At the NIBA conference next month, Phil and I will be talking about how IBs and CTAs can leverage inbound marketing to improve the effectiveness of your marketing programs and attract more leads. To prepare, I thought it might be helpful to introduce some of the concepts we’ll be discussing. Inbound Marketing versus Interruption Marketing Traditionally, marketers have used various forms of what is now called “interruption marketing” to gain attention from their target prospects. Whether the technique is radio advertising, , email marketing or cold calling; the marketing message essentially interrupts the prospect’s train of thought. This approach is…...

The financial job market has changed since Parkway Consulting was founded over 25 years ago. Today’s IB and CTA owners look for technology “know-how” as well as good sales and service skills, and market knowledge. While finding qualified candidates is always one of the top concerns of financial business owners, the solution can be as simple as looking to referrals from your present and past employees, or your business network. Conferences, like NIBA meetings, and trade shows such as the FIA Expo, are also great places to meet experienced professionals. Once you have several resumes to select from, you will…...

by Lida Citroën Principal | LIDA360, LLC Building your personal brand Successful executives across the globe are also embracing the power of “personal branding” to intentionally build a reputation for themselves and their companies that maintains this competitive advantage – in person and in the online world. Reputation counts when growing personal brands (and professional reputations). How your clients – and prospects – staff, peers and stakeholders perceive you has a direct impact on the loyalty, engagement and revenues you will generate. We hire professionals who have the necessary qualifications, and who make us feel a certain way. We know…...

Also released under the title: Exploiting the Myths Published 2011 by Ignite LLC In this informative, entertaining, and quick read, the author – Mike Dever, Founder, CEO & Director of Research of Brandywine Asset Management examines the misconceptions or “myths” of current investment theory and replaces it with what he describes as a “return driver” based methodology that results in both greater returns and lower risk. I read the entire book on a recent flight from San Diego to Chicago to attend a NIBA meeting. I wasn’t planning on finishing it in one sitting but once I started I couldn’t…...

by Erich Grant, Shift Forex On October 18th 2010 the NFA and CFTC issued a set of new rules governing the retail forex industry, dramatically tightening the regulatory regime under which forex firms operate. Many in the retail forex industry feared the new set of regulations would push most or almost all of the business out of the United States. Indeed, many market participants have been forced to cease doing business or have pulled out of the country and stopped accepting US clients. Far from destroying the industry, these new regulations have laid the groundwork for the next dramatic stage…...

About the Firm: How did you get started? Do you provide additional services besides brokerage? We originally started as a small IB in Minnesota which wanted to expand into Iowa. I was hired to start the Iowa office. In the beginning it was all cold calling, all the time. It was very hard work, but after a tough first couple years it started to pay off. Our primary business today is cash grain and livestock marketing consulting. We use brokerage to assist us with achieving the risk management and pricing goals of our clients. What are the biggest challenges your…...

OUTLOOK FOR COPPER: “COPPER – A CASE FOR HIGHER PRICES?”: In terms of prices, the first-half of this year has fared far better than many were expecting.The broader economic climate has already shown signs of improvement and has surprised many analysts whom had not forecasted this occurrence until the 4Q.  However, it appears that the market bulls had got ahead of the game in Copper as prices have seen five consecutive monthly closes higher, and we are presently sitting in view of making it six in a row.  The question is where has this optimism come from when economists have been proclaiming doom-and-gloom…...

by Lida Citroën Principal | LIDA360, LLC Imagine you are a client looking to find an introducing broker. To you, there is no clear difference between one broker over another. How would you choose? Most likely, all things being equal, you would chose the least expensive one. After all, why would you pay more – all things being equal? In brand marketing, we call this a commodity sale: The consumer chooses based on price when there is no clear differentiation of perceived value. Is this how you want your brokerage clients to chose you? Is your value to your clients…...

Regulation of the OTC derivatives markets was a hallmark of the Dodd-Frank Act. While the swaps regulations will take time to implement, and may not necessarily impact Introducing Brokers in a direct manner, IBs should nonetheless pay attention to the swaps regulation drama for a couple of reasons. First, the CFTC’s focus on swaps means that their attention is not on other proposals, like Proposed Regulation 1.71. Secondly, as the swaps regulations begin to take form, there will be time and opportunity for IBs to modify their business models to capitalize on the new systems. Proposed Regulation 1.71 Proposed Regulation…...

By Mark Melin | Author High Performance Managed Futures and division director at PFGBest. The growth in managed futures points to increased competition coming from the traditional Wall Street financial advisor. The question is: how can IBs manage this threat? The biggest weakness many financial advisors have when discussing managed futures is their lack of understanding the asset class. There are five key points advisors must understand in order to carry on an intelligent managed futures conversation, some of which was outlined when Northwestern University had its four hour educational course on the topic this March 19. IBs must understand these…...