Avoid Tacky Materials
Using tacky materials is shortsighted, since the collateral--arriving in the mail before the initial meeting--is often the prospect's first impression of the financial advisor. --Katherine Vessenes
"Collateral" is a term used in the marketing industry that covers the written presentation of your firm and supports your brand. It can include business cards, seminar invitations, newsletters, brochures, or even the folders that you would use to present your financial plans. The same financial advisor who would spare no expense on his or her personal office can suddenly become a cheapskate when it comes to the collateral. These documents often look like they had been printed on a back-office computer by a 13-year-old. And that may not be far from the truth. Using tacky materials is shortsighted, since the collateral--arriving in the mail before the initial meeting--is often the prospect's first impression of the financial advisor. Advisors don't realize they are creating a big chasm between two different messages.
-Katherine Vessenes, in Stupid Marketing Tricks
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