Now, when I search retirement books at major book retailers, there is a good deal of content regarding marriage and retirement, re-inventing oneself after retiring, starting a retirement business and more nontraditional titles as well. Directing clients to these types of resources can be a great start but, for even greater impact, I suggest including physical or web copies as part of your marketing efforts and client onboarding process. It’s a simple, inexpensive gesture that can go a long way.
Additional guides, newsletters, blogs and emails on these topics can easily be integrated into your existing marketing efforts; positioning clients to start thinking and planning for potential burrs, instead of hoping they just magically go away.
Furthermore, the areas of life and retirement coaching are exploding. I’m overwhelmed at times at the number of people who are seeking information, designations and professional affiliations in this area. As a result, training and credibility has been greatly enhanced, allowing advisors the opportunity to hand pick the types of coaches that best fit their clients.
From retired therapists and professors to converted executives coaches and former athletes, there’s an emerging fleet of capable professionals who can provide assessments, testing, workshops, group sessions and even one-on-one meetings that may help your prospects and clients manufacture a better life in retirement.
In the past, I never thought much about burrs and what goes into a successful manufacturing process, but I now know it mirrors the traditional retirement planning process.
Manufacturing a successful retirement requires advisors and clients to focus on each and every part instead of assuming one or two components are enough to drive the entire machine. A fancy blueprint, credentials or precise calculations just aren’t enough. Clients need a total process to make sure all the parts of retirement—including the mental, social, physical and spiritual—mesh perfectly with the financial aspects. Doing so can greatly increases quality and functionality of life in retirement.
Robert Laura is the president of SYNERGOS Financial Group, the founder of RetirementProject.org and the creator of the Retirement Wellness Report and DividendPaycheck.org. He can be reached at [email protected].