So You’re Going to Start a Financial Planning Business … Here Is What You Need to Know

So, you’re thinking about starting a financial planning business. That’s a big step, but a very exciting one! Now that you’ve made the decision, that’s the first step, so where do you go from there?

Starting a Financial Planning Business

Like we said before, it’s a huge step but very exciting when you decide to start your own financial planning business. So, how do you get started and what are some of the best tools that you can use. Let’s continue reading below.

Start with a Digital Marketing Strategy

Having a strong digital marketing strategy is so important to any business, but when you’re first starting out, you need to fine-tune this in order to begin marketing your firm, gaining clients and putting yourself out there as an expert in the financial industry.

SEO Optimization
When optimizing your site, it’s important to search locally and within your niche. You need to use the correct keywords and phrases so that your firm will show up when people are searching for financial advisors. Kyle Moore has had the best luck with local search so optimize your site accordingly, so when someone types in “financial advisors in XYZ,” your firm will come up at the top of the search.

referrals

You market through an existing client base and grow your clients from there! If you already have a good relationship with others in the industry, then why not build on that?

What are Your Most Important On-Page Ranking Factors?

When trying to rank organically, what are the most important things you should think about?

what content should you have on your website and blog?

Content is king, we’ve said it time and time again, and this rings true when starting out as an advisor. It is the main part of your website and includes blogs, articles, videos and any other aspect that will attract new leads. Something to keep in mind is that it should be relevant and very niche-specific. Additionally, make sure that you are monitoring the impressions with Google Analytics so that you can see what is working for your website and what isn’t doing, as well. If something isn’t performing as well, it’s good to know so that you can figure out what to fix and make better.

Using Google Analytics

This tool is pertinent when you are first starting out, as it helps you to figure out where people are landing on your website and where you want them to go next. This way you can edit landing pages, calls to action, etc. to figure out the best path for people.

using title tags for local search

As we mentioned above, local search is a great way to rank higher when you are starting out, and a way to rank higher in this is to use title tags. This is an HTML title element that is critical for both SEO and user experience that is used to briefly and accurately describes the topic and theme of an online document. There are a few key factors to keep in mind when creating your title tags.

• It should be unique to each page
• The tags should be about 50-60 characters long
• The first part if a primary keyword and the second half should contain a secondary keyword

Using Meta Descriptions

A meta description is simply an HTML element that describes and summarizes the contents of your page for the benefit of users and search engines. It’s a short description that makes someone want to click on your website after reading the brief description, it’s important to use keywords that will stand out when someone searches for you with a strong call to action. It should be 120-150 characters, so be sure to keep it short and simple.

Building Credibility

When trying to portray that you are a trusted advisor, it’s great to be able to show credibility. When Kyle was initially starting out, he responded to every media opportunity possible in order to build your repertoire and show that you are a trusted, expert in the financial industry.

In the above image from Quarry Hill Advisors, he has included the publications that have included his firm on their website. This is such a great way to help your site to rank higher in the future, as visitors will see that these large publications found your firm credible enough to link back to their website.  Joining financial organizations is a great way to gain credibility and become more established in the industry.

Growing Your Business Through Referrals

We briefly touched on started with your core clients and going from there, but there are other ways to get referrals and that can start by:

go out of your way to work for one initial client

Even if you only have one client, that’s even more time to focus on them. Go above and beyond with them, and ensure that they spread the word to other people looking for a financial advisor.

Joining financial organizations is a great way to gain credibility and become more established in the industry.

Some of the best organizations to join are:

• NAPFA (The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors)- This organization has helped to generate 14-16% of Kyle’s referrals alone this year
• XY Planning Network
• FPA (Financial Planning Association)
• CFP®(Certified financial planners)

use An Annual report

With existing clients, when creating a report, you are showing them that things are going really well and that the firm is being recognized and then show the way that the firm is being recognized. You can also thank clients for the referrals of friends and family and this shows that you are aware of the help that comes with working with them.

use social media to grow your referrals and clients

With social selling, you use your social platforms to research your prospects, network and answer questions. Social media marketing, on the other hand, is where your brand spends time engaging audiences with the goal of increasing brand awareness to promote your services.

ensure your website is mobile-friendly

Make sure your website can be easily viewed on any type of device. If a potential client has trouble loading your site, this provides a chance for them to leave yours for a competitor, and that’s obviously not what you want!

Adjust your homepage accordingly

Make sure that visitors can quickly tell who you are, what services you provide and who you serve within five seconds of landing on your page.

be memorable

Bio pages are a great way to show personality and “humanize” your brand! So, don’t forget to switch it up with headshots, include hobbies, etc.

Tops Tools to Use

If you are starting a firm, it’s a great idea to use some type of technology. There are so many different options out there, which makes it easier to find something that will work best for your firm and make your job easier by making your firm more efficient.  Some of the tops ones are:

• G Suite for Search Console and analytics
• Loom for Client Meeting Recaps, “How-tos” and just a way to reaffirm value for your prospects
• SEM Rush for marketing analytics
• Canva to create client and annual reports and strong images

These are just a few of the tools that can be used.

Bringing It All Together

Starting a financial planning firm is an exciting time, but it can be stressful. However, there are so many different ways and resources to get started and begin building your clientele. Let these tactics be your guide as you get started, it can be a lot to take in initially, but a great thing to remember is that you can use trial and error and tweak your site to fit what works best for you.

Need more details on starting your own financial business? Check out the full webinar below.