With more access to information, more sensitivity to price, and less sensitivity to advertising, customers are getting harder to win and keep. Organizations try to woo these empowered consumers with mediocre customer experiences — but it won't work. Financial services firms need to dramatically raise the bar on the customer experience they provide. But how? By adopting what Forrester calls Experience-Based Differentiation (EBD).

• What is EBD?
• Why does it matter to financial services firms — right now?
• How can firms chart a path toward EBD?

Sun Life Financial provides protection and wealth management services to more than 16 million people across the globe. Building and sustaining relationships with its customers is challenging; Sun Life's products are sophisticated, the business is highly regulated and competitive, and — depending on the country — the customer's touchpoint could be a door-to-door salesperson, a branded storefront, a bank, or an employer's group benefits administrator. Sun Life Financial US President Robert Salipante will describe the company's "focus on the customer" philosophy, and show how innovation and technology are driving Sun Life and its customers closer together for the long term.

• How will the role of agents and advisors change in the coming years?
• How should firms synchronize the person-to-person experience with electronic channels?
• Must insurers reinvent themselves in order to survive?

Each attendee is able to schedule up to two 20-minute one-one-one sessions with the Forrester analysts of their choice, depending on availability. These meeting are consistently rated as one of the most popular features of Forrester Events.

Consumer behavior has shifted in an on-demand, infinite-choice media world, challenging existing business models and creating new ones. The goal of this session, featuring marketing executives from some of the most well-known brands in the finance industry, is to help you gain understanding and spur creative ideas by hearing from others who have already begun to navigate their way through this new world. This panel will cover some of the most important opportunities and issues facing financial marketers today, including:

• An in-depth discussion of how leading financial marketers are using new advertising mediums such as video, mobile, and search marketing
• An overview of new research findings that demonstrate how online media and online advertising are working together to influence consumers and build financial brands.

Toronto Dominion (TD) is one of a handful of banks that dominate the Canadian market, where consumers give their banks high marks for service and products. Yet Canadian banks have had trouble penetrating the US market. TD's purchase of Banknorth is the latest foray. As a TD board member and the architect of Banknorth's own rapid growth into a top 25 bank, Mr. Ryan brings a unique perspective to the questions of how Canadian banks can succeed in the US and how to grow a 21st-century bank.

• What will distinguish the banks that grow strongest in the next 10 years?
• What do Canadian banks know that American banks don't?
• What cross-sell strategies work best?

• How do you put the customer first in every decision?
• How do you use the Web to scale your business while providing the personal level of service customers want and expect?
• How do you help customers achieve real success?

Online banking adoption in the US has been good — 37% of US consumers now bank online. But in markets like the Netherlands and Sweden, 55% of the population banks online. The unique online functionality and robust cross-channel strategies of European banks have driven more consumers online for their financial services. Aggressive US firms can distance themselves from their local competition by taking advantage of the best practices coming out of Europe.

• How are European banks using the Net to drive their business?
• Which strategies and functionality are becoming global best practices?
• Which European practices can differentiate European banks from North American banks?

There's no denying it: The Internet has become a mainstream channel for financial services customers. This trend will only accelerate as younger consumers who have grown up with the Internet become more important consumers of financial services institutions. New technologies enable a host of new sales and service capabilities. And new models of Social Computing are changing how consumers interact online. This panel of online executives will discuss how these dynamics are pushing financial services firms to develop their next generation of online offerings. In this session you will get answers to the following questions:

• How are consumers' online financial activities changing?
• What will online channels in financial services look like in five years?
• What must financial services firms incorporate in their next generation of online offerings?

Each attendee is able to schedule up to two 20-minute one-one-one sessions with the Forrester analysts of their choice, depending on availability. These meeting are consistently rated as one of the most popular features of Forrester Events.

When we check into a hotel. When we buy a pair of shoes. When we open an account at a bank branch. These are experiences by which we measure companies every day. However, most companies are without the tools to purposefully manage those experiences. Lewis Carbone, author of the book Clued-In, urges businesses to focus on managing experience "clues," conscious and unconscious, because experiences are what customers value most. Through illustrations from Fortune 100 clients, he shares how the systematic design and delivery of experiences can have immense impact on customer value, loyalty, and the bottom line. In this session, Mr. Carbone will discuss:

• How companies can understand the needs and desires of their customers
• What it takes to consistently make emotional connections with customers
• How firms can tap into the power of clues to deliver memorable experiences?

Today's competitive environment forces financial institutions to look to their existing customer base for growth. Many companies have yet to identify the right mix of customers, marketing and sales programs, and process and technology improvements to produce the needed returns. An organization's ability to effectively manage and influence customer attitude becomes paramount to achieving organic growth. In this presentation, we establish the link between advocacy and higher profitability, responsiveness and trust and explore three questions:

• Are financial institutions positioned to grow organically?
• Can a focus on improving advocacy unlock growth potential?
• How can organizations capture the opportunity?

Finding new customers and growing your online business requires new and innovative marketing strategies. Whether it's a retirement plan, a home loan, or life insurance, the customers expect a compelling online experience every time they connect with your brand. In this session, we will explore new and innovative ways to extend your brand and increase your conversion rates.

Participants of this session will take away the following:

• How to increase customer conversion rates and maximize advertising spend with targeted landing pages for key customer segments
• Actionable plan for launching joint venture sites with partners to extend brand

This presentation will explore the potential for financial services companies to maximize the return of marketing spend through real-time feedback and iterative digital campaigns.

Email marketing is a cost-effective way for marketers to establish valuable, interactive relationships with their customers. But spam, phishing, and overcrowded inboxes are making it hard for marketers keep their emails relevant. This Boot Camp will help marketers make their email efforts successful, focusing on when and how to use email, design best practices, list-building, and metrics. Specific exercises will teach marketers how to evaluate their email campaigns against internal goals and industry best practices.

We are providing a special discounted rate for Finance Forum attendees of $1,500.