The ultimate personal branding guide for financial advisers

Whatever your background, the chances are that your financial advice could transform the fortunes of your clients’ lives, helping them live more efficiently and comfortably. But finding those clients can be a challenge, and convincing them to part with their cash to benefit from your wisdom and expertise is even tougher. However, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there’s set to be 4% growth in new personal financial advisers through to 2029, and with more consumers running their own businesses, investing in the stock market and building property portfolios, the demand for quality financial advisers can only skyrocket.

One of the best ways to demonstrate your authority and grow a financial advisory firm is to invest in personal branding. After all, people buy from people. Below, we offer some tips…

Craft that script

The chances are that you’ll spend at least some of your time pitching to potential clients, and it’s important you know what you’re going to say. Testing and measuring a range of scripts can help you find the most effective one - it could be a cold pitch, or perhaps a follow-up with a warm lead. Crafting a sales pitch (or copying one you found online) can be a great way to build your personal brand and create a good first (or second)impression. Scripting emails and calls can give you something to say, start conversations, and prove your worthiness.

We recommend writing a script from scratch and adapting it as you go to see whether you can increase your conversions.There’s no “magic” set of words but a script can unlock opportunities and ensure, once you’ve captured your target demographic, you’re maximising your chances of a conversion. Developing a brand voice will boost your personal brand.

Become more community-minded

If you don’t have a lot of money to spend on personal branding but have time to commit to your venture, community involvement can go a long way. Volunteering or getting involved in local interest groups can do wonders for your reputation, help you meet new people, and earn those vital recommendations and reviews to grow your advisory business. The good news is that there are dozens of societies, businesses, and non-profits that can benefit from your expertise, and you can use your volunteering as a Public Relations exercise online. As a sidebar, giving back to your local community can be incredibly rewarding and open doors.

Utilise LinkedIn

Perhaps one of the most obvious personal branding exercises for financial advisers is to sign up to LinkedIn. The social networking site is no longer just a virtual resume - it’s networking for a new generation, particularly in these post-COVID times. Joining groups, posting content and messaging potential clients can all go a long way in building your reputation and making you become the “go-to” resource for financial advice.It’s easy to build a highly-concentrated audience if you hone in on a particular topic on LinkedIn, whether that’s financial planning for a move overseas or financial planning for those previously made bankrupt. With time and the right marketing strategy, LinkedIn can prove to be an irreplaceable tool in your sales arsenal.

Write an elevator pitch

Let’s face it: you’re a financial adviser, not an English Literature graduate. Numbers are your game, but writing an elevator pitch to sell your services can work in your favour. Whether you’re at a networking event, chatting to friends or even eavesdropping on a conversation in public, having a go-to elevator pitch that outlines your services can really give you an edge and take your personal brand to the next level. Who’s Tim Cook? CEO of Apple and inventor of cool technology products such as iPod and Apple Watch. An elevator speech won’t change your life or suddenly win you dozens of new clients, but it organises your thoughts and ensures you don’t ramble when you’re introducing yourself to potential leads.

Make your website count

Your website is one of the most important elements in your marketing tool belt, so don’t neglect or overlook its potential. Much more than serving as a resume for your financial advisory services, it can become a lead magnet and help you win new clients. The best part is that it can work for you 24 hours a day, seven days a week - ensure it’s packed with quality, informative content, and you’ll find new clients without lifting a finger. Although it can be time-consuming and costly, content marketing is one of the very best ways to prove your market knowledge and industry background, so try to publish a blog post at least once per month. In time, those blog posts will rank on search engines and drive qualified traffic to your site, which you can then “hook in” with eBooks, special offers, and newsletter subscriptions.

Use a platform like Profezo

What if there was a way for you to promote your financial advisory service and have clients come to you, rather than the other way around? With Profezo, there is! Our platform is designed to help consumers find professional unbiased advice, with independent and regulated financial advisers on hand who are licensed, unbiased and not tied to any product providers. For consumers, it’s free to join, and professionals like you can sign up and find new clients overnight. Create a profile, win clients, and grow your advisory business. Click here to find out more about Profezo for professionals and get in touch if you have questions.

Dominate with advertising

If you’re operating in a particularly competitive market, one of the best ways to build your personal brand is through paid advertising on Google and Facebook. If you’re appearing at the top of search engine results pages (SERPs) for your competitors’ businesses and you’re popping up on potential clients’ Facebook news feeds, you’re more likely to be remembered and grow your business. The truth is that advertising can be expensive and complicated, so it’s important to create campaigns that are highly targeted designed to maximise a budget.

Consider cold calling

Although personal branding is much more about building your reputation and having clients come to you as opposed to you going to them, cold calling can still form part of your overall marketing strategy. Especially when you’re starting out, cold calling can be a cost-effective way of generating leads and getting the word out about your name or company. “More calls” is not the answer here - rather than endlessly calling potential clients, spend time on sites like LinkedIn and your website’s blog to build a database of potential leads. Only then, once you’ve already made an introduction virtually, should you call them to discuss your services.

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Do you have any other personal branding strategies? Let us know and check back to the Profezo blog soon for more advice on growing your business, whatever your background.

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