Sun Life Financial has launched a set of business-building tools to help plan advisors build and strengthen relationships with employers who sponsor group retirement savings plans.

Sun Life says new tools address the fact that plan advisors don’t always have the time, resources or expertise to devote to new practice management or marketing initiatives.

It is providing plan advisors with Building Bridges, an interactive CD ROM that features practice management and marketing tools – such as templates for a Request for Proposal, document retention policy, client needs assessment, product and services brochure and presentation and sales letters – to help them grow their group retirement business.

The content focuses on numerous guidelines that have been developed in the financial services industry to define and promote best practices among plan sponsors and service providers specifically; the Capital Accumulation Plan (CAP) Guidelines, Canadian Association of Pension Supervisory Authorities (CAPSA) Guidelines and Practice Standards.

“Plan advisors have a great opportunity to provide the support plan sponsors need to reach compliance,” said Catherine Mitchell, director, plan advisor market development and communications, group retirement services, Sun Life. “We are bringing these industry guidelines to life for plan advisors by providing practical tools to help them help their clients assess, improve and document their practices.”

The CD ROM includes :

  • an interactive self-assessment questionnaire to help advisors assess whether their current practices are in line with these guidelines and identify opportunities to provide additional services to their clients; and
  • practice management and marketing tools plan advisors can customize with their own company information to help them keep their name front and centre with their clients.



In addition, there is a special companion CD ROM that plan advisors can provide to their clients entitled Bridging the CAP Gap. Using this CD, plan advisors will be better able to support plan sponsors in their efforts to improve their plan governance practices.

“Our commitment – our promise – is to help plan advisors win new clients, deepen relationships with existing ones and manage their own liabilities as service providers,” said Greg Bell, vp, group retirement services, corporate accounts, Sun Life.

These tools are available to plan advisors with group retirement services business with Sun Life Financial. Plan advisors can contact the Business Development Director in their area for more information.