Liberty Funds is trying new web-based programs aimed at boosting sales by strengthening relationships with financial advisors. The new programs are a part of the rebranding campaign that the firm announced last month, which includes updating its Web site.
The effort will include two programs. The first, dubbed
StepByStepInvesting, is an online education program. Advisor's will give their clients a URL, user name and password. Clients who visit the site will find an online eduacation program, customized for the advisor. The client will then be able to take customized courses tailored to their their age, investment goals, risk tolerance and level of expertise.
The first course offered will be on asset allocation. Liberty plans to offer additional courses on tax-managed investing, annuities, investing basics, international investing and floating rate funds later this year. Each course takes roughly 20 minutes to complete.
"We polled our financial advisors last year, as well as individual investors, and found that education was their number one priority," said Phil Fragasso, managing director of marketing for Liberty Funds Distributor Inc. "By providing advisors with an innovative tool to better serve their clients, we will help them meet their goals and strengthen their relationship with Liberty."
The second program, dubbed
Personal Branding, offers advisors 13 different types of personalized marketing materials provided by Liberty. The materials feature the tagline: "Experienced advice. Now more than ever." The program is designed to let advisors build a personal brand through custom brochures, postcards, flyers and ads. These materials can be viewed at LibertyFunds.com. The first 250 pieces ordered by the advisor are free, though the advisor pays the postage.
"We're trying to expand the very nature of our relationships with advisors and become true business partners with them," said Jim Tambone, co-president of Liberty Funds Distributor Inc. "It's a well-known fact that people buy based on their emotional comfort and familiarity with a product or service. That's why we want to help our advisors promote their talents and deepen their relationship with their clients. That's why we're offering advisors the opportunity to put their name on a truly innovative e-learning program. And that's why we're rebranding our funds to carry Liberty's well-established name." 
Stay ahead of the news ... Sign up for our email alerts now
CLICK HERE