Merrill Cash Balance Program In-A-Box
Advisor Campaign Strategy
Campaigns At-A-Glance | Advisor Campaign | WBS Campaign | Campaign Content
The approach is simple: Give advisors information tailored to their interest and understanding of cash balance plans.
Campaign highlights:
Showcase how cash balance plans help advisors stand out, achieve growth goals, attract substantial annual inflows, and strengthen relationships with business owners.
Encourage advisors to schedule an illustration meeting with you.
Emphasize the timely opportunity for advisors to contact business owners in Q1 2025 to discuss why it’s not too late to accelerate retirement contributions and significantly lower 2024 tax bills.
Cash Balance Advisor Campaigns
The table below outlines how to contact advisors using the Merrill Cash Balance Coach® training registrant list, based on their attendance at the training.
CB Coach follow-up: Advisor has registered for a recent Coach training session | ||
Action | Timing | Resources |
Send a follow-up email to those who attended a recent Coach session and offer to connect. | As soon as possible after Coach session | CB Coach follow-up email 1a + CB Coach follow-up email 1b + 2024 contribution limits + Advisor Playbook |
Send a follow-up email to those who registered but didn’t attend the Coach session, offering to connect. | As soon as possible after Coach session | CB Coach follow-up email 1b + 2024 contribution limits + Advisor Playbook |
Once the FA has expressed an interest in an illustration meeting go to the beginning of Path 1. | ||
The table below outlines the sequence of emails and touchpoints for the 45-day campaign in early 2025. After day 3, the RVP can choose different paths based on the FA’s interest and familiarity with cash balance plans.
Intro | Path 1 - Interested in CB | Path 2 - Somewhat interested in CB | Path 3 - Not familiar with CB
Intro to cash balance: RVP has the advisor’s email address because
| ||
Action | Timing | Resources |
Send email to advisor to introduce the value cash balance plans bring to a practice | Day 1 | |
Send email to advisor to introduce Q1 tax-planning opportunity | Day 7 | |
Have follow-up conversation with advisor to reiterate the magnitude of the opportunity | As soon as RVP can get face/phone time with FA | |
Choose one of the three following paths depending on the FA’s interest and knowledge of cash balance plans
Path 1: Hot opportunity – Advisor is very interested
Advisor has directly expressed high interest in cash balance plans and seeing an illustration
Path 2: Warm opportunity – Advisor is somewhat interested
Advisor has expressed some interest in cash balance plans or retirement plans generally either to the RVP or WBS
Path 3: Cool opportunity – Advisor is not yet interested
Advisor hasn’t expressed interest in cash balance plans or retirement plans generally
Path 1: Hot opportunity – Advisor has directly expressed high interest in learning more about cash balance plans and seeing an illustration | ||
Action | Timing | Resources |
Send email to share sample illustration and schedule walk-through meeting | Day 10 | |
Send email to schedule and gather inputs for customized illustration meeting | Within 1 day after initial meeting | |
Send first follow-up email after customized illustration meeting, including cash balance overview flyer and email template for FA to use with clients/prospects | 1 day after illustration meeting | |
Path 2: Warm opportunity – Advisor has expressed some interest in cash balance plans or retirement plans generally either to the you or WBS | ||
Action | Timing | Resources |
Send email with second case study; remind FA of illustration meeting offer | Day 10 | |
Send email about ideal cash balance candidates; offer to review lists | Day 17 | |
Once the advisor has expressed an interest in an illustration meeting go to the beginning of Path 1 | ||
Path 3: Cold opportunity – Advisor hasn’t expressed interest in cash balance plans or retirement plans generally | ||
Action | Timing | Resources |
Send email inviting FA to Cash Balance Coach webinar | Day 10 | Email P3.1 + link to webinar registration |
If FA registers for Coach, go to the CB Coach follow-up emails | ||
Send email to FA’s who haven’t responded to any outreach encouraging them to reach out with questions or start the conversation when the time is right | Day 20 | |
Advisor Campaign - Promoting cash balance plans to Merrill financial advisors.
Merrill Coach® training follow-up
Introducing cash balance
Path 1: Advisor highly interested in cash balance plans
Path 2: Advisor somewhat interested in cash balance plans
Path 3: Advisor hasn’t expressed interest in cash balance plans
Social:
WBS Campaign - Positioning RVPs as WBSs’ trusted resource for driving cash balance adoption and supporting their Merrill advisors.
