how to differentiate yourself Archives - Don Connelly & Associates

Niche Marketing: Narrowing Your Focus to Attract More Quality Prospects

/ by Don Connelly / Marketing Yourself / 0 comments

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.

Why You Need to Differentiate Yourself

/ by Don Connelly / Marketing Yourself / 0 comments

It used to be, in the not so distant past, that using words like “client-focused”, “trusted”, “comprehensive”, and “knowledgeable” was enough for financial advisors to separate themselves from the pack. But today these are just the table stakes clients expect their advisors to bring to the table. After all, how many clients do you know who don’t expect their advisor to be knowledgeable, trusted, and client-focused?

In fact, in a highly muddled and fiercely competitive advisory landscape, there is very little to differentiate most advisors from each other, which causes them to disappear among the multitude of “average” advisors. Needless to say, clients today aren’t looking for average when it comes to financial advice.

A case in point is the massive amount of attention the eighty million baby boomers are receiving from the financial services industry – and rightly so because trillions of dollars of assets are at stake.

Help Clients Understand Why They’re Paying You a Fee

/ by Don Connelly / Marketing Yourself / 0 comments

Before you can convince your clients of your worth, you need to convince yourself of your own value. Always remember your fees reflect the five-star service you can offer. That’s what makes you stand out in an increasingly commoditized industry.

Here are some ways to help you communicate your value – both to yourself and to your clients.

How to Find What Makes You Different from Other Advisors

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The financial services marketplace is heavily commoditized. There are lots of firms offering basically the same products to the same people, so being the same as everyone else in this industry will not cut it. In order to succeed you need to quickly identify what makes you stand apart from the crowd. Ask yourself these questions in order to find out if you have the unique attributes you need to succeed.

Digital Marketing Trends 2015 for Financial Advisors

/ by Kirti Anand Sharma / Connelly Corner, Marketing Yourself / 0 comments

Did you know that according to recent Gartner research, digital marketing accounted for 25% of all the marketing dollars spent in 2014 and it is expected to reach 33% in 2015?

Though traditional marketing methods like seminars, telemarketing, trade shows, print media, exhibitions, and networking groups are still effective, let’s face it – Top Financial Advisors have stayed ahead of the game by adapting their marketing initiatives to the digital world we live in.

So don’t get left behind! Update your marketing strategy for the year ahead and build a competitive advantage by following the digital marketing trends of 2015. Start with these four areas of improvement:

Why Thoughtful Advisors Get Referrals

/ by Don Connelly / Prospecting / 0 comments

Referrals are the cornerstone of your business. In order to get them you need to cement the relationship with your clients by being passionate and committed. If you are creative and look for different ways to engage with your clients you will become more referable.

To get referrals you need the soft skills that illustrate you can get along with people as well as a self-awareness.