Advisors ignore the vast majority of marketing communications they get daily, especially those from firms they aren't already working with, according to findings from a recent Practical Perspectives survey.

The report, Communicating with Financial Advisors -- Insights and Opportunites 2015, examines the kinds of outreach currently directed to advisors by product manufacturers and platforms.

"Providers are spending countless resources on outreach each year to build awarness, loyalty and sales," said Howard Schneider, president of Practical Perspectives and author of the report. "The struggle is how you get the attention of advisors in a highly cluttered environment with so many firms competing for the chance to connect."

Based on input from nearly 600 advisors, the Boston-based research and consulting firm found that the typical advisor receives between 10 and 25 different marketing and sales contacts each day.

These communications are heaviest from asset managers -- those they currently use as well as those they do not -- and from an advisor's broker-dealer or custodian.

Over 50 percent of these communications are e-mails, with in-person office visits representing a relatively low portion of contacts.

However, according to the advisors polled, they are far more likely to value and to take action from face-to-face contacts in their office. The survey found that advisors are three times as likely to pay attention to in-person visits compared with e-mails or telephone calls.

The firms recognized by advisors for having the most useful marketing/sales outreach are American Funds, JP Morgan, BlackRock/iShares, Franklin Templeton and Fidelity.

To get advisors' attention, they suggested making communications more concise, focus on relevant topics, and tailor the message to the individual advisor and the client base served. Many also suggest reducing the volume of contacts directed at them.

"There is a huge investment being made by providers and distributors in delivering information to advisors, so it is important to have insight on how advisors actually perceive these contacts, what can be done to improve advisors' processing of these messages, and what sources and formats are most relevant," added Schneider.