Relationship Alpha: The Emerging Competitive Advantage in Wealth Management

Adapted from Charlotte Beyer’s 2017 book, Wealth Management Unwrapped, Revised and Expanded, comes a new term—relationship alpha (α), a competitive advantage for firms serving private clients and more predictive and longer lasting than traditional measures like alpha or beta. While Beyer’s book is addressed to investors, the Appendix (reprinted here) is addressed to advisors. Each of the “10 Principles of Principal” Beyer presents for investors has a corollary that a firm can apply to its management processes, culture, marketing methods, and client service protocols. Expanding on these 10 best practices, the author explains how relationship a can be securely and successfully embedded into a firm’s everyday activities, earning the trust and loyalty of private clients.