6 Financial Planning Seminar Topics that Will Attract Prospects and How to Deliver Them (2024)

In retirement planning, free seminars to the public are a proven way to attract prospects and convert them to clients.

But for financial planning seminars to be successful, you must first determine what topics will interest your ideal client. In other words, the flashiest direct mailers won’t get people in seats if the topic doesn’t resonate with them. Consider partnering with subject matter experts on topics of importance to people approaching retirement in a “Retirement Transitions Series.” By offering free, educational financial planning seminars, you position yourself as a helpful resource in your community. You’ll be seen as the retirement expert, overseeing all aspects of retirement financial planning.

Your clients may think they know what’s best for their retirement, but you know you can help them make smarter decisions and avoid costly mistakes by optimizing their Social Security benefits or comparing alternate tax distribution strategies.

Here are six topics routinely used by Covisum subscribers to attract prospects to free financial planning seminars.

1. Social Security Strategies

Because age 62 is the earliest workers can start taking Social Security, people approaching this age generally have a lot of questions, starting with, “should I take it early or wait?” The majority of people begin collecting earlier than their Full Retirement Age — a decision that often means they’re losing out on thousands of dollars. One of the biggest opportunities in the marketplace is for advice on Social Security. Imagine being the person to help them realize they could have lost thousands of dollars. When you present on this topic at your financial planning seminar, prospects will want to sit with you and discuss their strategies.

2. Tax-Efficient Retirement

People headed into retirement need to know that taxes are different in retirement. Even with the recent Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, middle income retirees can face federal tax rates as high as 49.25% on each additional withdrawal from a retirement account. When you present the facts on how taxes really work, you show clients your value, and they’ll sign up for a consultation.

Want help with the first meeting AFTER the seminar? Download this free checklist.

3. Portfolio Risk Analysis

Clients are often blind to market risk and typically don’t have accurate downside expectations — either too conservative or too reckless, leading to sub-optimal investment allocations. Advisor-client discussions are changing, and as the market moves closer and closer to the longest bull market in history, many clients are also asking questions about what will happen to their investment portfolios in the next market crash. Advisors who can analyze portfolio risk and help clients avoid costly behavioral mistakes will be positioned to add business to their practice. After presenting on this topic at your financial planning seminar, clients will want you to help them be positioned properly for the next down market.

4. Long-Term Planning

Pre-retirees fret about running out of money in retirement and losing their independence, but the sad reality is that one of the greatest risks they face in retirement is outliving their money. And a single unexpected extended-care event is all it takes to derail their financial plan. Offer an educational financial planning seminar that shows how the proper retirement planning steps can mitigate these risks, and you’ll start building trust with clients looking for guidance at this stage in life.

5. Estate Planning

While attorneys draft the documents that make up estate plans — everything from wills and trusts to asset titling and powers of attorney — your role as a financial advisor is to ensure that estate plans succeed. Partner with an attorney to present on the importance of these documents in retirement planning. By offering an educational seminar on the topic of estate planning, you’re positioning yourself as a retirement resource, able to answer some of the most basic questions that pre-retirees have early in their journey.

6. Medicare

Anyone approaching their 65th birthday will have questions about enrolling in Medicare, as well as whether to get a Medicare Supplement plan or Medicare Advantage (Medicare Part C) plan. Find a local partner to present the basics of Medicare, such as what is covered by Original Medicare and what is not covered, what late enrollment penalties to avoid and other important dates to know. Longer lifespans and rising prescription costs are among many reasons why health care is an increasingly important part of retirement planning. Answer your future clients’ questions at the beginning of their retirement journey with the help of a Medicare expert, and you’re showing them that you understand one of their greatest worries.

What's Next?

As you see, these financial planning seminar topics are broad, allowing you to reach a range of people at different points on their way to retirement. For example, maybe somebody already enrolled in Medicare but hasn’t yet claimed Social Security and has been wondering what to do.

Once you have your topics and speakers nailed down, you’ll need to create attractive marketing material, like a direct mailer or emails that are part of a digital marketing campaign. You’ll also need to craft captivating seminar presentation materials.

While you can create your own direct mail pieces and PowerPoint decks from scratch, many advisors find great value in the proven PowerPoint seminar deck that is provided free with a paid subscription to Covisum software. Each subscription to Social Security Timing, Tax Clarity, and SmartRisk, comes with its own seminar presentation targeted at prospective clients and relevant to the report outputs you get from the software. The presentation is fully customizable, so you can add your own cases and disclosures. Additionally, we provide an example of a successful direct mail piece promoting a seminar series similar to what we’ve outlined above with your paid subscription to any Covisum software.

