Opts Ideas has been a strategic partner to LPL Financial for more than 3 years, working closely with the executive team to rethink their client conference strategy and provide a blueprint for moving forward.

LPL was looking for an experienced partner who could help support their entire conference services group: strategy, logistics, budget, messaging, design and measurement. In 2006 LPL performed a search for an agency — they wanted the best, and contacted Opts because of Opts winning the MPI Paragon Award for the best meeting of the year in 2003.

LPL Financial is one of the nation's leading diversified financial services companies and the #1 independent broker/dealer supporting more than 11,000 financial advisors nationwide and had arrived at an important crossroads in the firm’s evolution. In 2005, two investment firms purchased a majority stake in LPL, brought on a new CEO charged with implementing a strategy of growing the company through targeted acquisitions, with a view towards taking the company public.

LPL was growing rapidly, nearly doubling the number of customers every two years. They asked the partners at Opts Ideas to help them with a creative and strategic plan for their annual National Conference that incorporated a clearly articulated set of goals and objectives, and addressed the concerns and challenges created by their rapid growth.

Opts' role has expanded since that initial work to include not only the annual National Conference, but also LPL’s top producer incentive meetings, which together with the National Conference provide the platform from which LPL executives address their clients with new initiatives, training and support.

Their explosive growth required that LPL re-evaluate everything about how they planned and produced their largest meeting, the National Conference. Specific concerns included transitioning out of hotel meeting space and into a much larger convention facility while maintaining a company culture that valued personal interaction—simply put, how to evolve into a large company without alienating clients who had enjoyed years of small, intimate gatherings.

Communicating new leadership and management in the wake of a departing, charismatic and respected founder added a level of emotional complexity to the logistical demands of an event for 6,000 guests.

The result of our immersion into the LPL’s culture was a clear sense that the National Conference was the best opportunity for LPL to tell their story each year. The challenge was to begin to provide a narrative that could grow year-to-year, but that remained rooted to the company’s core values. In close partnership with the LPL team, we defined a strategy that would build around key themes that would ultimately rebrand the annual conference as the #1 conference in the industry.

We began with a theme centered around the advisors, LPL’s customers, and their philanthropic work in their local communities. New LPL CEO Mark Casady declared 2006 the year of community at LPL Financial. This focused Opts’ creative thinking for the national meeting around the idea of community, with the observation that LPL advisors served local communities through strong, independent financial advice. In this manner, they have a direct impact on the health of the communities where they live and work.

Opts used the theme, Invest in Others, in the first year, using storytelling as a device to foster a sense of community, intimacy and inspiration that would unite everyone who attended the National Conference.

In 2007, we transitioned to a new business initiative, Advice for Life, telling the story of how financial advisors were called on to provide a holistic approach to advice that went well beyond the traditional boundaries of finance and retirement.

And in 2008, for the 40th Anniversary of LPL, we launched a new brand for the conference, LPL Focus, with the overarching theme of LPL Financial’s core message to its customers, Your Business, Our Focus.

During this period, LPL Financial continued to grow, with attendance in 2008 nearly double the number from 2006. Opts worked with the LPL to develop their sponsor pavilion into a state-of-the industry trade show; integrate their newly acquired companies into the conference with customized General Sessions for each line of business, and increase the training opportunities by offering hundreds of breakout sessions throughout the McCormick Center.

The partnership between LPL Financial and Opts has thrived and expanded over the past 3+ years. During one of the most tumultuous financial markets in history, the team has adapted to address uncertainties and new expectations. All post-conference surveys reflect a high level (Excellent or Very Good) of satisfaction for every key measurement. Numbers were up from markedly from previous years, where the benchmark was already very high, over 80%.

The media, namely the digital films, that Opts created for the National Conferences struck such a chord with LPL Financial that it has been integrated into employee training and recruiting.

More importantly, the conference has helped LPL Financial advisors expand and grow their practices, with many of the customers reporting that they have implemented key marketing and operational initiatives into their practices.

Finally, the impact has been significant for company culture, proving that the company can maintain a sense of personal responsiveness and stay true to its values as it continues to grow.Opts continues to be a strategic partner for LPL Financial as they continue to grow and adapt their business in this challenging financial market.