How to Market Yourself as a Financial Advisor
To be a successful financial advisor, you need to build up a client base. Potential clients don’t just show up out of the blue, though. You need to reach out to them and showcase all that you have to offer. In short, you need to market yourself.
Thinking about this can be overwhelming, especially if you are just starting out. How do you advertise your services without coming across as arrogant or needy? How do you encourage clients to choose you without insulting your colleagues?
Good marketing is an art form, and it can take a while to master. Use these tips to get started, and adjust your plan as you grow your business.
Narrow down your audience
Before you can start marketing your services, you need to be sure of what those services are. While some financial advisors do a little bit of everything, most prefer to specialize to a certain extent.
Think about your motivation for being a financial planner and your ideal client. Do you want to help older people transition into retirement or create their estate plans? Would you rather work with young families who are trying to find financial stability? Maybe you want to focus on helping individuals who want to retire as early as possible.
No matter who your ideal client is, the first step of marketing is making sure you know who they are and the best places to reach them. For example, you’ll need a different marketing plan to reach young professionals than to market yourself to retirees.
Address your client’s goals and concerns
Once you’ve narrowed down your target audience, think about what they want in a financial advisor. Then, you can develop your branding and marketing materials around those areas. Present yourself as a partner who can help your clients reach their financial goals.
For example, if you’re trying to reach young families who are concerned about inflation, house prices, and economic instability, focus your message on those areas. How can you help clients who are concerned about those specific things?
Create a cohesive online presence
We’re long past the point where you can have a successful marketing strategy that doesn’t include the internet. Nowadays, a website alone isn’t usually enough. You need to develop a comprehensive online presence that includes a website, at least one social media platform, and probably some form of content marketing.
As you’re choosing which social platforms you want to focus on and how you want to deliver your content, keep your ideal client in mind. For example, you’ll probably want to use LinkedIn, Instagram, and/or YouTube to reach a younger audience. If you’re trying to get your message to older clients, consider Facebook instead.
Once you’ve decided where you want your brand to live online, make sure that your message is consistent across all those platforms. You want to ensure that people are seeing you as a financial expert no matter where they find your name and content.
Deliver great content
Content marketing is a powerful tool. It’s a great way to reach potential clients and to encourage your existing clients to stick with you. Whether you decide to use blog posts, social media videos, e-books, podcasts, or webinars, make sure the content you’re providing is something people actually want.
One of your goals with content marketing is to establish yourself as a financial expert. By offering your audience solid advice and tips for free, you can showcase your financial planning skills and set yourself up as a trustworthy source of great advice. When your content is genuinely useful, your readers are more likely to be willing to pay for your services.
Build your professional network
To succeed in this profession, you need to develop a network of colleagues. A network of financial professionals is invaluable. You can learn from them, gain new perspectives, offer your own opinions, and work together to reach potential clients.
By developing relationships with other financial advisors, you can establish yourself as an expert in the community. Maybe you’ll get referrals from other advisors who can’t take on new clients. Perhaps you’ll get the chance to be a guest on a financial podcast or a speaker at a conference. A strong professional network is an essential piece of a successful marketing plan.
Participate in community events
Another great way to establish yourself as a financial advisor is to get your message out to your local community. Look for ways to participate in events, even if it’s as a volunteer instead of a paid speaker.
For example, consider offering a Budgeting 101 class at your local library or community college. Or see if you can call into a local radio show to talk about how to deal with inflation. If you look for opportunities to interact with your community, chances are you’ll find them.
Effective marketing requires consistency
It may seem like a lot of work to develop a marketing plan, but once you narrow down your message, you just need to share it with your target audience. Between social media, local events, and online content, there are countless opportunities to present yourself as a reliable financial advisor.
Once you’ve established your channels, the key is to be consistent. Publish blog posts, record podcasts, send email newsletters, upload Instagram reels – whatever you decide to do, make sure you do it consistently. That will help you build a faithful audience that engages with your brand and remembers your name when they need financial advice.
What tools do you use to market your financial planning services? How do you determine which ones are working best? Let me know in the comments below!
The Amplified Planning community is a thriving professional network. It’s a great place to learn from others and establish yourself as a financial professional. When you sign up for our newsletter, you also get access to our online forum where you can engage with other financial advisors and get expert career advice.
