If you’re like most advisors, you’re not a marketing mastermind by nature. Your underlying talents, strengths, and passion are incorporated into the financial planning or wealth management solutions you provide your clients. (Isn’t that what called you to this profession in the first place?)
As a financial advisor—if you are fulfilling your unique professional purpose—then you’re probably motivated by creating opportunities to find, serve, and help your ideal clients.
So, how do you do that?
Let’s talk foundation.
No matter what marketing methodologies or mix you’re using…
THE MOST IMPORTANT AND CRUCIAL MARKETING ACTIVITY YOU WILL EVER DO IS TO DEFINE AND ARTICULATE YOUR UNIQUE STORY AND VALUE PROPOSITION.
“I’m an experienced financial advisor who provides comprehensive, holistic planning services to my clients.”
Sound familiar?
If this is the type of messaging you’re sharing with the world, the likelihood of your ideal audience discovering you is pretty low.
Put yourself in the shoes of a potential client who knows nothing about you or your firm. They’ve reached a crucial point or life event and they’ve become clear about needing to find a financial advisor to guide them through their situation. One evening, after a long week of work, they’re doing some online research to find an advisor in their area. They’re looking for information and connection.
Based on what they’re reading about the five planning firms they’re scrolling through online, you all appear to do exactly the same thing. YOU know that’s not true, but unfortunately your reader—who could possibly be the perfect for you and your unique service offering—can’t tell the difference between you and these other advisors. You’re all (more or less) telling the same story.
How effective can a marketing strategy be, if its foundation is built upon the same bland message used by the vast majority of advisors? What makes you and your story stand out…so that someone who may truly need you can find you in the sea of sameness? Even if you and your ideal clients ARE PERFECTLY MADE FOR EACH OTHER, how will those potential clients ever find you if you haven’t implemented a system to attract them?
The goal is to put the right message and strategy in place to create leads who have the most significant likelihood of grasping, appreciating, and NEEDING the value of your advice and unique experience you bring to the table.
So…. where does a busy advisor begin? Is there a roadmap you can follow to help you stand out in a crowded market?
We think so.
- Evaluate
- Deconstruct
- Adapt
- Reconstruct
- Execute
- Repeat/Evolve
1) Evaluate.
Where are you today? What’s your message? How’s it going for you? Is it attracting right-fit clients–the ones you’re happy to serve…who grasp and appreciate the value you bring as an advisor, which makes what you do–and how you do it–uniquely YOURS? If not, spend some time doing the hard work to dig deeper into your message.
If you can develop and tell your story with an emphasis on empathy and authenticity, you’re on the right path. What problem(s) do you love to solve for your ideal clients? Work this into your message so more clients who have that unique problem can find you.
2) Deconstruct.
Do you have a marketing strategy? What’s working and what’s not? Here’s a common problem: Most advisors know they need to do something to change, but it’s so much easier NOT to change. It’s also easier to find a short-term solution so you can feel like you’ve “checked it off your list” and move onto the next priority.
For example, does it make sense to invest in an automated marketing program if it doesn’t effectively tell your unique story? Remember that your tribe can’t find you unless you’ve articulated your distinctive message and put it out into the world for those right-fit, ideal clients you were meant to serve, to discover.
3) Adapt.
What’s most crucial to you right now? Lifestyle, growth, or legacy? No matter their answer to this question, it’s common for advisors to reach a point in their business journey where they recognize the need to shed the non-client-facing, joyless, unmotivating activities from their plates.
When advisors have a mindset of confidence and commitment to delegating or outsourcing those activities to a trusted team or partner, they can elevate to an even higher, more satisfied level. (This mindset stems from an advisor’s understanding that the more time and energy they have to focus on clients and planning, the better. Then, they’re much more likely to offer a more frequent, consistent, and special client experience.)
4) Reconstruct.
Use this information and guidance to put the pieces of your marketing strategy back together.
Get clear about which marketing methodologies you enjoy and feel most naturally comfortable doing. Some advisors love speaking in person to live audiences. Others prefer to communicate via blogging or newsletters. To create and share useful podcasts with the world. Or to deliver regular webinars on crucial topics. Lead a group conversation over coffee. Network with other local professionals. Etc. Then create specific activities in each of these areas. Calendar them out for the next 3, 6, or 12 months.
5) Execute.
Now you know what actions you need to take. Commit to taking them. (Many advisors find value in teaming up with an accountability partner or colleague to check in with along the way.)
6) Repeat/Evolve.
At least once a year, go back to #1 and start this process over again. Evolve as you go.
We know how crucial this work is, so we’ve built it into the framework of our practice development program and support we provide to ALL advisors who form a business partnership with us. They also gain all the benefits (leverage, independence, flexibility, and efficiency) our customized, comprehensive outsourcing solution has to offer.