There is no getting something for nothing. ?There is always a cost involved, even if it is feeling vaguely obligated to listen to the person?giving you a gift. ?We are social creatures, and we want to favor people who are kind to us.

I get a lot a pitches in the mail because I profile?well to wealth managers and those?like them. ?The age, assets, income add up to a likely client, except that I am in a related business, and am not interested in making my assets?less flexible, at least right now.

My advice to you is that you do not respond to free gifts, whether it is good food, baubles, etc. ?It’s not worth it, and if you have a need, it would be far better to draw up your own story, and send it to five wealth managers, putting them in competition with one another, so that you can compare and contrast what they do and charge.

Even in my own limited experience, going to free conferences I find that I am the product being sold, and for months thereafter I have to tell marketers that I am not interested — and to the pesky ones point out some flaw in what they do.

Your time is valuable. ?So is your money. ?Thus remember what I always say:

“Don’t buy what someone else wants to sell you. ?Buy what you have researched that you want to buy.”

Thus, make them play your game. ?Don’t play their game. ?Send out your proposal for competitive bid, and choose the one that is best for you.