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June
2000 issue Registered Representative Magazine Spinning a Web Site Planner Ginita Wall’s two Web sites T wo and a half years ago, when a colleague broached the subject of creating a Web site for Ginita Wall, her first thought was, "There’s no way in hell I need a Web site." But her colleague’s son, David Barnett, was starting a Web site development business, and Wall, a San Diego-based CPA and CFP, agreed to a meeting.After discussing the benefits of a Web presence, Wall agreed to let Barnett’s firm, MindGrind, develop two sites--one for the nonprofit group she co-founded, Women’s Institute for Financial Education, at www.WIFE.org, and www.planforwealth.com for her planning firm.Looking back now, Wall says, "It was the best thing we ever did." The sites garnered national exposure, attracting publicity, other Internet gigs for Wall and some business. Both sites employ a successful strategy to cut through cyberspace clutter: useful content, appealing graphics and easy navigation. The sites are also listed on Internet search engines. Wall consults with clients and prospects on financial issues and does no transactions. She charges $180 an hour. "Much of my work is in divorce--forensic accounting, working up the financial end of divorce," she says. "I’m also a professional writer." Wall has written six self-help books on financial topics ranging from saving to investing. Those books are available on www.planforwealth.com, along with a description of Wall’s services, newsletter articles and prominent links to other Web sites to which she contributes.Wall co-founded WIFE in 1988 with financial adviser Candace Bahr, to provide financial education and networking opportunities for women. The group publishes a quarterly newsletter and conducts monthly seminars for women going through divorce. The WIFE site has a multitude of articles on finance-related topics, many from volunteer columnists. "We do a lot of content exchange with other sites," Wall says. Viewers are drawn in with cartoon-like illustrations, including a snorting bull. "We get 50,000 hits a month," she says. "That translates to 10,000 visitors. They stay an average of 14 minutes." This past June, The New York Times reviewed WIFE’s site favorably. The site has raised Wall’s media profile. She participated in a segment on women and taxes on NBC Nightly News in March. She also did a 45-minute Webcast on Digevent Money Lunch at www.digevent.com. For Business Week magazine, Wall did an interview on widowhood. She was later videotaped for a related piece on the magazine’s Web site. Visitors can also see the Business Week interview on both of Wall’s sites.WIFE’s site led to other Internet jobs for Wall. She is the Retire Rich columnist for www.iVillage.com, a women’s site. She writes, chats and answers a very active message board. Wall also serves on the advisory board for the GE Center for Financial Learning at www.financiallearning.com. "They were looking for somebody to handle women’s issues," Wall says. "I gave them carte blanche to use the articles from the WIFE site, and I wrote some new content for them."The Internet has enabled Wall to position herself as an authority on women and investing not only to the public but also to her peers. "I was asked to speak at Schwab’s Impact conference [in 1998] and for the AICPA on niche marketing in June," she says. "It’s been a very, very interesting experience."
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