With the help of online marketing and social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and blogs, financial advisors are creating and cultivating personal brands to build better and meaningful relationships with current and potential clients.
In this industry, it can be easy for financial disclaimers and language to overpower the character and passion of an advisors’ brand. By utilizing blogging and social media (which tend to be more informal modes of communication), advisors can further showcase their personality and in turn build trustworthiness and authenticity with prospective clients.
1. Remember, First Impressions Are Everything
Think about what you do when someone refers you to a business, service or product. 9 times out of 10 the first thing you’ll do is a quick Google search. We all do it, and your business is no different. Therefore, it’s critical that your website and other online pages represent you – who you are, what you do and who you do it for.
What do people find when they search for your business? Keep this in mind as you craft content and you complete your online presence (website, blog, social media pages and other listings). Ask friends to give you honest feedback on your current landing pages and online marketing efforts. Do the words, phrases and visuals you are using leave people with the impression you hope to convey?
According to HubSpot, 55% of visitors
spend fewer than 16 seconds on your website.
Since your advisor website is your first impression, it’s essential that your website makes an impact on your site visitors from the moment they land on your homepage.
Also, consider that your clients may first discover your firm on social media before discovering your website. For that reason, a strong social presence is also a great investment.
2. Use Simple, Memorable Language
The financial jargon found on websites can isolate a potential client. Be sure when talking to a client about their wealth management or retirement (whether in person or online) that the message is not packed with advisor language. Instead, write in a conversational tone to make your text more accessible, and your voice easier to convert to the page.
Think about your own daily interaction with websites, blogs, and social media. How much reading do you do where you actually read every single word? More than likely, you scan to see if the content is interesting or relevant, then you may go back and read certain areas in greater detail.
Likewise, research has shown that you have just a few seconds to make an initial impression, so the more concise and easy-to-scan (using headers, icons, etc) you can craft your message, the more likely you are to successfully get your message across.
3. Show Personality but Remain Compliant
Think that compliance standards are only for your website? Think again! Remaining compliant is not only essential to your advisory firm’s website, but it is especially important to remain compliant on social media as well.
Your social media should offer an authentic representation of your firm’s values. This personal connection helps you build trust and differentiate yourself from competitors.
After advising hundreds of financial advisors on their online presence, as well as analyzing our own social media marketing, we have found that many of the best performing posts are ones that share personal information, photos of the team, or behind-the-scenes-stories.
We often tell our clients to “Share a story about a trip you recently went on, or the background behind your firm’s name, or a cute photo of your family on a hike over the weekend” if you want to increase engagement.
For example, at Twenty Over Ten we like to showcase an employee each month with a social media post pulled from our Meet the Team series:
By sharing some of your own personal information, you will develop a deeper rapport with those you serve, which in turn, will allow for a fundamentally stronger relationship.
All of that said, the best approach to stay compliant will depend on the structure of your firm or Broker-Dealer’s rules. However, there are a few simple rules everyone should keep in mind.
Do’s and Don’ts on Conveying Personality While Staying Compliant:
Don’t:
- Don’t be afraid to show who you are and share more personal information online through stories
- Don’t be wary to open up with a client; if you do, a stronger, more trusting relationship is likely to form
- Don’t make any recommendations via platforms such as Twitter and LinkedIn
Do:
- Do make sure to archive everything
- Do incorporate the proper disclaimers
The benefits by far outweigh the risk when producing and maintaining an online presence.
Wrapping Things Up
This list is quick but essential to your online presence. Keep these 3 tips in mind as you examine your firm’s digital marketing, and implement these changes to help build a strong brand.
Struggling With What Content to Share on Social Media or via Email?
We are offering access to our content for advisors to use via Lead Pilot for 7-days completely free (even on our month-to-month plans).
About The Author
Stuart Farst
Stuart is a Content Marketing Specialist at Twenty Over Ten and enjoys creating content that both entertains and educates. A Game Designer at heart, he can be found pursuing one of his many hobbies during his free time.