Melinda Houghton of AON Hewitt authorised rep firm Houghton Strategic Solutions has launched a campaign via crowdfunding and internet project platform Kickstarter in order to “band together and change the perception of what we do”.
“We know that the majority of planners are ethical and hard-working, and don’t rip people off,” Ms Houghton said.
“Unfortunately the rest of Australia is not so aware. It is time we all worked together to educate, encourage and explain that what we do is help people.”
The campaign will seek funds from advisers and other stakeholders and will use them to produce “professional non-branded, non-aligned, and non-product focused videos, advertisements, cartoons, podcasts, articles and blogs that tell Australia the positive side of what we do, why we do it, and the outcomes we help people achieve”.
The #PerceptionCorrection campaign aims to bring together the various licensing strands and specialisations within the profession, thereby presenting a unified front to consumers.
“Stop complaining that no-one understands you, and put your money where your mouth is to tell the stories of our clients,” Ms Houghton urged fellow advisers.
For more information on #perceptioncorrection visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/270381869/positivity-for-planners-perception-correction?ref=email
Thanks for sharing Aleks.
Please note that this is not a commentary on any association or body, just a different focus and viewpoint, from a non-aligned basis.
There are many people working hard to change perspective, and I just want to take a different path.
If you are frustrated with the negativity, then get on board the campaign and start changing the story.
#PerceptionCorrection
#Putyourmoneywhereyourmouthis
#makechangehappen
I agree with John & Neil and the Author.
This should be something that our Professional Bodies should be doing on our behalf.
Every year when I get my renewal in the mail with the “advertising levy”, I ask myself the quesiton, “Have I seen anything in the past 12 months that justifies my levy being paid”? Sadly, each year I answer NO. But as I want to retain my CFP status, I have to pay my renewal and the stupid advertising levy.
I wish that these bodies would stand up to the Government and Industry Funds and actually state what we are doing to help peoples positions.
Yes, it is a minority that do the wrong thing, but lets get the MAJORITY standing up beside our Professional Bodies and state what we are doing to help the community and our clients.
Regards
A disallusioned CFP and FPA member.
@John:
http://fpa.asn.au/about-the-fp…
All I see is anonymous correspondents having an emotive whinge without any factual basis – when actually a lot of really good people are doing a lot of hard work in the FPA on behalf of their members.
I’m not sure asking $100K for an advertising campaign is going to improve the perception of the industry….
I totally applaud this initiative.
However it is, of course, an indictment on our professional bodies.
Great idea but why isn’t the FPA running a campaign like this, especially with their extra few million in revenue revenue they’ll now be getting in the rush for instos to become association members and CFP?
All I see the FPA do is have a whinge, do deals with ISN and come out and say that anyone who is not a CFP is no good. Why aren’t they focusing their energy on improving the industry perception as a whole?