Financial Advisor Marketing Doesn’t Have to Feel ‘Salesy”

We get it – you don’t want to feel like the proverbial used car salesman to build your financial advisory business, right?

At one point or another, all of us have had the unfortunate experience of being marketed to in a pushy or overly “salesy” way, and it’s certainly off-putting. If you’re a business owner, however, you probably can’t afford to stay out of the marketing game completely, which means you need to find the right marketing strategy for you. Utilizing the financial advisor marketing tips below can help you build your business in a genuine way by offering connection points rather than sales pitches.

#1. Know your audience.

Even if you can afford to market to everyone in your city, you shouldn’t. Financial advisor marketing can come across as salesy when you’re speaking to the wrong people. When you know your audience, you know their unmet needs in the financial planning space – and you can share the information and services that will be valuable to them.

If you haven’t clarified your audience yet, do some market research. You can also start with your existing client base and pay attention to common demographic characteristics and needs.

#2. Focus on creating value and building trust.

At its foundation, a good marketing strategy is about building a relationship with your potential clients. If you only think about your email list when you have an offer to sell or you’re focused on the end-goal of signing clients, you’re missing an important piece of the puzzle. You need to spend time on efforts that build your “know, like, and trust” factor – and these efforts may not bear fruit right away, though they can provide a bounty over the long-term.

Do you have a content marketing strategy in place? There’s nothing inherently “salesy” about providing valuable financial education and insight and doing so gives you chances to prove to prospects that you’re knowledgeable, experienced, and someone they can trust with their financial future. Think about the value-adds you can offer and view them as seeds planted for the future of your business. Showing up in your prospects’ inboxes only when you’re selling won’t pave the way for a productive relationship going forward.

#3. Remember that you’re selling an outcome, not just a service.

Financial advisor marketing strategies can begin to feel salesy when they take the form of a list of your accomplishments, accolades, and services. When you’re selling something, it’s incredibly easy to get stuck on what you’re selling rather than the why behind it. At the end of the day, though, people aren’t necessarily interested in financial planning itself or in the specifics of your experience. Rather, they’re invested in what your services can do for them – the outcome of hiring you.

So, when you craft marketing messages, or when you enter a conversation with a prospect, keep this question in mind: Why should your potential clients care? Think about their goals, the transformation they hope to achieve, and the lifestyle they want to enjoy. These outcome-based factors are what will intrinsically motivate prospects to want to work with you.

#4. Let your messaging communicate your values.

I don’t have to tell you that there are many financial advisors competing for your prospects’ business. That’s why your financial advisor marketing strategy needs to be uniquely yours. That is, you want to be genuine and authentic in your messaging. After all, people want to connect with people. Anyone who is going to trust you with their money will want to feel like they know who you are at your core and the values you hold dear as a firm.

If you don’t have a mission statement, craft one. Try to keep it to 25 words or less and include the sorts of words you would want people to use to describe you or your company. For example, if personal and professional integrity is of the utmost importance in the way you conduct business, the word “integrity” should appear in your mission statement, on your website, and in your marketing materials.

#5. Remember that marketing isn’t a dirty word.

If you’ve been reticent to develop a true financial advisor marketing strategy for fear of coming off as “salesy,” chances are you’re projecting a bit. In many respects, your prospects want to be sold – they just want it to feel genuine. It’s entirely possible to craft a marketing strategy that accomplishes that, too.

If marketing has always felt to you like “selling yourself,” reframe it in your mind as “attracting your ideal clients.” Consistently sharing messaging that communicates your values, builds trust, and educates your audience is a financial advisor marketing strategy that will naturally bring the right people to your door. If you have to “pitch” too hard, then you’re not focused on the right audience for you.

Are you confident in your financial advisor marketing strategy?

If marketing feels uncomfortable to you, it’s probably because you haven’t landed on the right strategy. And, since you’re busy building your business and focusing on your clients’ needs, it’s difficult to find the time to revamp and implement a financial advisor marketing strategy that is congruent with your needs, values, and target audience.

Would you like a professional marketing assist? That’s where we come in. At Illuminated Advisors, we do it for you. We focus solely on marketing for financial advisors, and we provide time-tested strategies that rely on connection points – not uncomfortable sales pitches. Contact us today to learn how our services can help you accomplish your business development goals.