More Than you Think in this Murky Advertising World – but – Are Matching Services Effective?
By Dr. David Edward Marcinko; MBA, CMP™
Recently, I received the sixth telephone cold call from one Mr. Tim Smith [866 952 4065], in as many months, regarding a service called Prospect Match of Concord California. It purports to match financial advisors with pre-screened clients [like affluent doctors] in my area.
Of course, because of their high quality selection process, only three advisors are “needed” in my locale. I also received this email sales-service pitch.
The Introductory e-mail Sales Pitch
We are hosting a live presentation with Ilene Hirsch of ProspectMatch, and new agent Wayne Dunlap will show you a service that will prospect for you—even in a terrible economy. See How Wayne Dunlap invested $1,094 in his business to earn $39,560 and does it again and again. Join us for 30 minutes and learn how Wayne:
- Outsources his prospecting, and was
- Introduced to 73 new prospects; resulting in 23 appointments and in 9 sales.
Thank you
Eric Palmer (800) 290-7226
www.Brokersalliance.com
About Prospect Match
“ProspectMatch helps financial professionals who are wasting time and earning too little. If you are earning less than $100,000 a year, you’re either not serious, or doing the wrong things and we can show you what to do. If you are earning $100,000-$300,000 annually, you’ve figured some things out. But those who use our systems see their income top $500,000 annually because they spend their days doing marketing the right way, talking to motivated affluent prospects and they sell the right way.”
Link: www.ProspectMatch.com
Costs
The blog states that there is a one time non-refundable registration [fixed-cost] fee of $149; so that prospects meeting their selection criteria are assigned to me exclusively. For each prospect match, the charge is an additional $20 [variable-cost] fee. This is known as a hybrid business cost model.
Assessment
Here are a few interesting thoughts and co-incidences for further ME-P subscriber consideration and commentary:
- The site is a pre or post-retiree sales lead generator for the 45 +age market for annuities; typically the most commission loaded and profitable financial product in the industry today. The fear of Obama-care may be self-promoting for annuities.
- It appears to be geared more for insurance sales agents; not RIAs or fiduciaries.
- The service appears to help mitigate the so-called national “do-not-call” prohibitions.
- Explanatory sales booklets and other customized self-promotional literature are available for an additional surcharge, along with other premium upgrade services.
- We have been getting more than the usual number of contacts recently, either to buy our ME-P mailing list [not for sale-confidentially assured], or to purchase an AMA. APMA or ADA mailing list for doctors, podiatrists and dentists. These folks are apparently unaware of our medical affiliations.
- How do you feel about being called a “prospect” or book-of-business?
- I am not – and have never been – a member of the Financial Planning Association [FPA], and I haven’t been a certified financial planner for the last three years; having quit that organization in abject disgust after more than a decade [read related posts - why?]. So, how and why did they target me? Big mistake, too.
Disclosure
I am not a member of the AMA; 82% of eligible [cogent and modern] physicians are not. But, I am founder of the www.CertifiedMedicalPlanner.com for fiduciary advisors and medical management consultants.
And so, your thoughts and comments on this Medical Executive-Post are appreciated. What are the good and bad points of this service? Has any FA used it and what is your experience with it? As a doctor, how do you feel about being targeted as a “prospect” by a third-party head-hunter? Be sure to give the website a click and tell us what you think?
We will try to contact Tim, or other representative of this advertising/marketing program, for an email interview. Let’s be objective.
Feel free to review our top-left column, and top-right sidebar materials, links, URLs and related websites, too. Then, be sure to subscribe to the ME-P. It is fast, free and secure.
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Speaker: If you need a moderator or speaker for an upcoming event, Dr. David E. Marcinko; MBA – Publisher-in-Chief of the Executive-Post – is available for seminar or speaking engagements. Contact: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com
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Healthcare Organizations: www.HealthcareFinancials.com
Health Administration Terms: www.HealthDictionarySeries.com
Physician Advisors: www.CertifiedMedicalPlanner.com
Filed under: Ethics, Experts Invited, Financial Planning, Insurance Matters, Op-Editorials, Point-Counter Point, Retirement and Benefits | Tagged: Tim Smith, Prospect Match, 866 952 4065, Wayne Dunlap, Ilene Hirsch, Eric Palmer. Brokers Alliance, www.ProspectMatch.com, www.BrokersAlliance.com













Dr. Marcinko,
Outstanding post and excellent investigative reporting!
I’ve never heard of Eric Palmer, Larry K, Ilene Hirsch or ProspectMatch until I too got an e-mail blast from Brokers Alliance about a web seminar they are sponsoring on behalf of Prospect Match.
The website indeed says leads are $20 and they are “exclusive.” I’ve not checked into it in detail and am not planning on using it; but others here might be interested.
Usual disclaimers apply – buyer beware!
My opinion is to run away fast, but times are tough today. I shouldn’t think that fiduciary advisors or honest informed consultants need apply. This appears to be a hardcore sales-driven outfit of the cheesiest aroma!
Chester
Similar new profile, matching and FA review websites include:
* AdvisorCheck
* National Ethics Bureau
* FinanceAnswers
* FinancialAdvisor.org
* FABeetle
More are sure to spring up going forward …. of questionable value?
Bentley