Year: 2015
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Giving Thoughts
Created: December 18, 2015
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Client-Focused, General Letter/E-Mail, Holiday Greetings, Philanthropy/Giving
Description: Use this 575-word letter or e-mail to send to your clients to thank them for their business, wish them a Happy New Year and share some uplifting information about increased global philanthropy. The piece also reminds them to consider the big picture for both giving and investing,
Reflections on Paris
Created: November 17, 2015
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Breaking News, Client Experience, Client-Focused, Holiday Greetings
Description: A short (330-word) message to clients offering them thoughtful reflections on your advisor relationship with them in the wake of the Nov. 13 attacks on Paris. For example: "We aim to do all that we can – even if it may never be everything – to nurture what is good and true in our lives." This also can be used as a Thanksgiving or holiday reach-out, or as video script.
A Meaningful Message for Thanksgiving-2015
Created: November 7, 2015
Categories: Client-Focused, Evidence-Based Investing, General Letter/E-Mail, Holiday Greetings
Description: A 400-word message to send to clients as a Thanksgiving greeting (mail or e-mail), sharing some lighthearted "turkey talk" and expressing gratitude for their business. Each of the Library's annual Thanksgiving messages are timeless, so if you've not yet used messages from years' past, you can choose your favorite among them to send to clients. (Filter by the Holiday category to find them all at https://www.wendyjcook.com/documents/category/holiday/)
Advice That Adds Up During Down Markets
Created: October 14, 2015
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Behavioral Finance, Breaking News, Client Experience, Client-Focused, General Letter/E-Mail, Scary Market Insights
Description: Here is a 700-word piece you can use to remain in touch with clients who may still be nervous after receiving their third-quarter report during the current down market. It encourages them to stay the course with their carefully planned portfolio, already designed to endure market risks. It reminds them why this is your advice, and how an objective third-party can help them overcome their instinctive reactions to down markets. Use as follow up to your clients' third quarter reports or to reach out to clients or prospects in general. It could also serve as good narrative for a video.
October Q3 2015 Client Letter (Google Hits vs. Long-Term Investing)
Created: October 3, 2015
Categories: Behavioral Finance, Breaking News, Client-Focused, Quarterly Client Letter, Technology
Description: This 470-word article looks at how popular Google results, similar to other forms of headline news, may distract investors from their long-term strategy. It provides salient recent quotes on the importance of remaining disciplined during market uncertainty.
Three Key Investment Strategies Hidden in Plain Sight: #3 — INTERNATIONAL VERSION — Controlling Costs
Created: September 25, 2015
Categories: Article, Client Experience, Evidence-Based Investing, Expenses, General Audience, Three Key Strategies
Description: This 1,375-word piece represents part three of a series covering three essential evidence-based investment strategies: market participation ("being there"), managing market risk (diversification) and controlling costs. THIS UPDATED VERSION EXPLORES CONTROLLING COSTS WITH AN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE AND ILLUSTRATIONS. It also emphasizes the benefits of having an evidence-based advisor to assist. Use the series for drip marketing via e-newsletter, e-mails, mailings or as video script for prospective or existing clients.
Three Key Investment Strategies Hidden in Plain Sight: #3 — Controlling Costs
Created: September 4, 2015
Categories: Article, Client Experience, Evidence-Based Investing, Expenses, General Audience, Three Key Strategies
Description: This 900-word piece represents part three of a series covering three essential evidence-based investment strategies: market participation ("being there"), managing market risk (diversification) and controlling costs. It also emphasizes the benefits of having an evidence-based advisor to assist. Use the series for drip marketing via e-newsletter, e-mails, mailings or as video script for prospective or existing clients.
Client Reach-Out About Bad Market News
Created: August 22, 2015
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Breaking News, Client-Focused, General Letter/E-Mail, Scary Market Insights
Description: You can use this brief, 450-word piece to reach out to clients and prospects in an e-mail or mail distribution, or it could serve as language for a short video. Created for the August 2015 market decline, but applicable with minor edits to any "bad news" market conditions. The piece reminds clients that it is your role as their advisor to put bad market news in context, that this is exactly what realized market risk looks like, and that they should stick to their existing Investment Policy Statement to reap the market's long-term expected rewards.
Three Key Investment Strategies Hidden in Plain Sight: #2 – Managing Market Risks
Created: August 11, 2015
Categories: Article, Client Experience, Evidence-Based Investing, General Audience, Three Key Strategies
Description: This 700-word piece represents part two of a series covering three essential evidence-based investment strategies: market participation ("being there"), managing market risk (diversification) and controlling costs. It also emphasizes the benefits of having an evidence-based advisor to assist. Use the series for drip marketing via e-newsletter, e-mails, mailings or as video script for prospective or existing clients.
Three Key Investment Strategies Hidden in Plain Sight: #1 – Being There
Created: July 26, 2015
Categories: Article, Behavioral Finance, Client Experience, Evidence-Based Investing, General Audience, Three Key Strategies
Description: This 800-word piece represents part one of a series covering three essential evidence-based investment strategies: market participation ("being there"), managing market risk (diversification) and controlling costs. It also emphasizes the benefits of having an evidence-based advisor to assist. Use the series for drip marketing via e-newsletter, e-mails, mailings or as video script for prospective or existing clients.
July Q2 2015 Client Letter (What We Know Now)
Created: July 3, 2015
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Client-Focused, Quarterly Client Letter
Description: This 400-word letter reminds clients that current market conditions fueled by the Greek debt crisis are an illustration of how and why (1) market risk contributes to future expected returns, and (2) they are probably already best prepared to ride out the risks with their existing, globally diversified portfolio. Use this letter with your quarterly client reports to share a timely message with your clients.
