If you’ve ever searched for ways to ensure that your clients and prospects find your firm in their online searches, you’ve likely come across the phrase search engine marketing (SEM). In a nutshell, SEM includes various methods for improving the chances that your firm will be included in search engine (read: Google) results. Think of it this way: if Google’s job is to find the best answer to searchers’ questions, SEM’s job is to help Google pick your firm as a high-ranking answer. It sounds like a no-brainer, but is SEM right for your firm? As with any decision that will affect your bottom line, there is a lot to consider before making the investment.

It’s the new year, the perfect time to better your brand. Can we take a few guesses about your practice? You offer comprehensive financial planning and/or wealth management that puts your clients’ goals and needs first. You have a dedicated process that begins with learning about your clients before developing a custom plan, investing wisely, and monitoring the plan for success. You might have a holistic approach—but in any event, your firm is independent, and you offer outstanding client service. Great! The only problem? That’s what the other 310,000 financial advisors out there say.

As Commonwealth home office staff and advisors count down the days to a new year, we’re pausing to reflect on our giving back efforts in 2019. Beyond exceeding business milestones and welcoming new faces into our fold this year, Commonwealth’s commitment to philanthropy is something we’re especially proud of. Serving the communities where we live, work, and visit is not just part of our core values, it’s a reflection of Commonwealth’s spirit of indispensable service, too.

As the end of the year fast approaches, many of us are looking for new ways to save time and make our lives just a little bit easier. What better way to do that than with some simple—but fun—work and life hacks! From chilling your wine to getting control of your email, use these small hacks to see big results!

How to compete in an endlessly changing advisory marketplace? We all know that effective branding is both the key and an ongoing challenge. To stand out from the crowd, advisors must find a way to distinguish their brand communications and truly connect with their audience. A book I read recently, Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller, will help you do exactly this.