As a financial advisor, you are the person individuals, families, and businesses turn to for effectively building short- and long-term financial goals. But who is your point person for bringing those prospective clients to you and for keeping you top of mind when the inevitable question pops into their heads—“Who could I reach out to to help me better manage my finances and plan for the future?”

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to grow, implementing approaches to market your services as a financial advisor can help attract and maintain lasting relationships. We’ll discuss marketing strategies, techniques, and key considerations to help you achieve your client acquisition goals.

Develop Your Value Proposition

Your value proposition is the foundation of your marketing strategy. It succinctly communicates the unique benefits and solutions you offer. A compelling value proposition not only differentiates you from competitors but also resonates with your target audience’s needs and aspirations. Consider highlighting:

• Your specialization in specific financial services (e.g., retirement planning, investment management).
• Unique approaches or methodologies that set you apart.
• How your services address common financial challenges or pain points.

From there, you help form the basis of targeted marketing strategies and business growth by clearly communicating to clients what they can gain from you versus another financial advisor.

Identify Your Audience and Spheres of Influence

Identifying your target audience is key to developing a successful marketing strategy. Understanding who your ideal clients are allows you to plan your marketing efforts and content with their specific needs and preferences in mind. 

Start by defining your target demographic—consider factors such as age, income level, financial goals, and life stages. For example, you may target young professionals seeking wealth-building strategies, retirees focused on income preservation, or business owners needing succession planning. Once you have a clear picture of your ideal clients, you can better align your value proposition and marketing messages to resonate with them.

In addition to defining your audience, it’s important to identify your “spheres of influence.” This is a list of people who can potentially provide opportunities for word-of-mouth marketing and referrals—industry influencers, professional networks, social media groups, and community organizations. By engaging with these spheres of influence, you can extend your reach and build credibility within the communities that matter most to your target audience. For instance, if you write a guest article on a reputable financial platform like Forbes, you enhance your visibility among the people you want to reach. In turn, you position yourself as a thought leader, which we’ll dive into next.

Build Trust and Credibility Through Content

The trust and credibility you build with your clients is crucial to maintaining a steady relationship over time. No one wants a financial advisor who lacks proper credentials; who exposes their clients to financial risks; or, is in the news for committing fraud and all the downfall that comes from bad publicity. Content marketing is a powerful tool in your toolkit to both legitimize and differentiate you from financial advisors who are not sharing insights and leveraging content marketing.

One important way to establish trust through content is to showcase your qualifications – this can be items posted on the website and LinkedIn – such as the following:

• Certifications
• Credentials
• Relevant experience
• Years of service
• Testimonials/Success stories
• Affiliations/Partnerships

A second valuable way to establish trust through content is by positioning yourself as a thought leader. You’re the expert with your finger on the pulse, and you have the insights and solutions to your clients’ financial challenges. By sharing your own expertise, you demonstrate to potential clients that you are trustworthy, approachable, and knowledgeable. Here are some ways to achieve thought leadership over time: 

• Writing or contributing to blog posts and articles
• Hosting or guest speaking on webinars and podcasts
• Producing videos that speak to key considerations or updates for your clients, the industry and/or the subjects that matter to them

For existing clients, content marketing should focus on nurturing relationships and reinforcing loyalty. As a financial advisor, your content strategy should provide value by offering insights and information that resonate with their current financial goals and challenges. This can include personalized newsletters, educational webinars, and in-depth blog posts that delve into advanced financial topics. The goal is to demonstrate that you are committed to their success, and are a knowledgeable partner to have.

When targeting new prospects, the approach shifts to building trust and establishing your expertise. Content should highlight what your approach is and how it adds value to your client’s life. This could involve creating introductory blog posts, hosting informative webinars (Retirement Planning 101), or offering free resources that address common financial concerns and demonstrate your understanding of their needs. Your focus is on showcasing your knowledge and creating a positive first impression that encourages prospective clients to see you as someone they want to talk more with.

It could be assumed that one insightful blog or an occasional social media update will immediately attract a wave of new clients. But in reality, the best results come from consistent, valuable content shared over a period of time. Think of producing content as a long-term investment—when you post consistently over the span of years, not just months, you build credibility, strengthen your brand, and stay top-of-mind for potential clients. This steady flow of insights, educational resources, and thought leadership fosters trust and loyalty among your audience when they’re ready to act and take you up on your offerings.