Greece
Created: June 29, 2015
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Breaking News, General Audience, General Letter/E-Mail
Description: Here is a brief, 375-word piece you can use to reach out to clients and prospects in an e-mail or mail distribution, advising them to the stay the course as the Greek debt crisis unfolds. It advises them on how to consider the event in the context of evidence-based investing and serves as a call to action to be in touch with you for additional assistance.
More Evidence on the Evidence: An Historical Overview of Capital Market Theory
Created: June 27, 2015
Categories: Article, Evidence on the Evidence, Evidence-Based Investing, General Audience
Description: This 1,400-word piece complements the recently released "Evidence on the Evidence" piece, which explored how to differentiate academic evidence from less substantive work. This follow-up offers a timeline of the most important academic findings, from MPT to the Three-Factor Model and into the future. It highlights the role you play as an adviser, helping your clients incorporate meaningful evidence into their ongoing investment discipline. Use this pair of pieces to inform clients or prospects about the benefits of evidence-based investing.
The Evidence on the Evidence: How Do You Know What (and Whom) to Heed?
Created: June 10, 2015
Categories: Article, Evidence on the Evidence, Evidence-Based Investing, General Audience
Description: This 1,000-word piece explores key differences between robust, peer-reviewed academic evidence and the less substantive information that tends to grab the bigger headlines. It also describes how you, as an evidence-based adviser, help your clients become better investors by understanding why the difference matters. Use the series to inform clients or prospects about the importance of evidence-based investing. This piece pairs well with the complementary article, "More Evidence on the Evidence," which offers an historical overview of landmark studies from MPT to the Three-Factor Model and beyond.
Timeless Tips on Tax-Wise Investing: Part II
Created: May 17, 2015
Categories: Article, Expenses, General Audience, Tax Planning
Description: This 700-word piece represents part two of a two-part series on tax-wise investing, covering year-round, tax-efficient habits investors can adopt for themselves, their tax-managed funds, their portfolio construction (asset location) and their financial team -- overseen by their tax-savvy wealth manager. Use the series to inform clients or prospects about the principles of tax-wise investing and the critical role you play as their tax-wise adviser.
Timeless Tips on Tax-Wise Investing: Part I
Created: May 10, 2015
Categories: Article, Expenses, General Audience, Tax Planning
Description: This 965-word piece represents part one of a two-part series on tax-wise investing, covering year-round, tax-efficient habits investors can adopt for themselves, their tax-managed funds, their portfolio construction (asset location) and their financial team -- overseen by their tax-savvy wealth manager. Use the series to inform clients or prospects about the principles of tax-wise investing and the critical role you play as their tax-wise adviser.
Reflections on Robo-Advice
Created: April 22, 2015
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Client Experience, General Audience, Report, Technology
Description: This 1,200-word piece offers investors advice on how to assess the recent proliferation of robo-advisors -- differentiating the higher level of care available from dedicated human advisers, emphasizing the continued importance of an evidence-based investment strategy, and summarizing qualities to seek in any form of investment advice a family may be considering. Use the piece to inform clients or prospects or respond to their questions.
April Q1 2015 Client Letter (Relevant/Fiduciary Advice)
Created: April 2, 2015
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Client-Focused, Quarterly Client Letter
Description: This 350-word client letter addresses the timeless relevance of robust advice versus secondary and/or "robo" advice. It describes how the advice you offer complements evidence-based investing and best serves adviser and investor alike. Two versions of the letter are bundled into this downloadable zip file: The US version uses the term, "fiduciary." A global version references transparent, objective advice.
Fifty Years of Warren Buffett’s Wisdom
Created: March 24, 2015
Categories: Client Experience, General Audience, Intro to Expert Commentary
Description: This 900-word piece introduces Warren Buffett's March 2015 release of Berkshire Hathaway's 2014 shareholders' letter, with a sampling of Buffett insights on American enterprise, business management, wealth and investing, capital markets, risk management, ethics and human nature. As a special, 50th "golden anniversary" edition, the letter is a particularly good example of Buffett's timeless wisdom. Use this piece to reach out to clients and prospects in a letter, e-mail or video script of your own.
Helping New Clients Break Up With Their Broker
Created: March 3, 2015
Categories: Client Experience, Client-Focused, General Letter/E-Mail
Description: Here are two short letters/e-mails (bundled into a single, two-page Word document) to help your new clients “break up” with their broker after they have selected you as their new advisor. The first piece is a cover letter or e-mail to send to new clients, explaining the material; the second is content they can send to their former broker/advisor to ease the transition.
Cover Intro for Dimensional 2014 Year in Review
Created: January 14, 2015
Categories: Dimensional Fund Advisors, Evidence-Based Investing, General Audience, General Letter/E-Mail, Intro to Expert Commentary
Description: Here's a 375-word letter or e-mail you can use to share Dimensional Fund Advisors' Advisor Byline 2014 Year in Review, now available from Dimensional's log-in site. The lead-in reinforces the importance of remaining globally diversified, of avoiding market-timing in response to near-term "winning" and "losing" asset classes, and to be in touch with you for assistance.
January Q4 2014 Client Letter (Recency & Tracking-Error)
Created: January 4, 2015
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Breaking News, Client-Focused, Quarterly Client Letter
Description: This 390-word client letter can be used as a cover letter to accompany your quarterly client reports or as a stand-alone communication. It advises clients to avoid recency and tracking-error regret as they consider 2014 annual returns (when a concentrated large-cap U.S. position outperformed the typical globally diversified strategy).