BOSTON, July 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- John Hancock Freedom 529 updated two of its most popular marketing tools to help financial consultants (FCs) in their efforts to build their businesses. The firm's entire seminar kit has been enhanced and gathered on one CD to make it easy for FCs to create a professional-looking customized seminar. One of the most popular tools, the college cost slide projector, has been re-sized for easy use in demonstrating the cost of college both in person and in mailings.

Seminar Kit

The seminar kit, available on a single CD, is geared toward making marketing more efficient for the financial consultant. All the letters are mail merge-compatible and can be downloaded and personalized. The asterisked items below (*) are also available for the FCs to order in printed form.

    The kit contains:
    -- Step-by-step guidance for every phase of the seminar
    -- Tools to organize, promote and present a quality seminar
    -- Tips from experienced seminar presenters

The CD contains the following tools for the following stages of preparation:

    Planning stage:
    -- Seminar instruction manual and checklist
    -- Save-the-date postcard that can be customized with dates, times and
       locations*
    -- Invitation letters that can be customized with dates, times and
       locations
    -- A promotional poster that can be customized with the details of each
       event*


    At the seminar:
    -- Seminar presentation
    -- Seminar attendee sign-in sheet*
    -- Seminar attendee follow-up sheet*
    -- Seminar evaluation sheet*


    Follow-up:
    -- Thank you letters that can be personalized with attendees' information
    -- "Sorry you could not attend" letter that can be personalized for
       further prospecting

College Cost Slide Projector

Mentioned by top advisors as one of their favorite marketing pieces, the College Cost Slide Projector is a hands-on tool for both brokers and clients, and has been updated with the latest cost figures and trimmed to fit in a #10 mailing envelope. This tool is useful for opening a conversation with the client or prospect about saving for college -- or for mailing or prospecting.

Using this tool is easy and convenient -- slide the inner panel to select the child's age to see a projection of the expected college costs for the year the child will be entering college, for either a private or public school, along with three contribution alternatives -- lump sum, yearly and monthly.

"In this second wave of tool enhancements, we hope financial consultants will find it easy to build their businesses," said Terri Hayes, Vice President, John Hancock College Savings. "Last year, our fee reduction went a long way in getting the attention of financial consultants; this year we want them to know we intend to do all we can to make it easy for them to work with us."

John Hancock Freedom 529

John Hancock Freedom 529 is a national Section 529 college savings plan. John Hancock Freedom 529 is offered by the Education Trust of Alaska and managed by T. Rowe Price, and is distributed by John Hancock Distributors LLC, through other broker/dealers that have a selling agreement with John Hancock Distributors LLC. John Hancock Distributors LLC is a member of FINRA and is listed with the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB). The plan offers a multi-managed approach, allowing investors to work with their financial consultants to pursue a strategy to maximize their investment opportunities, while managing risk. Expanding upon the inherent advantages of a typical 529 savings plan, the product offers investment choices from some of the nation's top mutual fund managers.

About John Hancock and Manulife Financial

John Hancock is a unit of Manulife Financial Corporation (the Company), a leading Canadian-based financial services group serving millions of customers in 19 countries and territories worldwide. Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and in most of Asia, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States, the Company offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services through its extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were Cdn$400 billion (US$389 billion) as at March 31, 2008.

Manulife Financial Corporation trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under '0945' on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet at http://www.manulife.com.

The John Hancock unit, through its insurance companies, comprises one of the largest life insurers in the United States. John Hancock offers a broad range of financial products and services, including life insurance, fixed and variable annuities, mutual funds, 401(k) plans, long term care insurance, college savings, and other forms of business insurance.

If your state or your designated Beneficiary's state offers a 529 plan you may want to consider what, if any, potential state income tax or other benefits it offers, before investing. State tax or other benefits should be one of many factors to be considered prior to making an investment decision. Please consult with your financial, tax or other advisor about how these state benefits, if any, may apply to your specific circumstances. You may also contact your state 529 plan or any other 529 college savings plan to learn more about their features. Please contact your financial consultant or call 1-866-222-7498 to obtain a Plan Disclosure Document or prospectus for any of the underlying funds. The Plan Disclosure Document contains complete details on investment objectives, risks, fees, charges and expenses, as well as more information about municipal fund securities and the underlying investment companies that should be considered before investing. Please read the Plan Disclosure Document carefully prior to investing.

529 plans are not FDIC insured, may lose value and are not bank or state guaranteed.

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