I don't get much time to write more than 280 characters these days, but the Financial Communication Society’s “Performance, Trust & Best Interests: Marketing to Financial Advisors” panel inspired me to find the time.
If you work in finserv marketing, advertising or communications, and haven't checked out FCS's events, I highly recommend attending - not only for the great content and networking, but the fantastic locations (and yummy food!).
Many of the finserv companies we’ve partnered with in reaching FAs on social media face similar challenges to the topics on the agenda, which made it especially exciting for me.
As you may already know, the FA role is changing largely due to how the fiduciary rule has transformed the industry.
To set the stage, the first presenter Cindy Zarker from FUSE Research Network dove into the latest FA insights, trends and behaviors.
Here are some takeaways:
Saturation:
A big challenge with marketing to financial advisors is that there are now many more ways to reach them - coupled with content saturation. Simultaneously, advisors are now more time constrained and difficult to connect with via transitional phone and in-person meetings.
Content:
Having content in all forms (short, long, text, video, audio) as a part of your advisor marketing and communication strategy is vital to breaking through the saturation.
Also, be sure to remember these content types and must-haves the next time you’re at a content brainstorm session: clear CTAs, snackability, infographics and video content.
And our favorite tip and one we often recommend is to create and publish personalized, trusted content that enables an advisor to share and position themselves as a thought leader. Yes and yes! 👏🏼 👏🏼
Key Information Sources:
Websites aren’t dead. They're still a key information source for FAs - followed by mobile and apps, respectively.
Consider Weekends:
Have you considered engaging advisors on weekends? Many brands are having success engaging advisors on weekends since it’s a time many advisors reserve to catch up on reading. Makes sense, right?
Best Communication Method:
Email: we all know there's just too darn much of it, but it's still the preferred medium for communication - especially for important changes/updates that affect advisors.
To recap, in order to cut through the clutter and understand what resonates with financial advisors, marketers must experiment with various content forms and channels. And don’t forget, empowering advisors with value-driven content which they can share with their clients and prospects extends your content’s reach AND helps FAs position themselves as experts. It’s a win-win!
I hope you found these takeaways helpful. Stay tuned for part 2, where I’ll share insights panelists from OppenheimerFunds, AllianceBernstein and JPMorgan Chase shared on their approach to marketing to financial advisors.
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