We’ve all entered a new reality in the last few weeks. Working remotely is becoming the norm rather than the exception, even if only temporarily. But what does that mean for your business? Are you set up to continue working remotely? Do you have the software and tools to maximize your productivity and effectiveness during this period?

In this article we’re going to cover some of the options available to you, and the issues you should be aware of to ensure you can continue working in a safe and effective manner.

TL:DR (Too Long, Didn’t Read)

Zoom is a very popular, inexpensive, and easy to use software to start video conferencing with your clients and coworkers. It does have some privacy concerns that you should be aware of. A number of enterprises are prohibiting the use of Zoom for their employees, for security reasons, so be aware that some of your clients may be impacted by that if you set up a Zoom meeting with them.

Microsoft 365 is a great option as well, especially for those that are already using Microsoft’s office tools. 365 comes with Teams which has much of the same functionality as Zoom plus many other great collaboration features.

If you’re interested in getting started with Microsoft 365, you can find more information about their plans here. If you don’t currently use Microsoft 365 you’ll likely want the premium plan for $16/month which includes Teams plus stand-alone downloaded versions of all of your primary office tools (Word, Excel, Power Point, etc.). If you already have a previous version of the Office suite, then you may be fine with the Essential package for $6.40/month which is limited to web versions of the office suite but still includes access to Teams. Continue reading “Taking Back the Remote Control” →

When it comes to time, there just does not seem to be enough of it these days, especially with the current COVID-19 situation and the many adjustments we have all had to make to continue generating business. As an Advisor, you want to provide your clients with the best possible service, but like many of us, you are probably grappling with how to do so while working from home in self-isolation. The solution is simple – technology! Continue reading “Trying to Manage your Business from Home? E‑Apps Can Help!” →

In our new digital information era, traditional marketing has been turned on it’s head. People have been empowered by mobile devices and the internet to find their own answers online. Traditional advertising has become less and less effective as a result, and it’s forcing us to think creatively about how we reach out to clients. Continue reading “Content is King” →

A Case Study

Josh is an insurance advisor who has built a successful practice over the past 30 years. He is trusted in the industry and has helped many clients build successful, and in some cases very complex, financial plans. Continue reading “How Smart Computing Protected an Advisor’s Business and His Clients” →

Bringing the right blend of expertise and creativity to earn the opportunity to put your client’s insurance plan together is half your challenge. The other half is knowing who to have on your team to help you make a good insurance plan even better. Your secret weapon: advanced underwriting experts who help you move your large cases from access to assessment to advice. Underwriting impacts the sale and having sound advice will help get you and your client to a great solution faster.

Continue reading “The Successful Advisor’s Secret Weapon” →

As a trusted advisor, do you enjoy working with families and helping them plan their financial security? Do you have marketing strategies to reach out and remain connected with them? Do you want to expand your business and reach a wider audience?

If you said yes, then you likely work hard at building your business and maintaining relationships that foster your continued success. You have the knowledge, competence, and desire to keep your clients’ best interests in mind. Your clients know this, and are happy about it, but . . . how do you get the rest of the world to know it too?

Continue reading “Get Social Media Working for You” →

The industry is changing, but is your practice keeping up? Be your own compliance officer and keep your insurance offerings up-to-date with regulatory obligations and insurance carrier policies.

Advisors are subject to the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act and associated regulations. As required under the Act – which has been in place since October 2000 – an advisor must have an anti-money laundering (AML) compliance regime in place to meet with reporting, record keeping and client identification requirements. The Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) is an active regulator responsible for auditing advisors to ensure compliance with the Act. Advisors who are audited and found to have no policies in place could be subject to heavy fines.

The required elements of an AML Compliance Regime are:

Continue reading “Protecting your Practice: Are you Complying with your Regulatory Obligations?” →

SHARE the client article from The Link Between:
The Value of Good Advice

Applets are used by Advisors in PPI Toolkit 2 to create professional, straightforward presentations for clients.

Is your practice getting the attention it requires? A strong brand image means stronger business potential. Your clients, as well as the potential clients that your current ones will refer to you, should know you by name, company, and logo. One simple way to achieve this is to create client-facing presentations that are professional, convey your expertise, and are branded with your name and business name.

Create branded presentations quickly and easily in a 3-step process using PPI Toolkit:

Continue reading “Applet ABCs: Get Noticed – a strong brand image means stronger business potential” →

The information age is upon us. Consumers can now receive data about any topic with the click of a mouse. They want to be informed and they want information to be readily accessible and accurate. Content marketing is the art of providing short yet valuable and interesting content to satisfy your target audience’s specific thirst for knowledge. Lengthy testimonials about your business no longer cut it. Your customers should be able to get in and get out easily and retain your brand value while doing so.

The following are some useful tips for leveraging your strategy:

Continue reading “5 Content Marketing Basics” →

SHARE the client article from The Link Between:
5 Content Marketing Basics

You finally did it. “It’s not going away!” they said. You knew you’d have to embrace it eventually, so you sat down with your smartphone and got yourself a Twitter account. And now, you can use this social media platform as an effective business tool (or as a way to get quick updates on your favourite sports teams). The following are definitions of a few staple Twitter offerings.

Continue reading “The Twitter Trifecta: A Short Glossary” →

SHARE the client article from The Link Between:
The Twitter Trifecta: A Short Glossary