Tips for writing case studies

Case studies can be powerful tools for the wealth management professionals who're allowed to use them.

A case study typically starts with a presentation of a client problem--something that's causing the client pain. The problem is followed by the solution, and then the client results. When prospective clients recognize themselves in the problem, you've grabbed their attention.

In "How to Write a Case Study" (available for download without registering) consultant Toby Younis lays out the steps for writing a case study. If you'd like to try doing it yourself, you may find his list of questions on page 12 particularly helpful.

However, don't write an investment management case study. That falls under the SEC's prohibition against testimonials.

_________________
Susan B. Weiner, CFA
Investment Writing
Writing that's an investment in your success

Check out my website at www.InvestmentWriting.com or sign up for my free monthly e-newsletter.

Why baby boomers will NOT offer a gold mine for financial services

If your business strategy depends heavily on Baby Boomer-driven rapid growth in the number of retirees, it’s time to re-think your approach.

That's according to "The Baby Boomer Retirement Fallacy and What It Means to You," which appears on a blog on the Harvard Business Publishing website.

Over the next 25 years, the number of retirees will grow at a rate of zero to 4% per annum, according to Kevin P. Coyne and Shawn T. Coyne, the management consultants who coauthored the blog post. The Coynes say the hype around Baby Boomer retirement fails to take into account the fact that people are staying in the work force later in life.

They're selling versions of their study, "Smaller than You Thought: Estimates of the Future Size and Growth Rate of the Retirement Market in the United States" for prices ranging from $950 to $2,850.


_________________
Susan B. Weiner, CFA
Investment Writing
Writing that's an investment in your success

Check out my website at www.InvestmentWriting.com or sign up for my free monthly e-newsletter.

The charitable trust that's best in a low-interest rate environment

Now is a great time to create a charitable lead trust, assuming it would further your client's estate planning goals.

That's according to Nadia Yassa, Director of Estate and Gift Planning for the Boston Foundation. She spoke on "Tax Benefits of Charitable Trusts" to the Boston Security Analysts Society on May 13.

Why now? Because when interest rates are low, the IRS will value the non-charitable remainder interest at a lower value, using the IRS discount rate in effect when the trust is established. That's regardless of what the actual value is when the transfer occurs. The bottom line: Ultimately, more of your assets will reach your beneficiaries because any growth in the trust above the discount rate passes free of gift tax to heirs. As Yassa explained, "A low Section 7520 discount rate allows donors to 'freeze' estate and gift values to minimize overall transfer tax liability."

A non-grantor charitable lead trust provides income to one or more qualified charities for a preset period. At the end of that period, the assets of the trust transfer to non-charitable beneficiaries. People often use this kind of trust to contribute to charity, while ensuring that their assets end up with family members at a lower cost in taxes.

On the flip side, low interest rates mean this is the least favorable time for creating a charitable remainder trust. However, in any case, taxes should not be your only consideration when establishing a charitable trust.

Want to learn more about planned giving, including charitable trusts? Check out the Planned Giving Design Center, suggested Yassa. "It’s a free on-line resource sponsored by the Boston Foundation. Go to www.tbf.org and click on the Professional Advisors section/Planned Giving Design Center. Advisors can register and have access to technical outlines, articles, rulings, news reports, and receive periodic emails with legislative updates, as well as the Section 7520 rate as it is announced each month by the IRS."



_________________
Susan B. Weiner, CFA
Investment Writing
Writing that's an investment in your success

Check out my website at www.InvestmentWriting.com or sign up for my free monthly e-newsletter.

Use personal stories in your communications

"In a sea of competition, you’ve got to capitalize on what makes you unlike anyone else."

This advice from "Feel Great Naked: Confidence Boosters for Getting Personal" is aimed at bloggers. The author urges them to share personal stories. But also applies to financial advisors, especially solo practitioners or small firms, when you communicate with your clients and prospects.

Sharing your personality--and even a bit of your personal story--can help you connect with your clients.

