To "dear" or not to "dear" in your email
What salutation should you use to start a business email? Dear? Hello? Something else? I typically open with the person’s name followed by a comma. Like this Susan, This is how 95% of my business correspondents start their emails. Some people use “Dear,” then the recipient’s name. That’s essential for a business letter, but it’s […]
"Financial services marketers must restore trust"
In the current environment, small business “decision makers are much more likely to choose the safe choice over the best choice,” according to Gal Borenstein of The Borenstein Group, interviewed in “Financial services marketers must restore trust” in DM News. That may mean picking a bigger, seemingly more stable financial services provider over a smaller […]
Top five types of freelance writing for CFA charterholders
In tough times, CFA charterholders are getting creative about their job options. That’s undoubtedly why the January 2009 panel on “Alternative Careers for CFA Charterholders” that I organized for the Boston Security Analysts Society was well attended. Freelance writing is one non-traditional option. In this blog post I discuss five types of writing. 1. Investment […]
What you’re missing if you don’t blog
Financial planners who don’t blog are missing out on a great opportunity to connect with prospective clients, according to “Social media in financial planning — the sweet spot and the sweet gap.” Why? Because many of your most desirable prospects read blogs. On the other hand, if you do blog, you’re in a minority. Apparently […]
provocative quote about target date fund (TDF) advisers
Are target date fund advisers swayed by a conflict of interest? On p. 41 of CFA Magazine (Jan./Feb. 2009), Mark Ruloff, director of asset allocation for Watson Wyatt Investment Consulting, says, “Advisers…are implementing the glidepath. They might have a bias toward keeping higher equity allocations longer because it helps their own fees…. There are legitimate […]