This valuable content helps you connect with prospective clients, show your value and market your services in today’s competitive environment. The software, training and support help you deliver holistic retirement plans for better results for your clients.

You can subscribe to one or all three — Social Security Timing®, Tax Clarity™ and SmartRisk.

Get your free, no-obligation trial today and gain access to the retirement transitions series’ direct mailer and presentation when you purchase a full subscription.

Need help getting started with seminars? Check out “Seven steps for seminar success” and use our free downloadable first meeting checklist to follow up with the new prospects you gain from conducting your seminar series.

As an expert in retirement planning, I can provide you with information related to the concepts mentioned in the article you provided. Retirement planning is a crucial aspect of financial management, and offering free seminars to the public can be an effective way to attract prospects and convert them into clients. Let's explore the topics mentioned in the article and their significance in retirement planning.

Determining Topics of Interest

To ensure the success of financial planning seminars, it is important to determine what topics will interest your ideal clients. Flashy direct mailers alone won't attract people if the topic doesn't resonate with them. Consider partnering with subject matter experts to create a "Retirement Transitions Series" that addresses topics of importance to people approaching retirement. By offering free educational seminars, you position yourself as a helpful resource in your community and establish yourself as a retirement expert.

Six Topics for Financial Planning Seminars

The article mentions six topics that are routinely used by Covisum subscribers to attract prospects to free financial planning seminars. Let's explore each of these topics:

  1. Social Security Strategies: Many individuals approaching retirement have questions about when to start taking Social Security benefits. By providing guidance on this topic, you can help them make informed decisions and avoid losing out on thousands of dollars. Presenting on Social Security strategies at your financial planning seminar can attract prospects who are seeking advice in this area.

  2. Tax-Efficient Retirement: Taxes can be different in retirement, and it is important for individuals to understand how they work. By presenting the facts on tax efficiency in retirement, you can demonstrate your value as a financial advisor and attract clients who are looking for guidance in navigating the tax landscape during retirement.

  3. Portfolio Risk Analysis: Clients often have limited understanding of market risk and may not have accurate expectations regarding investment allocations. As the market approaches a potential downturn, clients are becoming more concerned about the impact on their investment portfolios. By analyzing portfolio risk and helping clients avoid costly behavioral mistakes, you can position yourself as a valuable advisor and attract business to your practice.

  4. Long-Term Planning: One of the greatest risks individuals face in retirement is outliving their money. By offering educational seminars on long-term planning, you can show clients how proper retirement planning steps can mitigate this risk. This topic can help you build trust with clients who are looking for guidance in securing their financial independence during retirement.

  5. Estate Planning: While attorneys draft the documents that make up estate plans, financial advisors play a crucial role in ensuring the success of these plans. By partnering with an attorney and presenting on the importance of estate planning, you position yourself as a retirement resource and can answer basic questions that pre-retirees have about estate planning.

  6. Medicare: As individuals approach their 65th birthday, they often have questions about enrolling in Medicare and choosing the right plan. By partnering with a Medicare expert and providing information on the basics of Medicare, you can address one of the greatest worries of your future clients. Health care is an increasingly important part of retirement planning, and addressing these concerns early on can demonstrate your understanding of their needs.

These topics cover a range of areas relevant to retirement planning and can help you attract prospects at different stages of their retirement journey.

Marketing and Presentation Materials

Once you have determined the topics and speakers for your financial planning seminars, you will need to create attractive marketing materials and captivating presentation materials. While you can create your own materials from scratch, many advisors find value in using proven PowerPoint seminar decks provided by platforms like Covisum. These decks are customizable and tailored to specific topics, allowing you to add your own cases and disclosures. Additionally, platforms like Covisum offer support, training, and software tools to help you deliver holistic retirement plans for better results for your clients.

In conclusion, offering free financial planning seminars can be an effective way to attract prospects and convert them into clients. By addressing topics of interest to people approaching retirement, such as Social Security strategies, tax-efficient retirement, portfolio risk analysis, long-term planning, estate planning, and Medicare, you position yourself as a retirement expert and build trust with potential clients. Creating attractive marketing materials and using customizable presentation decks can further enhance your seminar's effectiveness.

6 Financial Planning Seminar Topics that Will Attract Prospects and How to Deliver Them (2024)
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