Podcast Center
Video Center
Webcasts
Resource Center
Events
By 
December 23, 2020 at 10:20 AM
In the last few weeks I’ve noticed a “disturbance in the Force.” Hopefully there are some “Star Wars” fans out there. This is as significant as a market signal because the investing public thinks all financial advisors provide a similar service. Everyone needs an edge, an opportunity to stand apart. You might have one this week.
The Disturbance in the Force
People and organizations are getting sloppy. Here are three recent signs:
- Christmas cards. We send out a lot. We usually receive a lot. Not this year. We are getting far fewer. Even though people had months of lockdown to get prepared, it seems many of our regulars were asleep at the switch. We are getting far fewer cards.
- Annual appeal letters. If you have been a donor or member of a nonprofit, you know they send an annual appeal letter in the fourth quarter. According to NP Source, 30% of annual giving occurs in December, 10% in the last three days of the year! As of Dec. 20, we hadn’t received letters or emails from two of our major nonprofits.
- Religious institutions. Churches tend to get a spike in donations at Christmas and Easter. More people attend services. They put that extra envelope into the collection basket. It usually arrives after Thanksgiving or in early December. Mine just arrived on Dec. 21.
A lot of the “touches,” so important to good customer service, don’t seem to be happening this year.
