During the On the Road events I mentioned that one of my objectives was to raise the profile of paraplanners and for people generally, both within the industry and without, to know what a paraplanner is and what a paraplanner can do.We discussed this on various occasions and it was suggested that my challenge should be to get the word ‘paraplanner’ in the dictionary.
If this happened then anyone could go and look up what a paraplanner is.
My challenge to everyone on the site therefore is to supply a definition for the word paraplanner.
There is the word ‘paralegal’ in the online version of the Oxford English Dictionary and it is described as follows:
Paralegal - chiefly N. Amer.
- adjective relating to auxiliary aspects of the law.
- noun a person trained in subsidiary legal matters but not fully qualified as a lawyer.
So how would you describe a paraplanner?
Let’s start the ball rolling by getting a whole load of definitions and then we’ll put it to the vote for the best one.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Well, I have asked AQA before (a text based service; text any question in the world to 63336 and they reply!) and this is their definition:
“Paraplanners provide administrative support to financial services people, so that they can focus on selling. They often focus on one area such as mortgages.”
So, we are mortgage administrators then. Oh.
I usually get a better response from them when asking whose round it is next (never mine)!
Paramedic is another proffession whereby the prefix of ‘Para’ is used. They also do the preamble to the specialists in the area of employment. i.e the doctors (or Barristers for paralegal or Financial Planners – paraplanners etc)
So, we can be seen as life savers – or likened to at least. The first port of call in a time of crisis. What special people we are. (Rather than mortgage admin. Life savers just sounds more sexy that’s all….)
In terms of enhancing the profile, 1st Software at their conference last year spent quite a lot of time in their main address extolling the virtues of us and what we do and saw Paraplanners as the MAIN tool to enhancing any IFA business, so it is gradually happening.
Peter