New Wirehouse World; Advisor Peer Groups; Life After Wall Street: May Research—Slideshow

He came onboard when the clearing business was, well, strictly clearing. Now the client- and service-focused Shea calls the description, clearing, "outdated."

Managing the Pipeline

Bill Good tells how to keep sales prospects moving.

At any one time, your prospecting pipeline consists of players in these categories:

Hot. The first appointment has been set. In case you are wondering, the sale begins with the first appointment.

Red Cherry. A "red cherry" is someone who is interested and financially qualified to do business with you within a reasonably short period of time. Typically, this person has requested information from you. They might stay in this condition for weeks, or even months, as you gently nudge them to the point they are interested enough to set the first appointment.

Green Cherry. This prospect is interested but either cannot make a decision now, or does not have funds available now. The "funds due date" or "decision date" can be months or years down the road.

Sales Seminar columnist Bill Good explains these and many more pipeline players—even how to resurrect some nearly dead prospects.

A Constrained World

Alexei Bayer argues America's frontier ethos is obsolete.

The global economic system came into existence after World War II and at first it encompassed North America, Western Europe, Japan, Australia and little more. Over the past two decades, most countries, many after toying with various alternatives, also embraced financial capitalism, private enterprise and free markets. But, even though the U.S. economy has shrunk relative to the rest of the world, the system itself remains very much an American creation.

The United States devised the rules that control global commerce, provided the dollar as a reserve currency and lent military muscle to safeguard the system from non-economic disruptions. Not surprisingly, these U.S.-created arrangements particularly benefit the U.S., evidenced by the fact that American multinationals have expanded around the globe more readily than companies of any other nation. Half of the 100 most valuable global brands are American, including 17 of the top 25, according to 2010 data from Interbrand.

The Research Magazine Guide to Natural Gas Investing—2011

Investors can find attractive opportunities—thanks to several trends affecting the natural gas industry.

In remarks delivered before a meeting of the New York Society of Security Analysts, John Somerhalder, chairman of the American Gas Association and chairman, president and CEO of AGL Resources, explains why he expects continued growth in demand for natural gas.

Highlights: "When you combine shale gas with coal seams and tight sands gas—two other sources that are considered 'unconventional'—your total is more than 5% of the gas we now produce in America. The 'unconventional' has become 'conventional.' "

"Demand will also grow for natural gas as a back-up to renewables such as wind and solar power, and we also envision a time when there is a sustainable renewable natural gas market that will actually compete with solar and wind power."