401(k) Specialist Issue 1 - 2019 - 30

401(k) CLIENT CONNECTION
Ping, Click, Buzz-3 Tips for
Tackling 401(k) Technology
By Rebecca Hourihan
" I PLAY EMAIL whack-a-mole, " explained
one advisor at a recent meeting. She said
every day it feels like an arcade battleground
to stay on top of incoming emails.
" Is this Tetris or my calendar? " Hard
to tell the difference. With back-to-back
conference calls, traveling to meetings and
family matters, it's challenging to schedule
all the requirements of a busy professional.
" Oh, it's easy. Just connect the APIs. "
Sure thing. But first, what is an API and how
do you plug it in?
Whether it is the volume of daily emails,
overscheduling or new technology emerging
every second, it can be overwhelming.
However, here are some ideas to tackle
your inbox and add breathing room to your
calendar, plus some of our favorite technologies
for retirement plan advisors.
Email Whack-A-Mole
Does it feel like we're getting more emails
than ever before?
In 2016, the average person received
88 emails per day and sent 34 emails out.
Now, it is reported that professionals
receive 121 emails a day and send around
40 business emails. That is a 24 percent
increase in daily emails coming and going.
Also, think how many times per day you
check your emails. For example, if you do it
when you wake up, get to work, on conference
calls, after work, after dinner, before bed
and several times in-between, the average
person totals 74 times per day. It's no wonder
that many people feel overwhelmed.
So, how do you tackle the mole?
Schedule three 30-minute placeholders on
your calendar. First thing in the morning, for
example, when you're drinking your coffee.
Then after lunch, say around 1:00 pm. And
30
ISSUE 1 2019 | 401kSpecialist.com
one last time before you close it down for the
evening. Each of these placeholders is sacred
time and cannot be moved or altered.
Tetris Calendars
Legendary business coach Dan Sullivan
has the recipe for success: free days, focus
days and buffer days. It's the efficient entrepreneur's
ideal workflow system to take
back control over your calendar (and life).
It starts with blocking certain days on the
calendar that are for only specific activities
and then truly committing and following these
principles-they are non-negotiable. It takes
extreme self-discipline and work to follow, but
that's the path of an effective entrepreneur.
Connecting APIs
As a retirement plan advisor, here are
some of the technologies to which we feel
your business should either subscribe and/
or have accessibility.
* CRM (e.g., Salesforce, InfusionSoft)
* Form 5500 search capabilities (e.g., Retirement
Plan Vision, FBi, Brightscope,
Judy Diamond, ERISApedia)
* RFP analysis (e.g., RFP Director, RPAG)
* Investment screening and monitoring
(e.g., Fi360, Envestnet, RPAG, FiRM,
Rixtrema)
* Fee benchmarking reports (e.g., FBi)
* Digital fiduciary vault
* Financial wellness providers (Edu(k)ate,
JellyVision, SmartDollar, just to name
a few)
* Bulk email provider (Constant Contact,
MailChimp, InfusionSoft)
" It is reported that professionals
receive 121 emails a day and
send around 40 business emails. "
* Specialized marketing content (Retirement
Plan Marketing, RPAG, FMG Suite)
* Google Analytics
By leveraging technology and resources,
you can learn more about the plan before
meeting with the prospect, so you can have
a meaningful conversation about the findings,
present relevant reports, discuss costs
vs. value, and store everything in a secure
online fiduciary vault to help the plan sponsor
with their fiduciary plan governance.
Lastly, it's all about data, so by linking Google
Analytics to your website, you can learn
more information about site visitors, so you
can continue to improve online prospects'
digital paths and convert them into pipeline
opportunities and, ultimately, new clients.
About 401(k) Marketing
Our clients are the best professional retirement plan
advisors, TPAs and industry partners in the business.
They care deeply about saving America's retirement
future. We are proud to share their voices through
industry writings, professionally-designed marketing
materials (including websites) and expert content
collateral. We lend support by promoting businesses
through on-going awareness campaigns. 401(k)
Marketing is based in San Diego, CA.
Check us out at www.401k-marketing.com.
http://www.401k-marketing.com http://www.401kSpecialist.com
401(k) Specialist Issue 1 - 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of 401(k) Specialist Issue 1 - 2019