For example, in a sales letter, one salesman shared his story of how his family had suffered needlessly because of an estate planning mistake. That mistake fueled his passion for bringing new clients to his firm. After sharing that story, the letter shifted to discussing the benefits his firm could offer his prospects. I'll bet that personal story prevented some prospects from dropping his letter into their wastebaskets.

Don't focus your communications exclusively on yourself. Ultimately, your client or prospect will care more about the WIIFM ("what's in it for me"). But a bit of sharing can create a connection that goes deeper than dollar and cents.

Any financial advisor can heed this advice in one-on-one meetings. It's more challenging when you work for a large firm and you get into written communications. There'll probably be a company-wide communications policy that sets an impersonal tone. This gives an opening for advisors with smaller firms to outmaneuver their colleagues at larger firms.

Have you tried taking a personal tack? I'd like to learn what your experience has been.

Morningstar Market Barometer, 2003-2007

Want to show your clients how equity styles and sectors perform differently over time?

The newly released 2-page Market Barometer from Morningstar can help.


_________________
Susan B. Weiner, CFA
Investment Writing
Writing that's an investment in your success

Check out my website at www.InvestmentWriting.com or sign up for my free monthly e-newsletter.

Annuities gathering steam in professional journals

Annuities may be picking up steam among fee-only financial planners and investment advisors.

According to a press release from the Financial Planning Association:

Despite their tarnished reputation due to sleazy sales tactics, high expenses and weaker investment performance compared with mutual funds, popular variable annuities (VA) with “living benefit” riders may still be a sound choice for some retirees, concludes an article in the May 2008 issue of the Journal of Financial Planning, published monthly by the Financial Planning Association® (FPA®).

In his article, “A Context for Considering Variable Annuities with Living Benefit Riders,” John H. Robinson examines how the investment performance of a particular type of VA rider stacks up against an index mutual fund as each tries to weather two bear markets.

I've written earlier--in "CFA Institute: Consider annuities, even variable annuities" and "Financial Analysts Journal article favoring annuities" about increasingly favorable coverage of annuities in the CFA Institute's Financial Analysts Journal and other venues. More recently, annuities received favorable mention in the inaugural issue of the CFA Institute's private wealth management e-newsletter.

The Journal of Financial Planning addressed this trend in "Variable Annuities: Emerging from the Dark Side?" by Nancy Opiela in March 2007.

But the barriers to acceptance by advisors remain, as "It'll be tough to sell advisors on longevity annuities" suggested.

_________________
Susan B. Weiner, CFA
Investment Writing
Writing that's an investment in your success

Check out my website at www.InvestmentWriting.com or sign up for my free monthly e-newsletter.

“The Top Four Investment Strategy Challenges for Financial Advisors”

One year ago it seemed as if the good times would never end. Today, many investors go to bed wondering what bad news will greet them in the morning. In this volatile environment, Advisor Perspectives asked financial advisors to identify their greatest investment strategy challenges.

Continue reading my article, “The Top Four Investment Strategy Challenges for Financial Advisors,” in Advisor Perspectives.

How financial advisors use LinkedIn to boost their visibility

"Boosting my visibility" is the number one reason why financial advisors are participating in LinkedIn (LI). LI profiles and answers both deliver benefits. But tread carefully, or your compliance department—or even the SEC—could nail you.

LinkedIn profile makes you easier to find—and track

You’ll be easier to find in a Google search if you have an LI profile. "By adding connections, you increase the likelihood that people will see your profile first when they’re searching for someone to hire or do business with. In addition to appearing at the top of search results (which is a major plus if you’re one of the 52,000 product managers on LinkedIn), people would much rather work with people who their friends know and trust." as Guy Kawasaki said in "Ten Ways to Use LinkedIn." With more people looking online for services, that’s critical. At a minimum, your profile should include your name, title, and location, but you can beef it up with details, including a link to your website.

