Cetera Financial Group Announces Commitment to Develop Next Generation Financial Advisor Practice Management Resources with Launch of Connect2Clients® Marketing Platform for Advisors

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 27, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Cetera Financial Group (Cetera), a leading network of independent broker-dealer firms, announced today the launch of its comprehensive new Connect2Clients® (C2C) marketing portal for all of its member broker-dealers and financial advisors. The proprietary new C2C platform will allow advisors to seamlessly develop and oversee ongoing and personalized communications efforts across all available digital channels, including email, website updates and social media, among others. The platform represents a commitment by Cetera to develop the next generation of practice management and marketing tools for financial advisors, while showcasing Cetera's dedication to utilizing its industry-leading resources and scale to make innovative services and best practices available to all of the financial advisors within its network. Cetera Financial Group is the retail financial advice platform of RCS Capital Corporation (NYSE: RCAP), a full-service investment firm expressly focused on the individual retail investor.

Cetera has built its new C2C platform in partnership with digital marketing leader FMG Suite with a specific focus on helping advisors build and strengthen personalized relationships with each client and prospective client. The platform provides financial advisors with a wide array of compliance-approved and regularly-updated content across a broad range of categories, from market commentary articles to additional pieces designed to help advisors easily connect with clients and prospective clients on a personal level. Advisors can choose and customize the types of content they want each client to receive, as well as delivery methods and other parameters, all from within the integrated C2C advisor portal. Cetera expects to introduce the platform to each broker-dealer in its network over the next six months.

Lawrence "Larry" Roth, Chief Executive Officer of Cetera Financial Group, said, "Cetera is very excited to make our proprietary new Connect2Clients marketing platform available to all of our financial advisors across the Cetera family of firms. Clients are hungry for a greater level of communication with their advisors as they work to navigate today's complex environment and pursue their financial goals, and we expect the new C2C platform will enable our advisors to seamlessly respond to this opportunity while maintaining their focus on client service and practice management."

"We believe Connect2Clients is another example of Cetera Financial Group's exceptional ability to use our scale to offer innovative tools and services to our advisors. This development demonstrates our belief that Cetera is much more than a network of broker-dealers; we are a factory for thought leadership and cutting-edge practice management tools that help our advisors grow and strengthen their businesses," continued Roth.

Susan Theder, Chief Marketing Officer of Cetera Financial Group, said, "In our experience, the most important thing an advisor can do to strengthen relationships with clients and prospective clients is to demonstrate a sincere and consistent interest in their lives through regular and personalized communication. While most advisors truly value their interactions with clients and prospective clients, the day-to-day demands of managing a practice simply do not leave enough time to maintain the levels of contact that advisors and clients would like."

"We believe the C2C platform addresses this challenge by enabling each of our advisors to build automated, highly personalized communication campaigns for clients and prospective clients, both on a one-to-one and one-to-many basis. With C2C, Cetera Financial Group is giving our advisors the tools they need to strengthen these crucial relationships by demonstrating their appreciation for each existing and prospective client on an ongoing basis that is tailored to their preferences," Theder said.

Dan Chen, Principal of DC Strategies, a Cetera Financial Group-affiliated advisory practice in Eatontown, New Jersey, said, "I have been fortunate to use the new C2C platform during its initial testing phase. The platform enables me to stay in front of my clients and prospects with relevant, meaningful content on a regular basis, and to seamlessly evaluate the effectiveness of my targeted communication campaigns in impressive detail. The C2C platform reflects yet another step in Cetera's efforts to help me respond to my clients' needs and to continue the strong growth trajectory of my practice."

About Cetera Financial Group
Cetera Financial Group is the retail investment advice platform of RCS Capital Corporation (NYSE: RCAP). It is comprised of nine firms – four legacy Cetera-branded firms (Cetera Advisors, Cetera Advisor Networks, Cetera Investment Services, marketed as Cetera Financial Institutions, and Cetera Financial Specialists) along with First Allied Securities, Investors Capital, J.P. Turner and Company, The Legend Group and Summit Brokerage. VSR Financial and Girard Securities will join Cetera Financial Group following the close of their acquisitions by RCS Capital, bringing the total number of firms to 11. The platform is the second largest independent financial advisor network in the nation by number of advisors, as well as a leading provider of retail services to the investment programs of banks and credit unions. It delivers award-winning wealth management and advisory platforms, comprehensive broker-dealer and registered investment adviser services, and innovative technology to over 9,700 independent financial professionals and approximately 500 financial institutions nationwide. Through its distinct firms, Cetera Financial Group offers the benefits of a large, established and well-capitalized broker-dealer and registered investment adviser, while serving independent and institutions-based financial advisors in a way that is customized to their unique needs and aspirations. Cetera Financial Group is committed to helping advisors grow their businesses and strengthen their relationships with clients. For more information, visit www.ceterafinancialgroup.com.

About RCS Capital
RCS Capital Corporation (NYSE: RCAP) is a full-service investment firm expressly focused on the individual retail investor. With operating subsidiaries including retail advice services, wholesale distribution, investment banking, capital markets, investment research, investment management and crowdfunding, RCS Capital's business is designed to capitalize, support, grow and maximize value for the investment programs it distributes and the independent advisors and clients it serves. Additional information about RCS Capital can be found on its website at www.rcscapital.com. RCS Capital may disseminate information about itself, including the results of its operations and financial information, via social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Forward-Looking Statements
The statements in this press release include statements regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of Cetera and members of its management team, as well as the assumptions on which such statements are based, and generally are identified by the use of words such as "may," "will," "seeks," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "expects," "plans," "intends," "should," "look forward" or similar expressions. Actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements due to certain factors.  Information set forth herein (including information included or incorporated by reference herein) contains "forward-looking statements" (as defined in Section 21E of the Exchange Act), which reflect Cetera's expectations regarding future events. The forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, whether and when the pending acquisitions will be consummated, Cetera's plans, market and other expectations, objectives, intentions, as well as any expectations or projections with respect to Cetera, and other statements that are not historical facts. Further, forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and Cetera undertakes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect changed assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events or changes to future operating results over time, unless required by law.

Media Contact:

Joseph Kuo
Haven Tower Group
Tel: 424.652.6521
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Chris Clemens
Haven Tower Group
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SOURCE Cetera Financial Group

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