During the summer, life and business slow down, so you may find yourself looking for ways to connect with clients while things are slower. While other advisors go into vacation mode, you can take advantage and connect with your clients through strategic and targeted outreach. Especially when the economy is volatile, it’s more important than ever to communicate frequently and openly with clients. In fact, a study from Financial Advisor Magazine revealed that failure to communicate on a timely basis accounted for the top reason – a staggering 72 percent – of why people fire their advisors.
TIFIN Clout, an AI-powered marketing solution for financial advisors, offers concrete guidance to help you do just that. If you implement some of the tips below, you’ll win the attention and loyalty of your client base.
Use the Data
As a financial advisor, you’ve got plenty of data you can use to tailor your outreach. One easy place to start is to do an analysis on the types of clients you have and what matters most to them depending on their niche. For example, if you work with many families, an email newsletter about how to budget for vacation or a lake house could be a hit. Or, if you’ve got several clients with older children, they’d likely find a guide about paying for college useful. If you mostly work with women or veterans, you can find meaningful content that directly impacts their financial wellbeing. It doesn’t have to be your own writing. Consider curating newsletters of pre-authored content and writing a short intro that contextualized your selections.
You can also refer to your content marketing analytics for inspiration. First, identify which blog articles, emails, podcasts, videos, or social media posts performed well last summer. You can do these through Google Analytics, by checking how many people engaged with content in your social media posts, or through TIFIN Clout’s analytics. Then, base this summer’s content marketing strategy on those themes. But, be sure to consider and incorporate any new trends, too.
Remember: You don’t have to start from scratch every time you create content. Instead, you can repurpose what you already have. For example, try taking that well-read blog article and converting it into an infographic or short video. Platforms like Canva make creating graphics easy even for the most design-challenged of us. Since the pandemic, videos filmed on an iPhone or Zoom have become the norm. Consider formats that are digestible and can be consumed while lying on the beach. TIFIN Clout also offers a bespoke content service if you’d like access to writing talent.
Time it Right
Your content marketing efforts should be timely and meaningful. For example, while summer is a great time for some lighter content, interpreting the Federal Reserve (Fed) raising rates is also something your clients will likely want to read.
Note: Even though you’re a financial advisor, you’re a person, too. Building a human connection is imperative to fostering trust. That means you don’t always have to talk about money. So, share your grandmother’s sweet tea recipe, your favorite grilling tip, or a photo of your family on vacation, and watch your clients connect with you on a whole new level.
Take it Offline
The internet helps you reach your clients more efficiently than ever before. But, there’s something about in-person interactions that can really foster deep bonds. So, consider organizing a meetup with your clients at a local sporting event or picnic — and encourage everyone on your list to bring a friend.
The outing could generate several new leads for your business. Worst case? You’ll solidify relationships with your current clients and have a good time doing it. And make sure you’re leveraging TIFIN Clout’s email automation to drive RSVPs, remind them to attend and send follow-ups after.
You could also take the extra time you have on hand to mail your clients thoughtful gifts. For example, you’re sure to delight a road tripper with a personalized bag of on the road “must haves,” or a master griller with a bottle of your favorite steak marinade.
Remember: The more personalized your present, the better. For instance, if you know your client’s oldest child is starting college at Boston University in the fall, send them a “BU Mom” mug or sweatshirt with the school’s logo. Even for a low cost, something tailored to their unique interests and your relationship can help keep you top-of-mind.
Get Ahead
The summer months can be frustratingly slow, but there is a silver lining: you have more time to get ahead. Now’s your chance to create content for the rest of the year, solidify your presence on your weakest social media platform, or refresh your martech stack. Then, when fall rolls around, you’ll be more visible and better able to serve your clients.
Increasing brand awareness and generating leads takes time, effort, and know-how. TIFIN Clout is here if you want to outsource your digital marketing activities. The platform can help you create compelling content and automate your content distribution so you have more bandwidth to help your clients achieve their financial goals.
