By Alexander G. Assely III
Editor's Note: This is the first in a series of posts by speakers at the 2014 NAPA 401(k) Summit, March 23-25, 2014 in New Orleans.
The world we live in today is not the world of our grandparents, or even our parents. We aren’t waiting for the mailman to bring us important letters. We don’t tune in to our local television station at 5:00 PM to get our news. And we don’t “work” the traditional 9-to-5 day anymore.
Yet a lot of firms still produce direct mail or have radio or TV spots, and many leaders still manage their office like it’s an episode of “Mad Men.” The trouble is that this status quo isn’t sustainable. In fact, there is a small but growing number of leaders and companies disrupting and changing the traditional way of doing business — and more importantly, the traditional way of communicating.
This shift is happening across all industries — including financial services in general, and retirement consulting specifically. Right now, we are probably somewhere between the traditional methodology of communicating and today’s cutting edge environment of social media, continuous interaction and real-time updates. But just because everybody at a downtown graphic design firm is on Twitter and LivingSocial (or the hip company in your town), and has ping-pong, video games and casual dress at their office, that doesn’t mean it’s right for your marketing or your office environment strategy.
So how do you adapt to the future of communications in a way that is smart, effective and aligned with your business model?
The answer: Join us at the 2014 NAPA 401(k) Summit! Attend our Tuesday General Session geared specifically toward this concept and these challenges in which we all have a stake in the game.
Three expert speakers will participate in a casual, fast-paced and collaborative environment. They’ll share their research and strategies in different but complementary areas, sharing tips and actionable ideas for advisors and industry practitioners to improve their methods in communication, serving and working among diverse generational characteristics and needs. Some examples include:
• Serving your retirement plan clients, from Baby Boomers to Millenials
• Managing employees who span different career goals, paths and time horizons
• Utilizing different media to reach and connect with these folks among your daily interactions
Remember: If you want to prepare for communicating in the future, stay through the end of the conference, and attend this session. And book your flight home Tuesday afternoon on March 25. See you in “Nawlins”!
Alexander G. Assely III is Lead Adviser—Retirement Plan at AFS 401(k) Retirement Services, LLC. He will be the moderator of General Session 6: "Mind Your Behavior! A Universal Look at How We Will Interact in the Future (Which is Now), at 10:45-11:45 AM on March 25. The panelists will include Robert Frick from Kiplinger's and the Allianz Center for Behavioral Finance, and Chris Stroud, President of Simoneaux and Stroud Consulting Services.
For more information about the 2014 Summit, click here.
