Niche Marketing: Narrowing Your Focus to Attract More Quality Prospects

Niche Marketing - Narrowing Your Focus to Attract More Quality Prospects

In recent years, the commoditization of investment advice has forced an increasing number of financial advisors into offering more comprehensive financial planning as a way to add more value to the client relationship. As a result, the financial planning space is becoming much more crowded, making it difficult for financial advisors to stand out.

That is why many practice management consultants recommend that financial advisors establish a niche to more quickly build their businesses, focusing on a more targeted market they can dominate rather than a broader market they can vanish in. The key to differentiation in a crowded field is to become more focused and specialized to become recognized as the best-of-breed for a specific type of clientele that can be served profitably and effectively.

Successfully crafting a niche is not without its challenges, and most advisors avoid attempting it for fear of narrowing their field of prospects. However, any advisor who has found success in a niche will tell you that, while you may narrow your field of prospects, you increase the likelihood that a higher percentage of prospects in the niche will choose to do business with you.

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For Highly Ambitious Advisors, Influence + Credibility = Thought Leadership

Becoming a Thought Leader - For Highly Ambitious Advisors, Influence + Credibility = Thought Leadership

Becoming a thought leader enhances your personal and professional stature within your industry and community, making you much more appealing as an authority and person of influence. When an advisor is viewed as a true thought leader, they attract the attention of influential clients who use their influence to refer other influential people.

As previously discussed on the blog, content is the key to building influence. Producing compelling, thought-provoking content delivered through your website, a blog, and emails, is how you establish your authority in the field. The more it is viewed, the more influence you can build, which is where social media comes in. Posting your content on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites expands your potential audience and builds your online influence.

But that’s just the beginning. While influence is critical, without credibility, it can be fleeting. Blogging and social media engagement are essential for building thought leadership, but when you can share your thoughts in high-profile settings you gain invaluable credibility.

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Bear Market: What You Do Will Make or Break Your Financial Advisor Career

Bear Market - What You Do Will Make or Break Your Financial Advisor Career

Every advisor gets just a few great career-building opportunities: Times when they can really establish themselves as experts, build long-term credibility, and differentiate themselves from the competition – most of whom are hiding from their clients because they don’t know how to guide them through the bear market.

What do the real pros do when things are scariest? When your clients are calling you scared witless, and they want to go to cash?

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5 Rules for Effective Communication with Prospects and Clients

5 Rules for Effective Communication with Prospects and Clients

In order to establish trust and credibility – and get your messages across to prospects and clients – you need to be an effective communicator. If you, like many advisors, find this a challenge, you don’t need to feel defeated. With hard work and practice you can become a proficient and natural communicator. Here are some key rules to bear in mind.

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Why Is Online Reputation Important for Your Success as a Financial Advisor

Why Is Online Reputation Important for Your Success as a Financial Advisor

As Don Connelly always says, only three things must take place for you to get a new client: that person must like you, trust you and think you are smart. But how could prospects like you, trust you and think you are smart if they never met you? How do you come across as likeable, trustworthy and smart if you have no prior relationship with them?

The answer lies in your online reputation.

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How to Win Over Clients by Becoming More Likeable

Become Likeable - Win Over Clients

People will only do business with you if they like you and trust you. Human decisions are generally subjective. Even if you are the most professional financial advisor out there, if people don’t warm to you they won’t commit to you. Prospects will not choose you simply because you are competent; they will choose to do business with you because you are competent and likeable.

By becoming likeable you will stand head and shoulders above other advisors. And you don’t need innate talent to become more likeable. You can learn how to radiate confidence and charisma.

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How Financial Advisors Can Use LinkedIn for Prospecting – Part 2

How Financial Advisors Can Use LinkedIn for Prospecting – Part 2

Last month we published the first of a series of blog posts to help Financial Advisors use LinkedIn for prospecting. It covered the following topics:

What makes LinkedIn such a powerful tool for Financial Advisors.
How Financial Advisors can create a compelling LinkedIn profile.
How Advisors can establish a powerful network of 1st and 2nd degree connections on this professional network.
Today’s post will give a few advanced tips for Financial Advisors to prospect through LinkedIn, with a focus on three key areas:

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