Rob Schmansky, a Detroit, Mich.-based wealth manager, likes that LI shares his profile updates with potential clients, friends, and family who are his LI connections. This may put his name in front of them when they can make a referral or need financial advice themselves. He makes it easy for his network to find his profile by providing a link in his email signature.

LinkedIn Answers let you display your expertise—and learn

LI Answers let you respond to questions posed by others and ask your own. The “personal finance” category will probably interest the greatest number of financial advisors. However, check out other categories , too.

Carlton Johnson, an independent advisor in the Charlotte, N.C. area, says “As I provide answers to questions, potential clients are always reading answers. ‘Best answers’ are great testimonies to technical prowess; however, even good and unrated answers can clue a potential client on how you are currently viewing finance world and particular situations relevant to them.”

Some financial advisors would submit answers even if there were no prospect of gaining clients. One advisor, who asked to remain anonymous, said he gives answers to help prevent individuals from making common mistakes.

Andrew Baechler of PWL Capital in the Ottawa, Canada area likes Answers “as a gauge to see what issues are currently top-of-mind with investors.” Johnson also sees Answers as an educational resource. “LI serves as a platform to exchange ideas and find solutions to questions that my clients and others may have about difficult financial situations.”

As an occasional writer for financial magazines, I see another benefit for advisors. You can connect with reporters. Journalists are increasingly using Answers to find sources to interview for stories. Being quoted in articles can enhance your credibility.

Watch out for compliance!

Pay attention to your organization’s compliance rules. One advisor told me that even something as basic as her LI profile had to be approved by the compliance department. Your firm may be more flexible. “My compliance department allows me to post on LinkedIn without their approval, so long as I don’t provide specific investment guidance,” says Baechler.

Some advisors may be crossing the line that forbids testimonials for registered investment advisors. Check with compliance before you accept a Recommendation through LI.

Are you an advisor who’s leveraging LinkedIn? Leave a comment about how it’s working for you.

_________________
Susan B. Weiner, CFA
Investment Writing
Writing that's an investment in your success

Check out my website at www.InvestmentWriting.com or sign up for my free monthly e-newsletter.

Do your performance reports send the wrong message?

You tell your clients to think long-term. But are you sending them the opposite message?

Here's one manager's take on the topic.

"...we realized that we lectured our clients about long-term performance and investing to meet their goals; however, our reporting focused their attention on short-term returns and market performance. Today, we do not provide any performance for periods less than one year, and we benchmark against CPI, not the S&P 500, to better frame our clients’ understanding."

That's according to Harold Evensky in"The Rational Wealth Manager" (CFA Institute membership may be required to access this article).

Would you consider following Evensky's lead?

_________________
Susan B. Weiner, CFA
Investment Writing
Writing that's an investment in your success

Check out my website at www.InvestmentWriting.com or sign up for my free monthly e-newsletter.

"Weathering the Downturn—with Good Communication"

I agree with the communications advice offered below. Thank you, Beverly Flaxington of The Collaborative for giving me permission to reproduce your article here.

Yes, it seems we are officially in a recession. Portfolios are shrinking—and fast. One never knows what the next day will bring in terms of rate cuts, market performance or the political climate.

What's a financial firm to do? Most people think they need to "batten down the hatches" right now. They hunker down and wish and wait for things to change. They worry about getting client calls. They worry about cutting the budget and they worry about shrinking fees tied to portfolio assets.

We've been through this before. What goes up, must come down and once it comes down, it usually goes back up again. We have historical perspective that says "this too shall pass." So, how to behave when the market isn't?

If it isn't your style to communicate when things are going well—now is not the time to stay in your style. Find reasons to reach out to your clients. Help them understand what's going on. If you are feeling concerned about market turbulence, think about the less informed client—it's a real scare to think you won’t be able to retire on time or send your kid to college next year.

