Marketing to HNW Clients
Corporate Executives
Retiring Corporate Executive Marketing Playbook
A field-tested strategy for attracting executives within 18 months of retirement. This segment is high intent, high complexity, and highly referral-driven when you show specialized expertise.
Sources
- Kitces – Lisa Brown (company-specific retirement white paper)
- Kitces – John Stokes (employer workshops → 1:1 conversions)
- Kitces – Joyce Franklin (vesting calendar + proactive outreach)
- Kitces – Emily Shacklett (comp negotiation + legal coordination)
- Prospero Wealth (bite-sized planning positioning)
- Broadridge seminar toolkits (turnkey events)
Section A
Ideal Client Profile: Retirement-Window Executives
The highest-converting segment is not “any executive.” You want retiring or near-retirement leaders with complex benefits, concentrated stock, and decisions that can’t be postponed.
1
Pension + deferred comp + stock plan complexity
Executives juggling pension elections, deferred comp distributions, ESPP/RSUs, and NQ plans feel high urgency and are willing to pay for clarity.
2
18-month retirement window or severance event
Target executives within 18 months of retirement or facing a severance package. This is pure money-in-motion.
3
Second-career executives (boards, consulting)
Late-career transitions add tax, benefits, and entity-structure decisions that benefit from a quarterback-style advisor.
Specificity wins. A defined retirement window + benefits complexity is a high-intent, high-AUM filter.
Section B
Entry Offer That Converts Fast
4
Executive Benefits Audit (fixed-fee)
Package a clear first step: pension election review, deferred comp distribution plan, concentrated stock exposure, and tax bracket mapping. It removes friction and makes the next step obvious.
5
Comp negotiation + legal coordination
Build a light legal coordination angle for late-career execs. Position yourself as the quarterback who aligns CPA, attorney, and HR.
Section C
Acquisition Playbook: What Actually Works
6
Company-specific retirement white paper
Create a “Preparing for Retirement from [Company]” guide that covers pensions, deferred comp, and stock plan decisions. These spread internally and instantly signal specialization.
7
Severance package guide for layoffs
When reductions hit, publish “Receiving a Severance Package from [Company]?” A short, decision-focused guide spreads fast and triggers inbound calls.
8
Be where execs already are (ethically)
Consistent proximity wins. Show up at corporate HQ-adjacent events, alumni groups, or executive networks so distribution outpaces brand-building.
9
Workshops → rapid 1:1 follow-ups
Run employer workshops and book 1:1 follow-ups immediately. The conversion happens in the next 7–14 days.
10
Bite-sized planning for busy execs
Position your service model as “short, high-impact planning bursts” to match executive calendars and increase follow-through.
Section D
Timing & Trigger-Based Outreach
11
Calendar vesting and benefit milestones
Track vesting schedules, pension election windows, and benefit enrollment periods. Timed outreach drives referrals and follow-up conversations.
12
Quarterly executive newsletter with decision prompts
A short, quarterly memo that highlights upcoming benefits decisions keeps you top of mind without noise.
Timing beats branding. Executives act when there’s a decision with a deadline, not when a logo looks nice.
Section E
Company-Specific Content Ideas That Convert
13
Preparing to retire from [Company] in 2026
Pension, deferred comp, and stock plan checklist tailored to the company’s plan documents.
14
Severance + equity: 9 decisions in the first 30 days
A short decision guide that helps executives prioritize tax, benefits, and equity actions quickly.
15
Lump sum vs annuity: the executive decision framework
A neutral comparison framework that positions you as the decision coach.
16
Deferred comp distributions: avoid bracket spikes
A decision tree that makes a complex tax issue easy to understand.
Section F
Permission-Based Stages (Associations + Events)
These groups already gather senior leaders. Pitch education on retirement decisions for executive comp, with tight compliance review and a clear, practical agenda.
Section G
Podcasts & Transcripts to Mine
Turn strong interviews into transcripts, executive checklists, and internal shareable summaries that reinforce your specialization.
Want the executive retirement templates?
Get the white paper outlines, workshop agendas, and benefits audit checklist.