Year: 2017
Year-End Reflections on the New U.S. Tax Law
December 21, 2017
Use this 550-word client message to reach out to clients about the U.S. tax law changes, to remind them you're available to assist and to suggest potentially advantageous actions they could take before year-end -- such as increasing charitable contributions or shifting taxable income into 2018.
Categories: Advisor role/value, Breaking news, Client-focused, General letter/email, Philanthropy/giving, Tax planning
Ten Financial Best Practices to Jump-Start Your New Year
December 18, 2017
Use this 1,050-word list of ten financial best practices for prospecting and public education about basic retirement planning, risk management, estate planning, budgeting, debt management, investing and more. A call to action at the end invites readers to be in touch with you for an exploratory conversation. Tailored for U.S. readers, this piece can be readily revised to apply elsewhere.
Categories: Advisor role/value, Financial best practice lists, Financial planning, Listicle, Prospect-focused, Retirement planning
A Meaningful Message for Thanksgiving (2017)
November 9, 2017
This 500-word client letter reflects on the true meaning of happiness as you wish your clients a Happy Thanksgiving. Global advisors can modify the letter to use as a general season's greeting to clients.
Categories: Advisor role/value, Client experience, Client-focused, General letter/email, Holiday greetings
Quarterly Client Letter — 2017 Q3
October 1, 2017
This 330-word, third quarter client letter reminds clients why an evidence-based investment approach remains in their best interests, using an illustration from a Russell quarterly report based on less-dependable advice.
Categories: Client-focused, Evidence-based investing, Quarterly client letter
Equifax Breach Commentary
September 18, 2017
Use this 785-word client communication to comment on the recently announced Equifax security breach, offer guidance, and remind them of the timeless "Avoiding Financial Scams and Identity Theft Slams" materials you can share with them (also available in the Content-Sharing Library, under Technology). You may also wish to modify this piece to share with additional audiences.
Categories: Advisor role/value, Breaking news, Client-focused, General audience, General letter/email, Security, Technology
Hurricane Harvey Texan Client Reach-Out
August 28, 2017
A 284-word client reach-out for advisors based in Texas, to be in touch with clients about the effects of Hurricane Harvey. (A version for advisors NOT based in Texas also is available as a separate download.)
Categories: Advisor role/value, Breaking news, Client experience, Client-focused, General letter/email, Scary market insights
Hurricane Harvey General Client Reach-Out
August 28, 2017
A 238-word client reach-out for advisors NOT based in Texas, to be in touch with clients about the effects of Hurricane Harvey. (A Texan advisor version also is available as a separate download.)
Categories: Advisor role/value, Breaking news, Client experience, Client-focused, General letter/email, Scary market insights
Half of a Whole: When You Lose Your Spouse Free Sample (Click on title to download)
July 21, 2017
This 900-word piece can be used as an article, email or video script to share with clients and prospective clients. It encourages those experiencing grief to hold off on making financial decisions that can wait, and offers supportive guidance to consider. It also encourages couples to complete their estate and advance planning if they've not yet done so.
Categories: Advisor role/value, Article, Client experience, Estate planning, Free samples, General audience, Wealth management
Quarterly Client Letter – 2017 Q2
July 4, 2017
This 440-word, second quarter client letter reminds clients to avoid market-timing and focus instead on asset allocation and rebalancing -- in good markets and bad.
Categories: Advisor role/value, Client experience, Client-focused, Evidence-based investing, Quarterly client letter
Content from “What Is Evidence-Based Investing?”
June 22, 2017
Available exclusively to Content-Sharing Library subscribers, this Word document provides the same talking points used in our recently released "What Is Evidence-Based Investing?" infographic/poster for use in other materials.
Categories: Article, Evidence-based investing, General audience, The "What Is ...?" series, What is evidence-based investing?
Introduction to “What Is Evidence-Based Investing?”
June 22, 2017
Use this short, introductory message to share our recently released "What Is Evidence-Based Investing?" infographic/poster with clients, prospective clients and others.
Categories: Evidence-based investing, General audience, General letter/email, The "What Is ...?" series, What is evidence-based investing?
“What Is Evidence-Based Investing?” Slideshow
June 22, 2017
Designed to complement our recently released "What Is Evidence-Based Investing?" infographic/poster, this PowerPoint slideshow reiterates the same talking points for use in client, prospective client and other presentations.
Categories: Evidence-based investing, General audience, PowerPoint presentation, The "What Is ...?" series, What is evidence-based investing?
Misperceptions About Market Corrections: Are You Prepared?