If it is your style to communicate, make sure it is largely educational. Don't feel you have to justify your market-related poor returns. Explain to clients what is happening—in historical context explain what you are seeing in the market and what you are doing. Explain why you are making the investments you are and what you think clients can expect as a result. Show the clients you do have a plan and an approach. Clients know you can't control the markets, but they need to know you have a plan to deal with the volatility.

If your style performs well in a down market—tout it, loudly! We all like upside and seeing our portfolios grow, but firms that manage downside risk well look great in a down market. If you are one of them, take advantage of the timing!

Help clients think through timing. Is now the best time to begin retirement? Should they wait a bit longer? Should they look for the second home right now and take advantage of the market earlier than they planned? Should they put some other major purchases on hold? Be their partner—work with them to figure out how to manage in this environment. The down markets certainly shrink portfolios but they also provide opportunities for those willing to act on them!

It'll be tough to sell advisors on longevity annuities

Longevity annuities--annuities that kick in at, say, age 85--are going to be a tough sell to financial advisors.

That was my gut reaction when I wrote about longevity annuities on this blog. My unscientific sampling of advisors on LinkedIn reinforced that impression. They warned against the costs associated with annuities and suggested other alternatives for providing long-lived income in retirement.


Many oppose longevity annuities

For example, Tom Taylor, principal and portfolio Manager at Thoma Capital Management LLC, said "I have never recommended a longevity annuity to a client or any annuity for that matter. Building a bond laddering portfolio that invests in TIPs and US Treasury notes is a much better way to go."

Patrick Costello of Costello & Associates said, "paying a lump sum now for a benefit that won't be available for 20 years, with no interim access to the sum, predicated on the unlikely scenario that one will be alive long enough to receive a good inflation adjusted return seems like a fool's move."


Some advisors would consider longevity annuities

However, I did turn up some advisors who seemed willing to consider longevity annuities to help clients avoid outliving their assets.

"As with all insurance products, based on actuarial tables, there are winners and losers," said James C Brandon of JCB Capital Performance.

Jeff Motsco of Motsco Financial said, "Some annuities are good, some are great, and some you don't want to go near, but dismissing something based on cost without considering benefit is haphazard."

Al Aldrete of New York Life suggested that a longevity annuity is a good way to hedge the possibility that a client would live much longer than he or she expected. He said, "This is not a tool to be used with everyone. But for clients who have serious concerns about living too long (because their parents and/or Grandparents have lived into the 90's and 100's) and they are not sure about the fate of Medicare, Medicaid (MediCal in California) and Social Security, this gives them a peace of mind that they will have something."

_________________
Susan B. Weiner, CFA
Investment Writing
Writing that's an investment in your success

Check out my website at www.InvestmentWriting.com or sign up for my free monthly e-newsletter.

Asset allocation in a low return world

The rules of asset allocation have changed. Two of the new imperatives:

• Using tactical asset allocation (TAA)
• Investing in real assets

These are among the best strategies for individual investors in an environment in which U.S. stocks are expected to average annual returns of 6%-7%. This is what I took away from "Asset Allocation in A Low Return World," a March 13 presentation to the Boston Security Analysts Society, by Adrian Cronje, vice president and director of asset allocation, Wilmington Trust.

Tactical asset allocation doesn't deserve its bad rap

Everyone says, "Don't try to time markets." But TAA is not market timing, said Cronje. "It is not about forecasting turning points." Instead, it is a form of rebalancing that can boost your returns.

You might think of rebalancing as buying and selling assets to return them to predetermined percentages. That's not what Cronje meant. He spoke instead about adjusting allocations to take advantage of changes in risk premiums.

"Dispersion among sub-asset class returns reflects risk premiums that are not stable, but cyclical," said Cronje. He talked about sub-asset classes because he looks at distinctions finer than large-cap vs. small-cap or growth vs. value. He'd prefer to invest in narrowly defined subsets, such as value as defined only in terms of book value or growth in terms of earnings.

Sub-asset class outperformance can be significant—what Cronje calls "large amplitude"—and last one to four years. That's often enough to justify the transaction and tax costs of TAA.

