Many think that people in the business of finance are quite straight-laced. Mostly lovers of math and logistics, you are viewed by the majority of the world as being a play-by-the-rules person. This week, we urge you to not let those stereotypes define your practice. We are focusing on the value of creativity in your financial advisory business. Because who says financial experts can’t also have a creative side? From content creation to thinking outside the box in crises, we believe in your creativity and think you should read these five little things that can help you apply those amazing ideas in the workplace.
1. Coming Up With Content Ideas That Will Resonate With Your Clients And Prospects via Kitces
Do you ever feel like it’s all been done before? When you’re trying to think of a topic for a blog or a video to make for clients, you feel like any idea has already been done 10 times by competitors. You may feel like you have nothing very unique or groundbreaking to say to clients and prospects. This is the time to delve into your own creativity! Before you give up altogether, Michael Kitces and advisor communication expert, Carl Richards, explore the different creative ways to turn new ideas into new content.
2. 10 Proven Ideas For Marketing in The Age of Social Distancing via Red Zone Marketing
Everyone knows that as soon as the concept of “social distancing” hit the public, marketers had to get creative. All playbooks were thrown out or deeply adjusted to cater to the new rules and lifestyles people have. Red Zone Marketing conducted a survey in June to see how financial advisors, specifically, have changed their practices, are facing problems and how they are marketing. This survey resulted in 10 proven ways that advisors have gotten creative in their marketing:
- Add a virtual entertainment/introduction event.
- Add a virtual prospecting/educational webinar or a virtual seminar.
- Use LinkedIn Sales Navigator.
- Upgrade your value proposition.
- Update Your Website.
- Add a call-to-action to your website to engage prospects.
- Post Valuable Content.
- Have a Referral Strategy for Right Now.
- Tell Your Story.
- Share your new policies for protecting clients.
3. It’s the Little Things That Matter via Sheri Fitts
Sheri Fitts, an author and influencer in the financial industry, points out the importance of being creative in the little things your advisory business does. Being creative doesn’t always need to be a massive, elaborate project that takes up a ton of brainspace. In Goldman Sachs’ case, it’s a new font. In your case, it could be including a picture of your dog on your “team” page. Read Fitts’ expert advice on how to incorporate creative, personal touches that will make your business memorable to prospects and clients alike.
4. How to Choose a Primary Social Media Platform for Your Advisory Business via Three Crowns
If you are just beginning to branch into social media posting, it may be time to get creative about where you’re posting. It can be difficult to feel like you need to be on every platform all the time. The truth is, you really just need to find one or two platforms to really focus your time and energy. So, how do you choose? This helpful guide gives insight into demographics and content types that work better on each platform to help you decide which is the best for your goals. It also prompts advisors to ask themselves five important questions:
- Where does my target audience spend their time?
- What are my competitors doing?
- What are my goals?
- Do my skills match the platform?
- Do I personally enjoy using this platform?
If you’ve only ever really used Facebook, but it really looks like Twitter is where you should be putting your work, or vice versa, don’t be afraid to take the jump onto a new platform! Get creative and get started.
5. Planner-to-Planner: Growing a Resilient and Sustainable Financial Planning Practice in This New World via Financial Planning Association
Finally, as we’ve discussed, ensuring that your business stays afloat during these unprecedented times has been a headache for most. A recent conversation from the “Planner-to-Planner” series told advisors how to make sure their practice is resilient and sustainable. They highlighted the following key concepts:
- Focus on the Practical Matters
- Find Your Guiding Philosophy or Core Values
- Serve a Niche Market
- Be Ready to Adapt and Handle Anxiety
