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IFAP ends corporate schemes with local directories and encourages IFAs to focus efforts online

As online requests for details of local IFAs have soared to outnumber traditional referral sources four-fold, IFA Promotion is ceasing to run its corporate schemes with Yellow Pages and Thomsons local directories from December 2005, and will continue to shift its marketing focus online.

 

IFAP members can still advertise in these directories in their own right but IFAP Chief Executive, David Elms, is urging members to assess marketing plans for the year ahead and prioritise online promotion over more traditional routes.

 

He comments: IFAP has put half a million consumers and businesses in touch with local IFAs over the last twelve months and more than eight out of ten of these requests are conducted online. The internet has become the research tool of choice and our members would be mistaken not to factor this in to their marketing plans for the year ahead.

 

IFAP launched its Online Marketing Package in September 2004, offering members a tool to enhance their individual online search entry, making it stand out to potential new clients.  This has already secured 30% more subscribers, than IFAP has for the Yellow Pages and Thomsons corporate schemes combined.

 

In order to generate high numbers of quality online leads for its members IFAP runs a full online marketing campaign on behalf of members. Activity includes running white label versions of it Find an IFA search tool on 50 high profile partner websites such as MSN, Tiscali and newspapers online money channels, optimising its websites www.unbiased.co.uk and www.impartial.co.uk to provide high natural search engine ranking, maintaining a high profile search engine advertising campaign and is constantly evolving its online strategies across all its marketing.

 

David Elms continued: With 2,000 member IFAs subscribing to IFAPs online marketing package and recognising the value of marketing themselves online, the argument for upping the anti on this is getting ever stronger.  Our decision to cease the schemes we have been running with the more traditional directories enables us to use this budget more effectively elsewhere, and ensures we are promoting the benefits of independent financial advice and IFAs in channels that maximise profile and lead generation and ultimately, business for our members and sponsors.

 

-ends-

 

For further information please contact:

David Elms                                               Liz Willder/Chloe Merriman

Chief Executive                                        Lansons Communications

IFA Promotion                                          020 7294 3677 / 020 7294 3681

020 7833 3131

 

    For expert comment or case studies from over 200 media-friendly IFAs, journalists should call IFA Promotions Media Services hotline on 020 7294 3682 or search online in Media Services at www.unbiased.co.uk

 

1.  Independent Financial Adviser Promotion

IFA Promotion was established in 1989 to promote the value and accessibility of independent financial advice to the public.  It represents around 9,000 firms of independent financial advisers across the UK and is sponsored by 31 leading financial institutions. In the past 12 months, over 530,000 consumers and businesses used IFA Promotion to find local independent financial advice.

 

IFA Promotion believes Independent financial advice should be:

 

        Affordable.  The option to take independent financial advice should be available, by right, to all - not just the wealthiest in society.

 

        Convenient.  IFAs should be available in the location of the consumers choice, wherever they live in the UK.

 

        Transparent.  It must be clearly transparent to consumers who is able to offer independent financial advice and who is not.

 

2.      Independent Financial Adviser Promotions sponsors

Aberdeen Asset Management	National Savings & Investments
Abbey	New Star Investment Funds
AXA Life	Norwich Union Life
Bright Grey	Old Mutual Asset Managers (UK)
BUPA Health Services	Prudential
Canada Life Ltd	Scottish Equitable Plc
The Childrens Mutual	Scottish Life
Clerical Medical Investment	Scottish Life International
Friends Provident	Scottish Widows Plc
GE Life	Skandia UK Group
GMAC Residential Funding	Southern Pacific Mortgage Limited
INVESCO Fund Managers Ltd	Standard Life Assurance Company
Legal & General	Unum Provident
London Mortgage Company	Webline Limited
Lincoln Financial Group	Zurich Intermediary Group
Mortgage Express