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Every highly successful professional has a press kit. Ed Morrow, CLU, ChFC, CFP, RFC, CEP, who heads the fast-growing International Association of Registered Financial Consultants (IARFC) says, "In China and the Pacific-Rim countries, where I travel frequently, financial planning is a booming industry! I notice that the leading annuity producers, those who help the most clients, in China and in the Pac-Rim countries, all have impressive press kits. Our leading planners and agents in the U.S. have press kits. You should be using and benefiting from press kits!"
Your Press Kit Is Your Identity; Your Identity Is Your Destiny!
All celebrities have press kits, as does every Fortune 500 CEO, senator and congressman. Anyone of importance has a press kit; you are important and should have your own press kit! Your press kit presents the identity that positions you; your true identity becomes reality and is your destiny.
Do you want to be considered an important "name?" If you are a highly successful financial planner, leading insurance agent or top financial advisor, you already have a press kit. Outstanding leaders in any profession (with the possible exclusion of "hired killers") have long-used press kits. You get the idea; either you are a "name" or you are not a "name." If you are a "name" then you are "someone" who is recognized, established, known, and a leader! Either you are important, or you are not very important! If you do not have a press kit then you are announcing that you are not a "name," thus not important, not a leader, not a top annuity producer, not well-known, not highly established, not recognized, etc.
At this point in your career and profession, you should be well aware of the benefits of using a press kit and should understand its use and purpose. Use your press kit to better market your services and improve your image while advancing your earnings.
If you want to see an example of a press kit, ask the most famous or successful annuity producers for theirs. Since your goal is to become more successful and assist many more clients, you should start your press kit immediately. Your press kit is the same as a fact file, or information folder, or media record.
Explain What is Unique and Special About You!
Your press kit works for you. The leaders who compete with you all have Press Kits working for them, and know how to use their press kits.
You "stuff," or "insert," items into your press kit according to what you are going to use your press kit for, such as how you desire to be positioned to the person(s) receiving it. Your press kit should contain any items that convey your desired destiny, status, prestige, image, accomplishments, anything positive and impressive about you and your work! It should reveal what is unique and special about you, because it is both your identity and your destiny!
Cato's Ten Items Your Press Kit Should Contain
Your black and white and/or color photo (s). Size 5x7 is most often used.
Your lengthy biographical sketch. This contains "everything" about you but should not include "puffery," lies, embellished, misleading data, or exaggeration. This should include all your designations and degrees.
Don't call your book a "best-seller" unless it made to the New York Times top-ten list. Financial planning clowns have press kits full of untruths.
Your short bio-sketch (a condensed version) limited only to the most important credits you have.
A copy of your speaker's introduction used by those who introduce you when you are about to appear at a speaker's podium. This also implies that you are frequently introduced to audiences. When you are introduced have the person doing the honors read your introduction copy several times in advance. How many unprepared people have you seen who presented someone by stumbling through their introduction?
Copies of any print media exposures you have received, especially a cover of a magazine or large-space feature articles. These reprint "inserts" separate the men from the boys, and are considered important "proof" that make important decisions click in your favor.
Print proof of anything else that is impressive or enhances your credibility, such as proclamations, awards, honors, recognition certificates, etc.
Optional is a list of your memberships and the leadership positions you hold or have held.
Letters of recommendation or letters of praise from satisfied clients. Try to include an audio, video, CD or DVD of you in action.
Your business card.
Note: Of course, you should have your name, address, slogan, and various contact numbers, on all, or most, of the pieces in your press kit.
By Wally Cato
Forrest Wallace Cato, RFMA, RFC, CRR, CPC, has over 20-plus years of successful experience as a local, regional, and as a multi-national, media strategist and media advocate serving financial professionals. For financial advisors, he creates, establishes, and maintains, desired images, then promotes those advisors within target markets. This highly proven marketing communications effort leads to increased understanding (brought about by desired media exposures) and results in increased consumer acceptance!
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