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Aegis Financial has developed a complete sales and marketing system designed to help advisors generate and close leads. (And make up to 13% commission on every case.)

👉️ Click here for a 2 minute video explaining how it works!

🐊 Gator Haters?

Good morning,

Phillies game, check ✅ 

Emotional support alligator, check ✅ 

Entry into the baseball game? Not a chance ❌

Meet WallyGator, the Instagram-famous reptile with top-notch support skills who apparently loves giving out…hugs.

(Yeah… not gonna test that one out.)

While WallyGator might not have made it inside, it’s a quirky reminder that even in the most unusual circumstances, we're all looking for a little…support.

Jeremiah "Gatekeeper" Desmarais

CEO, Advisorist

In Today’s Issue 👇

• Are TikTok influencers destroying 401k participation?

• How to write cold emails that convert leads

• A creative ‘hook’ FAs are missing in 2023

  And all of the week’s biggest headlines to make you the smartest advisor in the room.

⚔️ TikTok vs. Advisors: The 401(k) vs. IUL Debate

In the world of TikTok, a financial feud is brewing, and it's got financial advisors raising their eyebrows.

Influencers on the Gen Z-dominated platform are taking aim at a sacred cow of personal finance: the 401(k) retirement plan.

With hashtags like #money, #401(k), and #retirement, they're boldly declaring that the 401(k) is a scam, and they've got a 'better' solution.

But is it all smoke and mirrors?

💰 401(k) Bashing Takes Center Stage

The battle lines are drawn on TikTok, where influencers are delivering a one-two punch to traditional retirement wisdom.

Their message…

“Forget the 401(k) and embrace life insurance products, particularly indexed universal life (IUL) and maximum premium indexing (MPI).”

Their angle…

Commission payouts on insurance policies they have no training around.

"It makes you want to just slam your head into the desk," advisor AJ Campo says. "TikTok is just littered with horrendous information."

🐐 But why is the 401(k) the scapegoat?

Their gripes:

• Contribution caps

• Limited investment choices

• Withdrawal rules

• Taxes

• Mandatory distributions

But it's their criticism of tax-deferred savings that's raising eyebrows.

These influencers paint tax-deferred savings as outdated and ineffective.

They promise a fast track to riches with life insurance products, which are usually intended to help people complement their retirement investment accounts.

⚔️ Prompts for Battling Misinformation on TikTok

My suggestion…

Don't shy away from challenging the misinformation, but do it in a way that's engaging and relatable.

Here are some speaking prompts to help your creatives juices flow when creating a video script:

1. Debunking Myths Video Prompt: “I’ve been seeing a lot of videos on TikTok from so-called influencers who are saying the 401k is dead. But I want to tell you the truth…and why these people may have some ulterior motives…”

2. Highlight the Risks: “There’s a myth going around that folks in their 20s and 30s should be prioritizing life insurance products over a 401k. But can I show you a quick calculation that totally destroys this argument…?”

3. Share Success Stories: “I recently met with a young married couple in their late 30s. And there’s ONE key financial decision they made 15 years earlier that has them on track to be millionaires by 40…”

Headline Roundup

🏠 Affecting Your Clients

• Poll: Hourly workers less confident about having comfortable retirement [NYP]

• Survey says student loan payment resumption will hurt retirement planning [NAPA]

• 83% of Gen Z Classify Themselves as “Job Hoppers” [CNBC]

📈 Markets & Economy

• Bank of Japan Hikes Bond Buying as Benchmark Yields Hit Decade Peak [CNBC]

• US Bond Market Signals End of 15-Year Low Interest Rate Market [RTRS]

• Workers Least Happy in 3 Years: Will Cost Global Economy $8.8T [CNBC]

💼 Industry Roundup

• Americans Strongly Opposed to AI Insurance Agents, Survey Finds [PRN]

• Survey: Increased Demand In Alternative Investments For Investors [Y!]

• Morgan Stanley Raising Pay Hurdle for its FAs in 2024 [IN]

Sponsored

🪝The ‘Creative Hook’ Most Advisors Aren’t Using in 2023

Ever feel burned out?

