11 Most Read Articles of the Week!

1. Aggressive Investing Is Not What You Think It Is

What the FOMO is going on? Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) has moved into the investor psyche. And, it has become the thing that wouldn’t leave. — Rob Isbitts

2. Three Challenges Advisors Face in the Post-Pandemic World

At the height of the COVID crisis, financial advisors were confronted with unthinkable challenges. All things considered, the industry has been resilient in the face of unprecedented headwinds. But, as the other side of this crisis begins to come into view, the industry faces a significant shift that will shape the way advisors operate long after the pandemic wanes. Advisors who get in front of that shift and adapt to the new paradigms quickly will not just survive; they will thrive. — Don Connelly

3. 10 Ways to Get Prospects to Open Up

How can you help someone you don’t know anything about?  Financial advisors often find themselves surrounded by prospects.  They are cultivating people in social situations.  Friendships turning into business relationships.  They get referrals from current clients.  People reach out through social media or walk through the door.  Doctors can ask patients for blood tests, check temperatures, poke and probe.  Financial advisors need to gather information in other ways. — Bryce Sanders

4. Do You Dare to Be a Winner?

Winning isn’t a function of being smarter than the next guy. Winning goes to those who dare to go out on a limb to try something different and those who dare to stay with it longer – not to those who only reach for the low hanging fruit or the safe choices. — StrategyMarketing.ca

5. Biden’s Stimulus Will Cut Poverty By 40% ... For One Year.

Here’s the problem. Unlike the New Deal, which benefitted the economy for decades, the American Rescue Plan will only help the poor for one year. As is always the case with such socialistic policies, they sound great in theory, but they rarely work as expected in reality. — Lance Roberts

6. Alternatives to Alternatives: SC Distributors Breaks New Ground in Alternative Investing

When it comes to alternative investments, many advisors – and their clients – instinctively think the asset class is mostly comprised of commodities, long/short strategies and real estate, among others. Often prized for reducing correlations to equities and fixed income instruments, alternatives are also can also be income generators and inflation fighters. However, for all the utility offered by alternatives, it's an asset class in dire need of refreshing. SC Distributors provides that. — Todd Shriber

7. Do Investors See Value in Wealth Management? They Should, and Here’s Why

The 2020 financial climate may have been the most tumultuous of its decade. However, one thing is sure, demand for wealth management continues to grow. Today’s investors are looking for a comprehensive approach from financial institutions that would guide them forward in this new normal. The truth is, even in the middle of this pandemic-induced uncertainty and market volatility, executive wealth management decisions were still being made. If you believe that your investors may not see value in wealth management, here’s why they should. — Souki Fournier

8. If You're Converting Only 1 in 10 Prospects You Have a Problem

The expectation was that our fame and fortune would be assured if we worked the 10-3-1 formula:  Call 10 people, and get appointments with 3 of them on average, and 1 would turn into a client? For a few decades that worked well enough.  Consumers had limited information, and even more limited choices, and whether we realised it or not in financial services we were selling off the shelf solutions and making them fit clients needs. Nobody knew any differently then of course – including the agents and advisers themselves. — Tony Vidler

9. Investors Are Less Interested in Investing

With thousands of investment choices, it is often challenging to choose the investments, and the allocation that would be ideal for each individual.  Some people like to be involved in that process, and other investors enjoy the process of investing and managing their assets.  Has stock market volatility impacted investor interest in being involved in their investment management process? — Catherine McBreen

10. Helping Advisors Through Every Step of Transition with Jaime Golden

​​Jaime Golden is president of Acquisitions at Kingswood U.S., and spends most of his time working with financial advisors who are considering or working through full or partial acquisitions of their firms. In this episode of Power Your Advice, Doug Heikkinen and Jaime discuss trends Jaime is seeing for both rep movement and M&A in our industry. — Power Your Advice

11. Little Things That Make Your Brand Unforgettable with Sheri Fitts

A coffee mug on your desk, the color of your walls, what you play on your office TV, and maybe even a pair of polka dot socks.  These small details are easy to overlook. But they carry huge potential for creating an unforgettable brand. — Proud Mouth