Fear sells, who's buying?

CONTRARIAN INVESTOR

Fear sells. This beastly insight into best business practice was revealed to me a few weeks back courtesy of the editor of a leading financial publication.

Asked at a City event how she generates interest in her publication, the widely respected editor admitted that the only thing that works was to scare the living daylights out of people and then do a damned good job of retaining them as clients afterwards, with good editorial copy in her case. I share this slightly maudlin observation with you because I would contend the retail advisory space needs to up the ante and get better at selling fear. In my opinion most advisers, networks and fund managers, are just too nice suggesting that “if you were so kind as to consider buying a product, b...