How financial advisors can find a marketing firm in 2024

A solid marketing plan will help you succeed as an advisor, but if you don’t have the time or expertise to create one yourself, you can outsource the task to a professional. A marketing firm for financial advisors can do the heavy lifting of developing winning strategies to increase your company’s visibility and establish your brand reputation. There are a few things to keep in mind when choosing which one to use.

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What do marketing companies for financial advisors do?

Marketing companies that work with financial advisors can offer a variety of services, but the end goal is usually the same. This means you can generate new leads, increase conversions, and grow your business.

A financial advisor’s marketing plan may incorporate a variety of strategies, including:

• social media marketing

• email marketing

• direct mail marketing campaign

• Website design and branding

• Blog and website content

Marketing companies may also include PR activities as part of their suite of services. This may include contacting the press on your company’s behalf, featuring you as an expert source for news articles, or issuing press releases to draw attention to something noteworthy or important your company has accomplished. This includes things like:

Benefits of outsourcing financial advisor marketing

If outsourcing your marketing efforts helps you achieve your goals, it’s a worthwhile investment. There are three common reasons to consider hiring a financial advisor for your marketing company:

• When you work with your marketing team, you can tap into their expertise and knowledge without having to guess which strategies will work.

• Professional marketing companies tend to stay on top of the latest trends and may be able to find opportunities to market your business that you might otherwise miss.

• Delegating your company’s marketing efforts to someone else frees up time in your daily schedule that you can use to prospect, network, and serve your customers.

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Whether it makes sense to work with a marketing company depends on what you want to achieve with your business and how comfortable you are with letting someone else take the reins. You may have the final approval of a marketing campaign, but you’re not the one putting the campaign together.

Your goals can also influence your decision to work with a marketing agency. For example, common marketing goals for financial advisors include:

• Attract more ideal customers

• Increase referrals from existing customers

• Achieve specific numbers with social media engagement

• Increase website traffic and conversions

Is it possible to do these things yourself, without the help of a professional marketing company? Of course, but consider how much time you will have to spend to achieve those goals. need to do it. If you already have a packed schedule every day, leaving your marketing to someone else may be the smartest move.

How to choose a marketing company for your advisory business

A simple web search will bring up many results for financial advisor marketing companies, but it’s important to dig deeper. Key factors to consider when evaluating and comparing different companies include:

• Scope of services provided

• If so, what type of advisory firm do you specialize in?

• How much does the service cost?

• If so, what type of minimum contract is required?

You can also consider the company or agency’s overall reputation in the advisory field. Companies may publish testimonials from past or current customers on their website, which are worth considering. You can also check online reviews to see what people are saying about a particular marketing agency.

Eavesdropping on the network is another option. When you ask other advisors what companies they use or have used for their marketing, you’ll find out which agencies have met and exceeded the expectations of the advisors they work with and have inspired others to do their best. You may be able to find out if the product has a higher rating than the store.

Questions to ask when hiring a marketing agency

Once you have decided which marketing company you want to work with, the next step is to schedule a meeting. Whether you meet in person or virtually, this is your opportunity to “meet” with your marketing agency to determine if the two of you are a good fit.

You don’t want to show up to this meeting empty-handed. If you’re not sure what questions to ask your marketing company, here’s a list of questions to ask.

• Do you specialize solely in marketing for financial advisors, or do you work with other types of clients in different industries?

• If you only work with financial professionals, do they specialize in a particular type of company?

• What is your track record of generating leads or increasing conversions for past or current customers?

• Could you elaborate on the range of marketing services your company offers, including both online and offline strategies?

• Do you offer additional services such as website building or PR activities?

• What am I (or my company) responsible for dealing with if something happens?

• Is a minimum contract required? If so, for how long?

• Is there an upfront fee to sign a service contract?

• What other charges will I be charged for my services?

There’s one more thing to consider when choosing a marketing company for financial advisors. It’s the location. If you prefer the option of meeting directly with the marketing team, you may need to narrow your search to agencies within your geographic region or close enough that travel is less of an issue. .

On the other hand, if you are comfortable handling all communications online, you may have more options for choosing a company. You can also choose an agency that serves advisors across the country and convert your in-person meetings to virtual ones.

You may also consider adding online lead generation tools to your marketing strategy, especially if you’re interested in acquiring new customers. Quickly track lead connections and automate follow-ups, so you can save time while building relationships with prospects.

conclusion

If you’ve been managing your marketing yourself and are disappointed with your results so far or struggling to develop a consistent strategy, it may be time to consider outsourcing. A marketing company can help you get the exposure you’re looking for without tying up valuable time in your day.

Advisory Tips to grow your business

• A professional advisor website can help you establish an online presence and serve as a hub for your marketing plan if you use social media to drive traffic back. However, growing your social media following and increasing your search visibility can take time. If you’re looking for a shortcut, consider using SmartAdvisor to connect with a wider audience. SmartAdvisor gives you the tools you need to capture, qualify, and reach new leads in minutes.

• Some advisor marketing companies offer a wide range of services, while others are more niche in their objectives. For example, some agencies only deal with digital marketing, while others only develop direct mail marketing campaigns. Assessing what you need the most support with will help you decide which type of company to work with.

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This article “How Financial Advisors Find a Marketing Firm” was first published on SmartReads by SmartAsset.