Cronje believes it's possible to identify when there has been a strategic shift in sub-asset class returns, so you can change your allocation once the new cycle is already under way. That's a lot better than suffering for getting in too early.

TAA can deliver returns that made Cronje say, "Beta is not always boring, cheap and alpha's unloved cousin."

Investing in real assets is essential for individual investors

"Today, traditional stocks and bonds just aren't good enough any more," said Cronje. Individuals should diversify into real assets and alternative assets. These are asset classes that can deliver real sustainable earnings power.

In one sense, real assets can be defined as physical or tangible assets. But more importantly, they're assets that offer a hedge against inflation. For example, inflation-linked bonds, real estate securities, and commodities. Since the debut of ETFs, these asset classes have become much more accessible to individuals.

A typical Wilmington Trust client might have 10%-15% in real assets. But they're a lot wealthier than your typical individual investor. Cronje didn't describe the profile of the individual investor who should consider these techniques. Presumably there's a minimum level of investable assets required.

Alternative assets—hedge funds, private equity, and private real estate—are also expected to outperform over the long term. They're not as accessible to individuals. In fact, even institutions must compete to invest with top performers. Although Cronje didn't discuss them, there are new investment vehicles—such as mutual funds that pursue long-short strategies—that alternative investments more accessible.

Cronje based these asset class recommendations on a long-term, inflation-adjusted forecast for returns. He called forecasts for periods of 10 years or more "highly reliable." Of course, he's not looking for accuracy down to decimal points. What's important is which asset classes will outstrip others, and in what order.

Follow Cronje's advice, and perhaps your portfolios will be better positioned for today's uncertain environment.

_________________
Susan B. Weiner, CFA
Investment Writing
Writing that's an investment in your success

Check out my website at www.InvestmentWriting.com or sign up for my free monthly e-newsletter.

Retirement at risk, but can be saved, says researcher Alicia Munnell

Most Americans won't have enough income for a comfortable retirement. However, individuals, employers, and the government can take steps to improve the situation, said Alicia Munnell in her presentation on "Retirement 'At Risk': The Changing Landscape of Retirement in the U.S." to the Boston Security Analysts Society on February 14. Munnell is Peter F. Drucker Professor of Management Sciences at Boston College Carroll School of Management and director of B.C.'s Center for Retirement Research

A three-legged stool of Social Security, employer-sponsored pensions, and individual savings used to support retirement better than it does today. The situation is only going to get worse because:

• Social Security will replace a smaller percentage of income in the futur
• The shift to 401(k)s--and individuals' bad decisions about them at every step of the process--is not working as well as it could
• Individuals save virtually nothing outside employer-sponsored retirement plans

As a result, 43% of households are at risk of not maintaining their standards of living in retirement. That's according to the National Retirement Risk Index, which you can read more about in "Is There Really a Retirement Crisis? An NRRI Analysis," a paper co-authored by Munnell.

To improve Americans' outlook for retirement, Munnell called for:

• Individuals to work longer, to save more through 401(k)s and IRAs, and to consider tapping their home equity in retirement
• Employers to revise personnel policies to encourage older workers and to make 401(k)s more effective through automatic provisions
• Government to redefine what's old (in other words, no early retirement at 62) and to help individuals to save more, possibly by introducing a new tier of funded, privately managed retirement savings

I was intrigued by Munnell's suggestion that the government require that some percentage of 401(k)s should default into an annuity once the account holder begins withdrawals.

You can learn more about research by Munnell and B.C.'s Center for Retirement Research.

By the way, that 43% statistic might prove useful for starting a retirement savings conversation with your clients.

----------------

Feb. 16 update

Research from the Urban Institute supports Munnell's advice about individuals working longer. It found that:

• On average, working an additional year increases annual retirement income about 9 percent (figure 1).
  
• Working an additional five years boosts annual retirement income about 56 percent.
  
• The impact is even larger for people at the lower end of the income distribution.