As an advisor, you have the power to make your clients feel confident enough to make informed decisions about their money. The more you invest in their best interests, the more you will, in turn, build a loyal clientele.

Leverage Marketing Strategies

To attract new clients, you can employ several proven branding and marketing strategies, outlined below.

Digital Marketing

In a competitive market, establishing a strong brand presence online can be a helpful tool to set you apart from other advisors. Branding communicates many things, including your unique value proposition and visual identity, to build credibility with potential clients. We’re going to answer what channels you could be using, and why.

Website SEO

How will clients easily find you in a sea of financial advisors? When potential clients search for financial advice or related services online, a well-optimized website is more likely to appear higher in search rankings.

By ranking well, you also build trust and credibility with your audience, positioning yourself as the authoritative source in the industry. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a cost-effective long-term marketing strategy that provides a competitive edge, leveling the playing field against larger firms. It also enhances user experience with fast-loading, mobile-friendly sites that offer valuable content, ultimately generating consistent leads and clients over time.

Pay-per-click (PPC)

Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is a powerful digital marketing strategy to attract targeted clients. By strategically selecting keywords related to financial advisory services, such as “retirement planning advisor” or “investment management consultant,” advisors can ensure their ads appear often in search engine results when potential clients are actively seeking financial guidance.

Directing PPC traffic to optimized landing pages tailored to specific service offerings or client needs enhances the likelihood of conversions. These SEO-rich landing pages should align closely with the ad messaging and feature clear calls-to-action (CTAs) prompting visitors to contact the advisor or schedule a consultation. 

As a financial advisor, you know how important analytics are. That’s why you’ll be happy to hear that continuous monitoring and optimization of PPC campaigns based on key metrics such as click-through rates (CTR), conversion rates, and cost-per-click (CPC) allow you time to make changes and accumulate data to determine what’s working and next steps in your marketing efforts.

Social Media

Social media significantly revolutionized how we connect with each other, including how businesses can connect with their potential clients. Platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram offer unique opportunities to engage with a diverse audience and establish credibility in the competitive financial advisory landscape.

For financial advisors, LinkedIn serves as a powerful platform for building a network and interacting with other professionals and prospective or current clients. It allows advisors to showcase their expertise through thought leadership articles, industry insights, and updates on financial trends. By participating in industry discussions and joining relevant groups, advisors can position themselves as trusted authorities within their niche, attracting potential clients who value experience and reliability.

On consumer-oriented platforms like Facebook and Instagram, financial advisors can reach a broader audience by sharing educational content, client success stories, and informative videos. These platforms enable advisors to humanize their brand and connect with clients on a more personal level. By engaging actively with followers, advisors can address client concerns in real-time and nurture relationships.

Social media advertising can continuously enhance your reach by targeting specific demographics based on interests, behaviors, and location. Very much like PPC campaigns, you can market specialized services, upcoming events, and special offers or updates on these platforms to drive traffic to your website for optimized conversions.

Partnering with a Marketing Expert

Successfully acquiring new clients as a financial advisor requires a strategic and proactive approach. By understanding your target audience, leveraging digital marketing, building credibility through content, networking effectively, providing exceptional service, and continuously measuring your strategies, you can attract new clients and foster long-lasting relationships. 

But as a financial advisor, you know it isn’t always feasible to dedicate the time and resources it inevitably takes to market your business. That’s where Frankel comes in. 

We help financial advisors reach more clients and achieve their business goals, building campaigns from the ground up and establishing your digital footprint, with a little tinkering along the way. We also understand that compliance is a critical part of your business, and that’s why we work closely with your internal compliance team to create every marketing strategy and messaging with adherence to the necessary regulations. Our goal is to implement effective tactics that are fully compliant with industry standards so that you can grow your practice without worrying about regulatory trouble.

We’re here to help you grow your practice and show potential clients the difference you can make for them. If you would like to learn more about our capabilities and check out examples of financial advisor social media campaigns we have built, just reach out to us. We would love to speak with you.