Well, apparently you’re part of the “in” crowd.

An E-Lab and Deakin University study shows that almost 75% of advisors experience high levels of burnout from work.

Rewind to last year and Mike P. would have been part of that stat.

He was so burned out he was ready to sell his practice.

Luckily, he explored some new ways to breathe life back into his business.

The surprising ‘windfall’ pivot

One of the big changes he made was installing an end-to-end system into his business to unlock additional cash with a unique approach to selling LTC products.

Fast forward to today and not only is Mike still in business – he’s expanding his office and hiring more staff.

The program that he implemented – which is called Care Forward, by the way – has become the largest portion of income in his practice.

So what is Mike actually EARNING from this?

Here’s what Mike’s doing now:

• One seminar he ran recently closed 2 clients (one at $6M and another at $2M).

• Prospects who previously said “I’ve got an advisor” are flocking to him because of his ‘Care Forward’ Hook

• With over 33M between 65-74 y.o. in US - only 3% – THREE! – are prepped for LTC.

• That means there are more than 32 million folks out there who need an LTC plan.

I’m not going to tell you how to run your practice – but that smells like a huge opportunity to me.

And with a program like Care Forward by Aegis Financial, there’s no reason any advisor in this business shouldn’t be crushing it right now with LTC….just like Mike.

👉 Click here for a short video + bullet points on the program

5️⃣ Ways to Write Winning Cold Emails That Generate Fresh Leads

When it comes to prospecting with email, there are two primary categories:

• 🔥 Warm Email Outreach: Emailing people who know you or who have previously opted into your email list.

• ❄️ Cold Email Outreach: Emailing people who don’t know you and have never interacted with you.

Naturally, warm email is easier. Conversion rates are higher and you’re more likely to get results.

However, don’t discount cold email.

It’s a low-risk way to generate a few extra leads here and there (and gives you a bigger pool or prospects to work with.

But writing effective cold emails is very much an art and science.

Here are some quick tips (based on sending over 127,000 cold emails):

1. Use a Professional Email Address: You should only cold email with a professional email address. I’m talking about the [email protected] types of email addresses rather than the Gmail or Yahoo free alternatives.

2. Be Clear, Concise, and Direct: Get to the point. Hook them in by mentioning large numbers to grab attention. People will delete your emails if you don’t get to the point.

3. Go For Small Commitments: Your goal is to get the highest response rate possible, and you can do that by going for small commitments. Examples are a quick 15-minute chat, subscribing to a list, or responding with a “yes.”

4. Use Custom Fields: Personalize custom fields as much as possible, including using their name, business name, location, or any other information you have.

5. Send a Sequence: Don’t stop at one email. Automate a sequence. I like spreading out 5-7 emails over a month.

👇️ Cold Email Example

From: [email protected]

[Subject] checking in, Amy

Hi Amy! I noticed you own a business in Phoenix and wanted to see if I could share a simple strategy that has helped 25 of my clients reduce taxes by 12-17% this year.

If you’d like me to send you a free PDF with info, just respond “YES.”

– Gary Johnson

The Best Thing I Saw All Week

For the last decade, a small town in Southern California's mountains has seen three generations of golden retrievers serve as mayors.

Yep, you read that right the first time…a dog…as mayor.

It all started back in 2011 when Phyllis Mueller and her husband moved to Idyllwild, CA.

Since Idyllwild is technically an unincorporated town, there are no elected officials.

The local animal rescue decided to hold an election.

14 dogs and 2 cats threw their furry paws into the ring…and it was Mueller’s golden retriever who won in a landslide.

Today, it’s Max III – the third generation mayor – “calling the shots.”

Mueller's four golden retrievers play various roles on Mayor Max's "staff," serving as deputy co-mayors, security detail, and even the vice mayor.

"With the mayors, I want to remind people that there is good in the world. Every day, people do good things. These dogs here, they are living angels, and they love you with all their heart.”

Sharing looks good on you.

When you copy that link at the bottom and share it with a few financial planning colleagues, you look like the smartest advisor in the room by keeping them informed.

Plus, you earn rewards. Sweet.