Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Unsolicited Solicitation
Recently, my law firm was the victor in a big contingency case that ended up bringing a LOT of money into the firm. Because it was so much money, the firm's leadership decided to share the winnings with all of the firm's employees--right down to the mailroom staff. Of course, each person's share depended on their position and their tenure with the firm. I certainly got nowhere near the millions that some senior partners got.
But that doesn't stop financial planners from seeing a potential client in ever attorney at my firm. Yesterday I got a packet in the mail asking me if I needed financial planning help. And today, I got an email from a guy at a different investment management firm. I'd like to share it with you:
I was trying to stike a slightly irreverent tone, but still be respectful, but indicate that they're not going to have much success emailing every attorney at the firm. Don't know if I achieved that.
He wrote back immediately, "Thanks for your frankness."
But that doesn't stop financial planners from seeing a potential client in ever attorney at my firm. Yesterday I got a packet in the mail asking me if I needed financial planning help. And today, I got an email from a guy at a different investment management firm. I'd like to share it with you:
I thought that was kinda funny. Having not participated in the case at all, I don't think my family and friends are proud of me. Jealous, maybe. But not proud. Also, it's not like I'm a millionaire like some people around here. So I wrote back:Dear Mr. Astle,
Congratulations on your firm's recent victory in the [big case]. Your family and friends must be quite proud as they should be.
By way of introduction our group works with a number of professional people like yourself assisting them in the management of their portfolios. The benefit to them is a transparent, coherent and unified investment discipline that demonstrates proper asset allocation and diversification with no redundancy in asset classes.
We would be pleased to discuss any financial matters that are
of concern to you.Continued Success,
XXX
Mr. XXX
Thank you for your unsolicited solicitation. While my firm's victory in the [big case] has made many of the attorneys here very rich, unfortunately I am not one of them. As a first year associate, my slice of the pie was quite small. I have decided to blow it on a new sofa and loveseat for my living room, and therefore will not be in need of financial planning services to manage my windfall. But thanks for thinking of me.
Best,
Matthew Astle
I was trying to stike a slightly irreverent tone, but still be respectful, but indicate that they're not going to have much success emailing every attorney at the firm. Don't know if I achieved that.
He wrote back immediately, "Thanks for your frankness."
Comments:
this reminds me of a letter I once saw circulated in the famous chain email format... It was a take-off on the "rejection letter" from a bad job interview. It was along the lines of this:
To whom it may concern, please accept this letter as notice that we will be unable to accept your failure to offer a job, and further, I will be starting my employment with your company tomorrow morning. Please be assured that while you interviewed many people, I was somewhere in the middle. While I posess no prodigal skills realted to the job in question, I will be occupying the office with the window, until further notice from me.
etc, etc... It was actually quite humorous. And anyone could use a blast of humor while interviewing for jobs.
:)
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To whom it may concern, please accept this letter as notice that we will be unable to accept your failure to offer a job, and further, I will be starting my employment with your company tomorrow morning. Please be assured that while you interviewed many people, I was somewhere in the middle. While I posess no prodigal skills realted to the job in question, I will be occupying the office with the window, until further notice from me.
etc, etc... It was actually quite humorous. And anyone could use a blast of humor while interviewing for jobs.
:)
