Marketing

How to Evaluate Your Marketing Efforts

Marketing is often one of the largest investments for an independent financial advisor. Just like the investments in your clients’ portfolios, marketing efforts need to be considered an investment (not an expense.) This means measuring, evaluating and adapting over time to fit the changing environment. In my most recent blog, I shared tips on creating...

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Marketing

How to Create a Marketing Plan for Your Financial Business

I believe there is no shortage of marketing ideas in the financial industry. In fact, I have found that the “shiny idea” syndrome of bouncing between too many inspirations is often a bigger marketing challenge for financial advisors. So, how do you know what marketing efforts make sense for you and your financial brand? Just...

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Marketing

Content Marketing: Technology Tools to Become a Better Writer

Increasing search engine rankings, lead generation, conversion rates, client retention, referrals, overall marketing ROI—the list goes on for reasons content marketing has undeniable benefits as part of an inbound marketing strategy. Content marketing gets 3x more leads than paid search according to a study by Kapora and marketers who prioritize blogging are 13x more likely...

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Marketing

Don’t add another marketing piece until you do this…

Why too much marketing material dilutes the message This industry is consistently evolving and reinventing itself. Advisors are fortunate to have so many “middlemen” vying for their business. From RIAs to B/Ds to IMOs—many of them will do anything to get your clients’ assets. Often, this means providing you with marketing materials and strategies to...

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Marketing

Video Production Checklist: Pre-Production

Are videos a part of your marketing strategy yet? Video marketing is a trend that has become increasingly more popular and shows no signs of slowing down. If you’re not convinced that you need to incorporate videos into your marketing strategy, check out these statistics by Hubspot: 81% of businesses use video as a marketing...

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Marketing, Public Relations

How to Win Awards for Your Financial Firm

40 under 40, Top Financial Advisory Firm, Fastest Growing RIA, Best Place to Work—you’ve seen the lists. Perhaps even your competition is on them. Want to know how you can win awards and accolades for your financial business?   3 Ways to Help You Win Awards: There are two kinds of professional awards: Those that rank your...

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Branding, Marketing

When it’s time to sell… How to maximize your brand equity

You’ve climbed the mountain. Reached the top. The pinnacle of your life’s work is under you. And now it’s time to cash in. Other than the obvious strong financials, what else is going to help you sell your financial planning business for top dollar? According to industry publications, valuations for financial planning firms are reaching...

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Branding, Marketing

Today’s Biggest Opportunities in the Financial Services Industry (PART 2)

Creating a Marketing Plan for Retaining Gen-Xers and Millennial Clients During ‘The Great Wealth Transfer’ In my previous blog, I shared two of what I consider to be the biggest opportunities for the financial industry in 2019, including committing to mastering your craft and preparing for sales, mergers and acquisitions. The third area creating the...

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Branding, Marketing

Today’s Biggest Opportunities in the Financial Services Industry

Reflections and Marketing Forecast for 2019 and Beyond With the New Year comes a time of reflection for most Americans, and for me personally hits a milestone of 10 years of working in the financial industry. What has changed since the markets bottomed out a decade ago? A Look Back In January of 2009, with...

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Branding, Marketing, Public Relations

Up Your Marketing: From “Me, Too” to “A Cut Above”

Step One: Doing A Complete Brand Evaluation Start with the big picture. That means taking a microscopic as well as a 30,000-foot look at how your audience and prospects view you. What is your real corporate identity? How is it any different from any other advisor? What are your core messages that feed into and...

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