I read about this in the Feb. 16-17 Wall Street Journal.

_________________
Susan B. Weiner, CFA
Investment Writing
Writing that's an investment in your success

Check out my website at www.InvestmentWriting.com or sign up for my free monthly e-newsletter.

"Young Millionaire Investors Best Positioned to Survive Market Volatility"

"Due to broader diversification in their investment portfolios and a willingness to own more alternative assets and newer, non-traditional investment products, younger millionaires may be more likely than older generations to limit the impact of potential market turbulence over the coming year..." according to a Jan. 2008 press release from Northern Trust about its "Wealth in America" report. A 56-page summary of the report is also available on the Northern Trust website.

_________________
Susan B. Weiner, CFA
Investment Writing
Writing that's an investment in your success

Check out my website at www.InvestmentWriting.com or sign up for my free monthly e-newsletter.

Top three challenges for RIAs, according to Moss Adams

According to the press release for "Uncharted Waters: Navigating theForces Shaping the Advisory Industry" from Moss Adams and Pershing Advisor Solutions, the top three challenges confronting registered investment advisors are:

• Increased competition from the dramatic growth of the RIA market
• Need to provide advice to increasingly sophisticated clients
• Competition among RIAs to recruit top talent

According to the press release, you can obtain a copy of the executive summary and full report by e-mailing Pershing Advisor Solutions at pasinformation@pershing.com.

Rich are getting richer, according to U. of Michigan research

"Over the last 20 years, the net worth of the top two percentile of American families nearly doubled, from $1,071,000 in 1984 to $2,100,500 in 2005. But the poorest quarter of American families lost ground over the same period, with their 2005 net worth below their 1984 net worth, measured in constant 2005 dollars."

That's according to research from the U. of Michigan's Institute for Social Research.

Related URLS:

Institute for Social Research: http://www.isr.umich.edu

Panel Study of Income Dynamics: http://psidonline.isr.umich.edu/

Frank Stafford: http://www.ns.umich.edu/htdocs/public/experts/ExpDisplay.php?ExpID=721

"Researchers say giving leads to a healthier, happier life"

Wealth managers hesitate to raise the issue of philanthropy with their clients. At least that's what I hear at meetings of the Boston Security Analysts Society.

But they could be doing their clients a disservice, according to "Researchers say giving leads to a healthier, happier life," a recent article in the Christian Science Monitor.

The article focuses on research by Dr. Stephen Post of Case Western Reserve University, co-author of a new book, Why Good Things Happen to Good People.

"As head of the Institute for Research on Unlimited Love (IRUL), at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, he has sponsored more than 50 studies by scientists from 54 major universities. In a wide range of disciplines – from public health to human development to neuroscience, sociology, and evolutionary biology – the studies have demonstrated that love and caring expressed in doing good for others lead people to have healthier, happier, and even longer lives."

CFA Institute's wealth management publications and webcasts

The following resources come from a CFA Institute press release.

Publications and Articles

Asset Allocation, Human Capital, Life Insurance, and Payout Annuities
Roger Ibbotson, Peng Chen, CFA, Moshe Milevsky, & Kevin Zhu

The Literature of Private Wealth Management
William W. Jennings, CFA & William Reichenstein, CFA

Investment Management for Taxable Private Investors
Jarrod Wilcox, CFA, Jeffrey E. Horvitz & Dan diBartolomeo

Tax-Advantaged Savings Accounts and Tax-Efficient Wealth Accumulation
Stephen M. Horan, CFA

“Managing Individual Investor Portfolios”
Ch. 2, Managing Investment Portfolios: A Dynamic Process, 3rd edition, James W. Bronson Matthew H. Scanlan, and Jan R. Squires.

