Now is a good time to start thinking about your plan for when this is all over. Not sure where to begin or what to do? We've got the insights to get you started.
After all the ups and downs of the past few weeks, you’re hopefully feeling more settled into the new way of working. It’s a good opportunity to have a breather, take stock and think about the things you can do or plan now to take your business forward for when we’re all through this.
Marketing and communications is one of those aspects you can think about now. By taking some time to review what works for your business (and what doesn’t) you can have a clear idea of what makes your business tick.
To get you started, we’ve rounded up some key tips from financial advice marketing expert Philip Calvert, a speaker on our recent webinar The Virtual Adviser, who has this advice for any financial practice looking to get ahead with their post COVID-19 marketing and communications plan.
Start by asking yourself these four questions:
Thinking back over the last six months, a year or even longer:
- What marketing and communications activity has worked for you?
- Can you trace back clients to specific activities?
- What hasn’t worked for you, where have you wasted time?
- What are you doing that isn’t adding value to the client experience?
Answer these and you will have a much clearer picture of where to focus your efforts so you can start to plan out your future activities. There’s no need to rush into delivering it, right now your immediate priority should be adding value to the client experience, more than anything at all. Calvert recommends sitting down with a clean piece of paper and jotting down the best way you can add value to your clients’ experience.
What marketing strategies work best for financial advisers?
There are certain marketing strategies that are proven to work best for financial advisers and you might find these lists (along with your own insights) useful in building your marketing and communications strategy. Now might be the perfect time to start writing that book you always wanted to...
Top marketing strategies for top performing advisers
If you consider yourself a top performing well established financial adviser, you may find the following marketing strategies work best for you:
- Referrals
- Published books
- Seminars and client events
- Paid web listings
- Introducers
- Search engine optimisation (SEO)
- Funnel website with lead magnets (content in exchange for contact details)
- Agencies and consultants
Source: Michael Kitces and Philip Calvert
Low risk marketing strategies for new advisers or those needing help
If you’re a new adviser or need a little help to build your business, you might find the following low risk strategies work better, the list is slightly different to the one above:
- Referrals
- Introducers
- Paid local advertising
- Paid web listings
- Seminars and client events
- Networking
- Content and published books
- ‘Old-school’ non digital communications (like handwritten letters)
Source: Michael Kitces and Philip Calvert
The single most effective marketing strategy for financial advisers
Consistently, the single most effective marketing strategy for advisers all around the world is seminars and client events. According to Calvert and Kitces, these are proven time and time again to be head and shoulders above any other type of marketing you can do.
While face to face events and seminars are currently out of the question, don’t let social distancing restrictions stop you from getting in front of clients and prospects. We’ve heard of some brilliant ways advisers are keeping the engagement going remotely using Zoom and Skype to host anything from virtual afternoon teas, to quizzes and Q&As.
Knowledge is power
A lot is still uncertain right now but as they say, knowledge is power. By taking time now to look at your business and the marketing and communications activity that actually works, you can go confidently into the post-COVID19 world with a clear strategy and new ideas to keep business coming through your door.
We also recommend you read our article ‘Leads in a time of coronavirus’.
For free resources and support to help guide you through the coronavirus crisis, including tips and advice from our team on how to work effectively and securely from home, visit our dedicated hub.
