal and then attach an article you got from your BD website that can be used with the public. Hi Mr. Client. I though you would find this article of interest. Simple, easy and inexpensive. 2

11. Other e-mails: Not more than quarterly sent via www.e-relationship.com; www.enfrontmarketing.com; www.constantcontact.

Post Cards: Sent from your office or a vendor.

Survey: Once every 15-18 months send a survey from your office.

Always send a Survey Says shortly after the survey is closed out. 14. Client appreciation event: A non-selling event.

dinners for a small group of clients and their spouses. 15.

Have clients call in to 800#. No need to rent a venue for this. You may wish to conduct the update yourself. 16.

4 11. Other s: Not more than quarterly sent via etc. Never used for birthday cards or holiday cards. Always informational. 12. Post Cards: Sent from your office or a vendor. Once per quarter and informational about other products and services you sell or offer. 13. Survey: Once every months send a survey from your office. Use the USPS to send the survey but follow up with an electronic version as well. Always send a Survey Says shortly after the survey is closed out. 14. Client appreciation event: A non-selling event. It can be as formal as renting a museum and hosting a cocktail party for your Top 50 or as low key as scheduling monthly dinners for a small group of clients and their spouses. 15. Quarterly Telephone conference: Have a fund wholesaler or managed account manager conduct a 30 min update. Have clients call in to 800#. No need to rent a venue for this. You may wish to conduct the update yourself. 16. Seminars: Schedule at least two per year. These are selling events and it s perfectly okay to discuss products and services. But you will need a subject matter that will create a good draw. 17. Outings: Golf, tennis; hockey games, etc. Rent a skybox or a group of seats together and invite clients and some top prospects. It s a good way to reward clients and to do a little prospecting at the same time. Here too you are limited only by your imagination and your BD. 3

5 18. Telephone calls: Schedule calling time to make the periodic call to a client just to say hello. In many cases you won t catch them but again it is the effort and the thought that will be appreciated. As your finalize your communications plan consider that your Top 50 clients will get all of the touches recommended above and that your Next 200 will receive all except the gift and the invitation to the client appreciation event. Good luck and stay in touch! 4

6 About the Author Roger Tuttle has enjoyed an exciting and well-rounded career in the financial services industry. His career has included being an agent, General Agent, and Senior Officer of New England Life, as well as starting a fee-based financial planning company. Prior to entering the financial services industry he served in the US Army as a Special Forces and Airborne Infantry Officer. In leading the New England s Maine-New Hampshire agency, Roger was recognized for his skills in helping good agents become great business owners. Roger has written numerous articles and papers for industry and trade journals and has presented well-received research papers while a member of LIMRA s prestigious Research Agency Group (RAG). He has been a speaker at a wide variety of company and industry meetings including GAMA s Best Practices Seminars. In addition to his management activities Roger has always been directly involved in personal production as a producer and a planner. Now Roger specializes in helping entrepreneurs in the financial service industry move From Vendor To Advisor. He works with people all across the country, serving as a coach and mentor. Roger lives in Edenton, NC and can be reached at or at tnega@aol.com. 5

2015 FLM LDR Membership Retention. Standards Certification Education & Training Publishing Conferences & Exhibits. Marty Bince, VP IMD

2015 FLM LDR Membership Retention Standards Certification Education & Training Publishing Conferences & Exhibits Marty Bince, VP IMD Membership Chair Training: Retention and Renewal Standards Certification