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In today’s world, your business needs to adapt faster than ever. Investors are interacting with brands on their own terms, conducting more research on their own time, and using more digital platforms to consume information. In order for Financial Advisors to attract and retain clients on in this new market, your business needs to be digital-first, leveraging all available channels to educate and inform investors.

Marketing in 2019 – a Complex Landscape

With podcasts, video, and Alexa, people may have different opinions as to what marketing is or does in 2019, but no matter how you cut it, good marketing does 3 things – builds your brand, strengthens your relationships, and activates sales. At its core, marketing is about building meaningful connections. It encompasses a number of different strategies and tactics across advertising, email, content creation, social media, and more to help accomplish a company’s goals.

The digital world also impacts financial decisions more so than in the past with 62% of investors use online resources when making financial decisions.¹ Advisors are also beginning to use digital more. In fact, 84% of Financial Advisors use social media for business², and 92% of those Advisors have gained new assets through marketing activities.²

So, we know people are spending time online and we know a lot of Advisors are using these digital resources. Why? Because they work.

When starting to build a marketing strategy, where do you begin? At the core of every strategy is content. Without content, your marketing will fail to exist and become unsustainable.

Building a Content Infrastructure

When it comes to content development, there two ways to look at it – by content type and content theme:

Despite how valuable your content may be, without proper distribution, it will be hard to engage new and existing investors. There are a number of distribution channels you can leverage, but the following are generally the most important ones in 2019:

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Email Marketing
• Google Advertising
• Podcasts
• SlideShare
• Third-Party Publications

Each of these channels allows for a constant stream of communication and engagement with clients and prospects. You’re able to insert your knowledge into conversations or answer questions regularly. Prior to putting your content on any of these platforms, it’s important to check with your compliance department to understand which channels you’re allowed to use and what rules and guidelines need to be followed.

Syncing With Your Compliance Department

While marketing is a powerful supplement to your sales efforts, it’s important to remember that there are rules and regulations as it relates to the content you create and distribution channels you leverage. Visit the FINRA website for guidelines on the reasonable use of digital communications. The Financial Planner Board of Standards also offers a free guide.

The number of marketing tactics you can use to help build your business is endless. Whether it be for the investor of today or the investor of tomorrow, taking time to prioritize building a marketing strategy for your business could very well make a major difference long term.

¹ BlackRock 2016 Investor Pulse Survey.

² Putnam Investments Social Advisor Study.