Hop on the bus.
That is an invitation to join the Financial Fitness Tour bus that is traveling the Midwest to learn what financial advisors and consumers are thinking about the financial industry and their own finances.
Sponsored by Investopedia, an online resource about finances for consumers and advisors alike, and American Century Investments, the bus is at the FPA Annual Conference in Nashville this week. It started in Kansas City, the home of American Century Investment, an asset management firm that is partially owned by the Stowers Institute for Medical Research.
This is the latest innovation of Investopedia, which is trying to learn first hand what kind of financial issues concern the public, according to Caleb Silver, editor-in-chief of Investopedia, which provides educational content, courses for financial designations, and other resources.
“You learn a lot more about personal situations when you talk to consumers directly,” says Silver. The bus will go to Chicago, Bloomington, Indianapolis and Columbus in connection with major events in each city.
Investopedia also has a web page called Advisor Insights, which has been operating for about a year and has an excellent reception from advisors and the public, Silver says. Advisor Insights allows consumers to ask a financial question, which will then be answered by any number of advisors who are part of the program.
The consumer can select the advisor or advisors who had the best answers and can communicate with them. The consumer can even sign up for a consultation with an advisor.
The site helps educate or inform the public and gives advisors great exposure. Advisors can post research articles on the site as well, and consumers can elect to follow a particular advisor. So far, 15,000 advisors are part of the platform, Silver says.