“Remember, when it comes to value add--speak of that which you know!”

October 12, 2007 Chicago--Too many firms fail to plan, so SwanDog Strategic Marketing, LLC is offering a free download of its Financial Services Marketing Plan Template through Nov. 30, 2007 at www.BeyondTheCollateral.com .

“Over 35% of firms fail to develop a written marketing plan,” says Dave Swanson, Founder and Managing Principal of Swan Dog, citing research from a recent study co-authored with FRC (Financial Research Corporation) on financial services marketing.  “In fact, only a small percent of the plans we reviewed provided any strategic direction whatsoever.  Most were little more than a hyped-up tactical to-do list. I know marketers can do better – they just need the tools and guidance.”

The Marketing Plan template is an easily downloaded, Word document that takes you step-by-step through the planning and development process.  It is available at www.BeyondTheCollateral.com, a site SwanDog developed as a companion to the just released financial-services marketing study -- Beyond The Collateral – Unlocking Marketing’s Strategic Potential for Competitive Advantage.  Both the study and the website are designed to provide a comprehensive look at marketing in the financial services industry today, and provide direction and insight that empowers marketing in this industry to begin to take a more strategic leadership-role within their firms. 

• Developing products and programs that their customers find meaningful
• Building sustainable differentiation through branding efforts

10/12/07 Chicago based SwanDog StrategicMarketing , LLC announced today the release of a new study co-authored with FRC (Financial Research Corporation) – entitled  Beyond The Collateral – Unlocking Marketing’s Strategic Potential for Competitive Advantage.  The study reviews perceptions of marketing as well as presenting a roadmap for implementation change.  

The study represents one of the most comprehensive examinations of marketing ever undertaken in the intermediary-distributed financial space.  “What the research told us is that marketers are outstanding at filling orders for collateral but simply aren’t viewed as strategic contributors”, said Dave Swanson, Founder and Managing Principal of SwanDog Strategic Marketing, “unfortunately leaving a lot of opportunity on the table.”The study reviews perceptions of Sr. executives, including Presidents and CEOs, as well as Heads of Distribution and Marketing Heads, and is the result of hundreds of surveys and interviews.  In addition, the study offers compensation, headcount and budget benchmarks as well as reviewing organizational best practices.  “What excites us about the study is not just what we learned, but that it provides a roadmap and recommendations for meaningful change that will allow existing marketing organizations to make a much greater strategic contribution to their firms”, continued Swanson.SwanDog also has launched a new website, www.beyondthecollateral.com , as a companion to the study.  It is designed to provide support and thought leadership for financial industry marketers on an on-going basis with additional editorial, podcast interviews with industry executives, blogs on several key marketing topics, and a free marketing planning template.  “After completing the study, we recognized that it wasn’t the end, but really the beginning of something”, said Dave Swanson.  “We believe that there will be a dramatic transformation of business marketing in the financial service industry, and this website is a place where marketers and management can come together to continue the dialogue and share thoughts and ideas”About the studyThe comprehensive marketing study combines primary quantitative and qualitative research of senior executives, distribution and marketing heads with SwanDog’s experience. SwanDog principals average of over 20 years each as marketing practitioners in the financial industry.  In addition to exploring the current state of marketing and the prospects for its future, the study offers preliminary benchmarking of marketing compensation, budgets and organization structures as well as presenting a roadmap for bringing more strategic focus to firm’s marketing efforts.  More details regarding the study can also be found at www.BeyondTheCollateral.com or at www.frcnet.com   About SwanDog Strategic MarketingChicago based, SwanDog is a strategic consulting and marketing firm founded by investment industry executives. We partner with companies to develop their competitive advantage in the marketplace, by:·         Unlocking their marketing organization’s strategic potential

• Developing products and programs that their customers find meaningful
• Building sustainable differentiation through branding efforts

To find out more about the study visit:  www.beyondthecollateral.com 

Participants wowed by inaugural “Fuel” workshop 
October 16, 2006 10:00am

CHICAGO -- (BUSINESS WIRE) -- October 16, 2006 -- If your company’s marketing efforts are running out of gas, it may be time to start pumping “Marketing Fuel.”

That’s the opinion of participants who were surveyed after attending the inaugural “Marketing Fuel™” workshop created by SwanDog Strategic Marketing LLC, a Chicago-based consulting company.

Marketing Fuel is a strategic marketing workshop with practical, hands-on exercises and interaction tailored to the marketing needs of the audience. Attendees included marketing, sales and allied professionals at every level of an organization. The inaugural workshop was custom-designed for LPL Financial Services, the nation’s leading independent broker-deal.

March 14, 2006—David M. Swanson announced today that he has left boutique money manager Calamos Investments to start a new company. The firm, SwanDog Strategic Marketing, LLC will operate out of Chicago and serve the financial services industry.

Swanson, formerly Executive Vice President and a member of the executive committee at Calamos, joined the firm in early 2004, heading both sales and marketing. During his tenure, Calamos assets grew from $25 billion to over $40 billion.

Mendenhall's Rock

By Dave Swanson, Principal, SwanDog Marketing