If you’re a financial advisor looking to attract more clients, you need a marketing plan. But where do you start?
As a financial advisor business owner, you know that having a good marketing plan is essential to your success. After all, without customers, your business will not survive.
But what goes into a good marketing plan? Below, we will go over some critical components of a successful marketing plan for a financial advisor business.
Key Components of a Financial Advisor Marketing Plan
A great marketing plan has eleven sections as follows:
- Executive Summary
- Target Market Segments
- Unique Selling Proposition (USP)
- Pricing and Positioning Strategy
- Distribution Strategy
- Offers
- Marketing Materials
- Promotions Strategy
- Digital Marketing Plan
- Conversion, Referral, and Retention Strategy
- Financial Projections
We provide more detail for each of these key components below.
Executive Summary
The executive summary is a brief overview of your entire marketing plan. It should include your overview information from the other sections, such as your target market, unique selling proposition, key promotions strategies, and financial projections.
Target Market Segments
When marketing a financial advisor practice, it is important to identify your target market segments. Who are your most likely customers? Consider factors such as age, gender, income, location, and lifestyle when determining your target market segments.
For example, financial advisor business customers may include:
- People who are nearing retirement
- People who have recently retired
- People with a high income
- People who are self-employed
Break down each of these segments even further by considering their needs, wants, and pain points. For example, the needs of financial advisor business customers may include:
- Needing help saving for retirement
- Wanting to plan for their financial future
- Not knowing how to invest their money
By understanding your target market segments, you will be better equipped to create marketing messages that resonate with them.
Unique Selling Proposition
Your unique selling proposition (USP) is what sets your financial advisor practice apart from other financial advisor businesses. What do you offer that nobody else does?
For example, your USP could be that you offer:
- Personalized financial planning
- Unique investment strategy
- Customized solutions for each client
No matter what your USP is, make sure it is clear in your marketing materials. Your clients should be able to see immediately what makes you different from the other business in their area.
Pricing and Positioning Strategy
Your pricing and positioning strategy will be determined by your target market segments and your unique selling proposition.
For example, if you are targeting high-income individuals, your prices will be higher than if you were targeting people nearing retirement. Similarly, offering a unique investment strategy, you will position yourself as a premium financial advisor.
Once you have determined your pricing and positioning strategy, make sure it is reflected in all of your marketing materials.
No matter what your positioning strategy is, make sure your pricing strategy is competitive. Consider conducting a market analysis to see what other financial advisor businesses with which you compete are charging for similar offerings.
Distribution Strategy
Your distribution strategy is how you will get your marketing materials into the hands of your target market segments. There are many different ways to distribute marketing materials, including:
- Direct mail: Sending marketing materials directly to potential clients through the mail
- Email marketing: Sending emails with promotional offers or information about your financial advisor practice
- Social media: Posting information about your financial advisor practice on social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn
- Website: Creating a website for your financial advisor practice and using search engine optimization (SEO) techniques to ensure potential clients can find it easily
Your distribution strategy documents how customers will buy from you. For example, will they buy directly from you in person? Will they buy online? Will they purchase from your partners, distributors, etc?
Offers
Providing offers through your business is a great way to entice customers to make a purchase. For a financial advisor practice, some examples of offers could include:
- Free consultation
- Discounted rates for new clients
- Complimentary financial planning session
Make sure your offers are prominently featured in all of your marketing materials. You want potential customers to see them and be intrigued enough to take advantage of them.
Calls-to-Action
A call-to-action (CTA) is a statement that tells potential customers what you want them to do, such as “schedule a consultation” or “subscribe to our mailing list.”
Your CTAs should be clear, concise, and actionable. They should also be prominently featured in your marketing materials so potential customers can see them and know what to do next.
Some examples of CTAs for a financial advisor practice could include:
- Schedule a consultation
- Subscribe to our mailing list
- Download our free ebook
Make sure your CTAs are relevant to your target market segments and that they align with your overall marketing goals.
Marketing Materials
Your marketing materials should be based on your unique selling proposition and target market segments. They should be designed to grab attention and generate interest in your business.
Some marketing materials you might want to create include product brochures, flyers, and website banners. You will also want to make sure your branding is strong and consistent across all of your marketing materials.
Promotions Strategy
Your promotions strategy includes the methods you will use to attract new customers. It should generate excitement and encourage customers to try your business.
Financial advisor businesses should consider the following promotional strategies:
- Host a free workshop or webinar on financial planning topics.
- Give a free consultation to new clients.
- Offer discounted rates for new clients.
- Issue a press release announcing the launch of your financial advisor business.
- Write articles and blog posts about financial planning topics to help educate consumers.
Digital Marketing Plan
In today’s digital age, it’s essential to have a solid digital marketing plan. This will help you reach a wider audience and drive more traffic to your business.
You might want to use digital marketing tactics, including search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click advertising, social media marketing, and email marketing. You will also want to ensure your website is mobile-friendly and easy to navigate.
Financial advisor businesses should consider the following digital marketing strategies:
- Search engine optimization (SEO): Optimizing your website and content for search engines to make it easier for potential customers to find you.
- Pay-per-click advertising (PPC): Paying to have your website appear as a sponsored result when someone searches for related keywords.
- Social media marketing: Marketing your business on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
- Email marketing: Sending newsletters, special offers, and other information to customers and prospects via email.
- Mobile optimization: Make sure your website is mobile-friendly and easy to navigate on a smartphone or tablet.
Conversion, Referral, and Retention Strategy
Your conversion, referral, and retention strategy should be designed to keep customers coming back. Consider offering loyalty rewards, referral discounts, and other incentives to encourage customers to continue using your business.
You will also want to make sure your customer service is top-notch. Respond quickly to any complaints or concerns, and always go above and beyond to exceed customer expectations.
Financial advisor businesses should consider the following conversion, referral, and retention strategies:
- Offer loyalty rewards and discounts for referrals.
- Provide excellent customer service.
- Send thank you cards or emails after each transaction.
- Follow up with customers after they’ve used your services.
- Keep in touch with customers regularly.
Financial Projections
Finally, you must create financial projections for your business. This will help you track your progress and ensure you are on track to meet your goals.
The key information to include in these financial projections are your monthly marketing expenditures and expected sales. Be sure to update your forecasts regularly to reflect any changes in your business.
Financial projections for a startup financial advisor business may include:
- Monthly marketing expenditures
- Expected sales
- Financial goals for the business
Summary
Starting a financial advisor business can be challenging, but with the right marketing plan, you can reach more customers and drive more sales. The promotional strategies we’ve outlined should help get you started, and the digital marketing tactics will help you reach a wider audience.
By following these steps, you can develop a quality marketing plan that will help you successfully launch and grow your financial advisor business. Remember to be creative, think outside the box, and always put your customers first. With a little hard work and dedication, you will be well on your way to success!