Don’t be fooled by fake marketing materials on your financial advisors wall
This is some seriously classic stuff! I was apparently added to the best financial planners of 2013. Curious enough, I read a bit of their marketing materials.
According to this company SLD Industries, Inc. :
“Congratulations on your prestigious recognition in the “Guide to America’s Top Financial Planners“. Being chosen for this listing is an honor, and your impressive achievements have placed you among the Nation’s most excellent.
Here at SLD Industries, we have dedicated ourselves to commemoration this accomplishment”
Therein lies the rub! They make money off of selling me fake marketing materials!
They continue “An exhibit of respect and credibility, we provide America’s Top Financial Planners with aesthetic displays of this ranking. Using only the finest material, your name can be inscribed with the use of this jade glass and Italian mahogany frames. From your office to your home, our museum grade table-tops and elegant plaques, sophistically display this proud moment.”
I wouldn’t dare put this junk in my office. Their fake plaques don’t make me special at all – certainly they don’t make me one of the top rated financial planners.
I’ve got some nice scan’s of their materials as well:
Just so you know I could order one of these really pretty trophies for my office. I’ve got enough trophies however from my boys playing baseball… They’re little league trophies are worth more than these things:
Boy are they expensive! Check out their order form:
Top financial planners? Not so fast…
So here’s the lesson… I get a lot of this stuff on a regular basis. If you’ve followed me for years, you know at least once a year I come up with some good stuff like this.
The fact is there are three credentials that matter. A CFP, a ChFC, and a PFS. I don’t understand why any investor would work with a financial advisor who didn’t have one or more of those credentials.
All of the awards and other junk is worthless! Don’t fall for it, do your homework.
Fancy titles and worthless credentials aren’t going to make you rich, but they can make you POOR! Get a great fee only fiduciary financial advisor, specifically from NAPFA.org, and you won’t be disappointed!