Even if an advisor’s 2017 marketing results didn’t live up to expectations, there are some ways they can avoid common pitfalls in their 2018 strategy, Sara Grillo writes on Advisor Perspectives.
How to Boost Leads in 2018
If an advisor’s social media audience is less than 5,000 then they need to look elsewhere to generate leads, according to Grillo, CFA . There are many people who already have a strong following and advisors can use these people’s networks—what is known as influencer marketing—by collaborating on articles, writing guest blogs, appearing in event photographs or even targeting their followers with Facebook ads, she writes on Advisor Perspectives.
Advisors should also avoid generalizing, and take a bolder, more specific stance, according to Grillo. They can specialize in specific areas, such as people with children who are opioid addicts, or become specialists on the benefits and 401(k) plans of a specific large company,she writes. This stops advisors from spreading themselves too thin, and even if it doesn’t work they will know more for next time, according to Grillo.
Furthermore, advisors need to move away from “bland, jargon-rich” written copy, and look towards visual-driven communication such as images and, more importantly, videos, she writes. YouTube affords advisors many new opportunities for marketing and should be watched closely in 2018, according to Grillo.
In marketing, persistence is key and advisors have to perfect their technique, she writes. If a tactic doesn’t work immediately, advisors should analyse, adjust and try again until they achieve their targets, according to Grillo.