"Asset Allocation for the High-Net-Worth Investor"
Dan diBartolomeo

"Core/Satellite Strategies for the High-Net-Worth Investor"
Clifford H. Quisenberry, CFA
"Tax-Efficient Management of Equity and Equity Equivalents"
Mark Fichtenbaum

"Is a Behavioral-Finance-Based Allocation Really Suboptimal?"
Jean L.P. Brunel, CFA

"Effect of Behavioral Biases on Market Efficiency and Investors’ Welfare"
Terrance Odean

"Investment Policy Best Practices: Communication, Creation, and Commitment"
Leslie S. Kiefer, CFA

Webcasts

Overview and Trends in the Wealth Management Business webcast
From the Toronto CFA Society Wealth Management 2007 Conference

Highlights from the 60th CFA Institute Annual Conference Webcast
· The Markets, the Economy, and Politics Lawrence Kudlow, CEO Kudlow & Co., LLC and Host of CNBC's "Kudlow & Company"
· The Role of Alternative Assets in a Well-Diversified PortfolioDavid F. Swensen, Chief Investment Officer and Adjunct Professor of Finance, Yale University
· Implications of Behavioral Finance for Real Estate and Other Markets Robert J. Shiller, Stanley B. Resor Professor of Economics, Yale University
· The Next Generation of Life-Cycle Investment ProductsZvi Bodie, Norman and Adele Barron Professor of Management, Boston University

Wealth Management Service Models Must Evolve as Needs of High Net Worth Individuals Grow Increasingly Complex, according to Merrill Lynch & CapGemini

"Wealth Management Service Models Must Evolve as Needs of High Net Worth Individuals Grow Increasingly Complex," according to the press release issued under that title by Merrill Lynch and CapGemini.

Download the entire report here.

PR for wealth managers working the aging parents angle

If you're a wealth manager with expertise in the challenges of caring for elderly parents, read the article below for a timely PR idea from Joan Stewart, the Publicity Hound.

======================================
1. Aging Parents & You
======================================

USA Today and ABC News are devoting this week to exploring the
challenges of caring for elderly parents.

The newspaper kicked off the series yesterday with seven articles
devoted to the topic. You can read more about the series at
http://tinyurl.com/2yuhea

Last night, ABC's "World News with Charles Gibson" aired a story
on nursing home alternatives.

Are you Hounds thinking what I'm thinking?

How about piggybacking onto this series and pitching your own
stories related to coping with elderly parents? Since many
broadcasters "rip and read" stories from papers like USA Today,
they will be well aware of the series. So will newspapers in the
Gannett chain, the parent company of USA Today. The bloggers are
probably also discussing this series.

Here are ideas to get you started, based on the stories that will
be appearing in USA Today this week:

--Today, the newspaper features articles on how to balance work
demands with caregiving, and tips on negotiating with employers
for time off. How is your company helping employees with elderly
parents? Do you offer related perks that are part of a
recruitment and retention strategy?

--Tomorrow, the newspaper will report on navigating sibling
relationships when giving care, the rise of multigenerational
households, and how to avoid scams targeting your parents. The
scam angle, in particular, is worth piggybacking onto. If you
know of scams in your particular state, pitch the idea.

--On Thursday, USA Today will focus on the risks of long-term-
care insurance, how and whether to get a long-term-care policy,
and what to do when a parent has Alzheimer's or dementia.
Financial planners, insurance companies and experts in the
medical community can offer background and commentary on these
topics.

--Friday's installment will feature articles on planning ahead
for retirement and elder care, and how to spend down assets to
pay for care. Financial planners, retirement experts, authors,
speakers and others who can address these issues can pitch
story ideas.

--If you like the series, don't like it, or have your own two
cents to add, write a letter to the editor of USA Today. I'm
guessing they will be devoting a lot of space on their editorial
pages to readers' reactions to this series.


When pitching media in your own community, it's OK to mention the
USA Today series, and offer your own experiences as "the local
angle."

Reprinted from "The Publicity Hound's Tips of the Week," an ezine
featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity.
Subscribe at http://www.publicityhound.com/ and receive by email
the handy list "89 Reasons to Send a News Release."