Introducing cash balance
WBS interested in hosting a presentation, strong RVP/WBS relationship
Email #3 (post presentation)
Email #4 (post presentation)
WBS hasn’t expressed interest in hosting a presentation, good RVP/WBS relationship
WBS hasn’t expressed interest in hosting a presentation, RVP/WBS relationship not established
Cash balance presentation materials
Cash balance resources
The table below outlines how to contact advisors using the Merrill Cash Balance Coach® training registrant list, based on their attendance at the training.
CB Coach follow-up: Advisor has registered for a recent Coach training session | ||
Action | Timing | Resources |
Send a follow-up email to those who attended a recent Coach session and offer to connect. | As soon as possible after Coach session | CB Coach follow-up email 1a + CB Coach follow-up email 1b + 2024 contribution limits + Advisor Playbook |
Send a follow-up email to those who registered but didn’t attend the Coach session, offering to connect. | As soon as possible after Coach session | CB Coach follow-up email 1b + 2024 contribution limits + Advisor Playbook |
Once the FA has expressed an interest in an illustration meeting go to the beginning of Path 1. | ||
The table below outlines the sequence of emails and touchpoints for the 45-day campaign in early 2025. After day 3, the RVP can choose different paths based on the FA’s interest and familiarity with cash balance plans.
Intro | Path 1 - Interested in CB | Path 2 - Somewhat interested in CB | Path 3 - Not familiar with CB
Intro to cash balance: RVP has the advisor’s email address because
| ||
Action | Timing | Resources |
Send email to advisor to introduce the value cash balance plans bring to a practice | Day 1 | |
Send email to advisor to introduce Q1 tax-planning opportunity | Day 7 | |
Have follow-up conversation with advisor to reiterate the magnitude of the opportunity | As soon as RVP can get face/phone time with FA | |
Choose one of the three following paths depending on the FA’s interest and knowledge of cash balance plans
Path 1: Hot opportunity – Advisor is very interested
Advisor has directly expressed high interest in cash balance plans and seeing an illustration
Path 2: Warm opportunity – Advisor is somewhat interested
Advisor has expressed some interest in cash balance plans or retirement plans generally either to the RVP or WBS
Path 3: Cool opportunity – Advisor is not yet interested
Advisor hasn’t expressed interest in cash balance plans or retirement plans generally
Path 1: Hot opportunity – Advisor has directly expressed high interest in learning more about cash balance plans and seeing an illustration | ||
Action | Timing | Resources |
Send email to share sample illustration and schedule walk-through meeting | Day 10 | |
Send email to schedule and gather inputs for customized illustration meeting | Within 1 day after initial meeting | |
Send first follow-up email after customized illustration meeting, including cash balance overview flyer and email template for FA to use with clients/prospects | 1 day after illustration meeting | |
Path 2: Warm opportunity – Advisor has expressed some interest in cash balance plans or retirement plans generally either to the you or WBS | ||
Action | Timing | Resources |
Send email with second case study; remind FA of illustration meeting offer | Day 10 | |
Send email about ideal cash balance candidates; offer to review lists | Day 17 | |
Once the advisor has expressed an interest in an illustration meeting go to the beginning of Path 1 | ||
Path 3: Cold opportunity – Advisor hasn’t expressed interest in cash balance plans or retirement plans generally | ||
Action | Timing | Resources |
Send email inviting FA to Cash Balance Coach webinar | Day 10 | Email P3.1 + link to webinar registration |
If FA registers for Coach, go to the CB Coach follow-up emails | ||
Send email to FA’s who haven’t responded to any outreach encouraging them to reach out with questions or start the conversation when the time is right | Day 20 | |
Advisor Campaign - Promoting cash balance plans to Merrill financial advisors.
Merrill Coach® training follow-up
Introducing cash balance
Path 1: Advisor highly interested in cash balance plans
Path 2: Advisor somewhat interested in cash balance plans
Path 3: Advisor hasn’t expressed interest in cash balance plans
Social:
WBS Campaign - Positioning RVPs as WBSs’ trusted resource for driving cash balance adoption and supporting their Merrill advisors.
Introducing cash balance
WBS interested in hosting a presentation, strong RVP/WBS relationship
Email #3 (post presentation)
Email #4 (post presentation)
WBS hasn’t expressed interest in hosting a presentation, good RVP/WBS relationship
WBS hasn’t expressed interest in hosting a presentation, RVP/WBS relationship not established
Cash balance presentation materials
Cash balance resources