Benchmark Financial Design
Presents Mi Smart Moment
 
bbowhuis@ mibenchmark.com
cbowhuis@ mibenchmark.com
 
2358 S. Garden Ct,
Jenison, MI 49428
 
616.667.8834
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Dear Bernard,,


Do you watch the news for local happenings, world events, or financial information? If so, you may have noticed how so many of the headlines we hear seem to be interchangeable from occurrence to occurrence and day to day.


Maybe you have heard this term as a "talking point." Wikipedia.com defines a talking point is a pre-established message or formula used in the field of political communication, sales and commercial, or advertising communication.


Talking points are not limited to the media. I have noticed as I attend webinars about financial topics, go to seminars or educational events, and even meet with product specialists many times I hear the same words and phrases.


I am also sure each industry has their own version. It can be easy for people to take these verbal short cuts. However, these short cuts also make it easy to fail to deliver the full message.


As a way to poke fun of the financial industry, click on the link below. It has 4 areas of dropdown menus (after the cat propaganda). You can use the headings of each menu to create headlines that may sound like they came right from the editors of any major financial network.



Create My Own Talking Point



Hopefully if you catch us using these words they will have real relevance and not just word salad for you to digest.


So here is the thing, as we have been saying all along, we are cautiously optimistic and we are constructive on the outlook for the economy going forward (taken from the content generator).




Bernie & Chad

This week's Smart Moments: 6/27/25

HOME PRICES - Since 2000, home prices in the U.S. have risen +218%, while in the U.K., they’ve risen 252%, in Canada they’ve gone up +334%, and in Australia, they’ve rocketed northward of 390%. In Japan, however, the value of homes has actually declined -23% over the same period of time. - Creative Planning, June 6, 2025

FLIGHT COSTS - If you’re looking to fly cheap, Ft. Lauderdale (FLL) is the least expensive airport in the U.S. for domestic flights, with fares averaging just $252. While the national average currently sits at around $366 per flight, airports such as Washington D.C. charge a whopping $473 on average, which is nearly a 30% difference vs. the average, and a whopping 88% higher when compared to flying out of Tampa. - Axios, February 20, 2025

“Marketing is no longer about the stuff that you make, but about the stories you tell.”

  • Seth Godin, author, entrepreneur, marketer, and public speaker
Investment Advisor Representative of and Securities offered through Founders Financial Securities, LLC. Member FINRA, SIPC and Registered Investment Advisor.