Helping Advisors Blog

Time flies when you’re having fun – or when the markets are keeping you busy, as the case may be. 2012 was certainly no exception, and the Helping Advisors blog reflected that again this year. Whether it was providing context, provocative ideas or practical advice, the blog aimed to prompt and support those real conversations you have with clients.

• There were times when serious reflection was called for. For instance, when attempting to make sense of – and put into perspective – the Eurozone crisis, the fiscal cliff, the disparity between returns from U.S. and non-U.S. investment opportunities, selecting the right strategy, investing in alternatives, and going beyond the growth and value framework. Helping you address your clients’ burning concerns about the feasibility and sustainability of their retirement plan was also at the top of the blog’s agenda.
• There were times when going off the beaten path was fitting. Like investigating what investors today can learn from 10th century Mayans and 19th century British sailors to help them stay focused and engaged. And delving into topics that have been in the headlines much less recently, such as inflation, the difference between economies and markets and the non-profit sector.
• In an effort to help you differentiate yourself and appeal to clients with a wide range of passions, the blog offered some unusual client conversation starters. Got some foodie clients? Whether they prefer barbecue, buffet or vegetarian, there are ways you can weave investment concepts into the conversation without causing indigestion. Have clients who are devoted to boxing, the Olympics, mountain climbing, basketball, cliff diving, NASCAR, baseball, football got you stumped? The blog’s got you covered. Need to level with clients who have an affinity for dead languages? Don’t sweat it – brush up with the blog’s opinion about the appropriateness of Latin in financial services.
• Taking a crack at helping you think about your business like a CEO, the blog endorsed the art of saying “No,” the habit of listening to yourself talk and choosing your words wisely, the insight that can come from listening to your peers, strategists or investment management experts, and the wisdom of recognizing when being a loser is a good thing. The blog also suggested strategies for finding needles in hay stacks – that is, those assets clients have hidden from your purview – and how to help plan sponsor clients stand out from the mediocre pack.
• Thankfully, there were also opportunities for levity during the year. The glamour of Hollywood worked its way into the blog’s (Incredible) reporting – facelift and all. Taking a (tongue in cheek) page out of the national political scene, the blog offered strategies for creating your own binders full of women (clients).
• How to structure portfolios in retirement, as well as helping clients plan for, and think differently, about the risks they face in retirement was another focus this year; and will continue to be a focus in the years to come.

All in all, the Helping Advisors blog remains devoted to your success. Enjoy the holidays and be sure to come back again next year for more.