June 4, 2017
This 750-word document can be used in letter, email, article or video script format to help clients and prospects prepare for any future market corrections following the current long stint of relative calm. It encourages readers to ensure their portfolio meets their long-term goals and risk tolerances. Choose from two calls to action at the end, depending on whether you're sharing it with clients or prospects.
Categories: Advisor role/value, Article, Behavioral finance, Client-focused, Evidence-based investing, General audience, General letter/email, Prospect-focused, Scary market insights
Client Reach-Out on Microsoft Ransomware Alert
May 15, 2017
Use this 245-word email to reach out to clients and alert them to the current global Microsoft ransomware outbreak. The alert encourages them to install any outstanding Microsoft patches on their devices if they've not yet done so. It also references the new materials on financial fraud and identity theft just added to the Content-Sharing Library. These offer you additional ways to add value to your clients' financial well-being.
Categories: Advisor role/value, Breaking news, Client-focused, General letter/email, Security, Technology
Prospecting Reach-Out: Client Referral Intro
April 17, 2017
Use this 200-word template to create a personalized letter or e-mail to prospective clients who have been referred to you by one of your current clients ... or modify or excerpt from the template to apply to other prospecting activities. This will be the first of a collection of prospecting templates I'll release over time. I welcome your ongoing suggestions for new ones!
Categories: Advisor role/value, Client experience, General letter/email, Prospect-focused
Quarterly Client Letter – 2017 Q1
April 4, 2017
This 525-word, first-quarter client letter summarizes some of the noteworthy market and economic events in Q1 2017 and puts them into the usual "stay the course" context.
Categories: Breaking news, Client-focused, Economics, Quarterly client letter
An Index Overview | Part 4: Index Investing – Opportunities and Obstacles
March 21, 2017
This 1,200-word piece is part four of a four-part series covering indexes and index investing. Part 1 defined indexes in general. Part 2 took a closer look at what index points measure and some of their inherent characteristics. Part 3 explored some of the idiosyncrasies inherent to indexes. This final part 4 explores how indexes are used (and sometimes abused) in index fund investing. Use the series to discuss indexing as a drip series, in a combined report, or as video or podcast scripts.
Categories: An index overview, Article, Evidence-based investing, General audience, Report
An Index Overview | Part 3: Index Mechanics – Interesting Idiosyncrasies
March 8, 2017
This 1,060-word piece is part three of a four-part series covering indexes and index investing. Part 1 defined indexes in general. Part 2 took a closer look at what index points measure and some of their inherent characteristics. Part 3 explores some of the idiosyncrasies inherent to indexes. The final part 4 will explore how indexes are used (and sometimes abused) in index fund investing. Use the series to discuss indexing as a drip series, in a combined report, or as video or podcast scripts.
Categories: An index overview, Article, Evidence-based investing, General audience, Report
An Index Overview | Part 2: A Few Points About Index Points
February 23, 2017
This 780-word piece is part two of a four-part series covering indexes and index investing. Part 1 defined indexes in general. Part 2 takes a closer look at what index points measure and some of their inherent characteristics. Future parts will look at some of the strategies used to structure indexes, and how they are used (and sometimes abused) in index fund investing. Use the series to discuss indexing as a drip series, in a combined report, or as video or podcast scripts.
Categories: An index overview, Article, Evidence-based investing, General audience, Multipart series, Report
An Index Overview | Part 1: Indexes, Defined
February 12, 2017
This 800-word piece is part one of a four-part series covering indexes and index investing. Part 1 defines indexes in general, summarizes key uses (benchmarking and index fund investing), and explains why milestones like the "Dow 20,000" should not be used to engage in market-timing. Future parts will take a closer look at some of the strengths and weaknesses inherent to indexes and index fund investments. Use the series to discuss indexing as a drip series, in a combined report, or as video or podcast scripts.
Categories: An index overview, Article, Evidence-based investing, General audience, Multipart series, Report
Cover Intro for Dimensional 2016 Market Review
January 12, 2017
This 450-word summary provides an introduction you can use to share Dimensional's 2016 Advisor Byline Market & Economic Review. It's primarily for being in touch with your clients, although it can be modified to serve as a prospecting piece as well.
Categories: Advisor role/value, Client-focused, Dimensional Fund Advisors, Evidence-based investing, General letter/email, Intro to expert commentary
Quarterly Client Letter – 2016 Q4
January 3, 2017
This 425-word, fourth quarter (year-end) client letter acknowledges that 2017 remains an unknown and reminds investors of the durability of what really drives market returns -- which is global human enterprise.
Categories: Advisor role/value, Client-focused, Economics, Evidence-based investing, Politics, Quarterly client letter