In this world of increased information and decreased attention spans, a targeted digital marketing strategy is critical to attract new clients and increase business with existing ones.
Financial advisors need to go beyond sporadic communications with clients and prospects now more than ever. Success hinges on nurturing these relationships consistently over time. Failure to engage can lead to detachment and the possibility of losing clients to the competition.
Here are five ways advisors can stay top-of-mind:
1) Branded social media postings
Stay relevant with branded social media postings. To stand out against your competitors, your business needs to gain a foothold on social media. Having a solid brand will make your social media strategy more effective. Make sure to brand your content with your business name, colors and logo. While this seems obvious, there are financial advisors who are missing this opportunity.
2) Ungated content
Sharing articles from third-party publications can be powerful social media content. These could be interesting blog posts, infographics or educational videos. This type of content can build awareness and trust with clients and prospects. But make sure the articles you post can be accessed without a paid subscription or even free registration. Users are much more likely to read and share a piece of content if it’s ungated.
3) Dedicated email campaigns
Clients and prospects are not “one size fits all” so email campaigns should not be either. Stand out as a thought leader by tailoring your email content. The email sent to a recent workshop attendee should not be the same as one sent to a year-old lead. By knowing your audience before sending out an email campaign, you can ensure that the information you are delivering is relevant to their interests.
4) Engaging newsletters
Newsletters are a popular way to communicate with clients and prospects. You do not always have to talk about finance — in fact, it’s better if you do not. Use a mix of financial and non-financial content to engage your reader. If you are sending a newsletter to your clients who are nearing retirement age, include a few articles about travel and hobbies. If you are appealing to the next generation of investors, sprinkle in some content about work/life balance. The more you show that you understand your audience’s needs, the more likely they will trust you with their finances.
5) Widespread content delivery
Do not rely on one medium or platform to nurture your clients and prospects. You need to meet them where they are. In the United States, 82% of people (13 years and older) are on some type of social media platform, spending upwards of 2 hours a day on social media (Backlinko). If you are not posting frequently on multiple platforms, you could be losing out to competitors who are.
It’s all in the execution
Staying top of mind in a digital world isn’t difficult but carving out the time in your day to implement your strategy can be. The good news is you do not have to do it on your own. There are tools, services and platforms available that can help you with each of these five steps. You may be surprised by the success you can achieve by executing on a well-planned digital marketing strategy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.