The Power of Branding in Wealth Management

In the dynamic world of wealth management branding often takes a backseat. Yet, in this world, a well-defined brand can be a game-changer – influencing client attraction, retention, and market expansion. Today, every industry is dominated by technology, and your brand’s digital presence is its first impression. Whether it’s optimizing your website, engaging on social media, or implementing cutting-edge client interfaces, we teach you how to stay relevant, stay connected, and let your brand be the beacon in a tech-driven financial landscape.

Modernizing Brands Handed Down Through Generations

For those who’ve inherited a financial advisory business from the previous generation, the challenge is twofold. Not only do you navigate the intricate world of wealth management, but you’re also tasked with revitalizing a brand that may have stood unchanged for decades. In an era of evolving client expectations and digital landscapes, a static brand risks becoming a relic. We delve into strategies to seamlessly merge heritage with modernity, breathing new life into your brand.

Branding as a Catalyst for Market Expansion

Expanding your market reach involves more than just targeting new demographics; it requires a brand that resonates with diverse audiences. We explore the pivotal role of branding in crafting a narrative that transcends traditional boundaries. From the visual elements that spark recognition to the messaging that speaks to a broader clientele, we decipher how strategic branding becomes the linchpin in successful market expansion.

Building a Brand that Attracts the Best

Attracting top-tier talent is an ongoing struggle in wealth management. A compelling brand not only draws in high-caliber professionals but also fosters a workplace culture that retains them. From crafting an employer brand that communicates your values to integrating it into your recruitment strategy, discover how branding becomes the magnet for the industry’s best minds.

Positioning Your Brand for Future Growth

Your brand isn’t just a logo or a tagline; it’s the promise of a future where success and fulfillment coexist. Explore the strategies that position your brand not merely as a wealth management service but as a comprehensive solution for clients’ evolving needs. From educational content to personalized experiences, discover how your brand becomes the catalyst for long-term growth.

There’s no time like the present for a brand revolution in wealth management. Whether you’re steering a legacy ship or starting something new, strategic branding is everything. Brands aren’t just built; they become the driving force behind lasting success.

Why Interns Shouldn’t Manage Your Social Media

Digital, Social, Strategy

Please heed this very important warning – don’t feed your interns to the trolls. The social media trolls, that is.

When a new intern shows up to your office for their first few days on the job, many people tend to give them the work that no one else wants to do. Fetch the coffee, make the copies, answer the phones, and of course…post on social media.

While that may seem like a great task for a college student who spends a large part of their day on apps anyway, it’s not the best idea. In fact, it could turn out very badly.

Here are our top five reasons why you shouldn’t let your intern run your social media.

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They are practically strangers

We’re not saying that your intern is stupid, far from it. But they haven’t been around your company long enough to know the things that will create meaningful content to drive sales and leads to your business. They don’t know the top-selling products, the discount trends, the jokes you share with your customers, or which staff members to feature.

They also know nothing about the brand you’ve been building and the tone in which you communicate with the community. A lot of hard work can be lost due to handing the digital reins over to a newbie.

Social media is an important driving tool for your brand. You need to have someone who can study your analytics and make long-term decisions about your account.

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It’s All Just Temporary

Sure, having the intern post to your Facebook page every day may seem like a tempting break, but what happens when they go back to their regularly scheduled class load and it’s handed off to someone else? A unified, cohesive tone of voice for your brand is difficult to maintain if the person behind it is changing every three to six months.

Not to mention, there may be posts that need boosting or great advertising opportunities, but it is unlikely that you will feel comfortable giving buying power to someone who is only there for six months.

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Not All Apps Are Equal

It may seem strange to consider, but not all college-aged students are familiar with every single social media app. We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but most young adults consider Facebook something for the older crowd. There are so many social media apps, and they all serve different target audiences. Depending on who you’re aiming to reach, your intern may not be able to connect with them over that medium without some guidance.

At the same time, having someone who is familiar with newer platforms may bring your office up to date with the latest apps that are on the scene. This collaboration can be great. But what happens when their internship comes to an end and there is no one left behind who is passionate enough to continue posting that content? You become a ghost on that platform.

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No experience

Sure, your intern has been on social media for many years. That doesn’t mean; however, they are ready for all the responsibilities that come with a band’s account. Beyond typos (let’s not throw the intern under the bus on that one, everyone makes typos from time to time), there are several important things to think about when posting from an account that isn’t their own.

Do they have permission to use the images they picked? Do they engage with the trolls? What happens if a customer posts a complaint? There are so many things to consider when it comes to posting to social media. Interns are here to learn, and they do that by being taught. Not by being thrown into the fire on their first day.

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Crisis management

While a college intern may know their way around a keyboard better than you, they have far less experience dealing with crisis management. If there is a major issue happening for your business, anything they do or say on social media can go viral or be misinterpreted.

It’s a lot of pressure to put on someone who is just in your office for college credit. You want someone at the helm that can effectively communicate with your audience the important information and facts about the situation. Or to not post at all if the situation warrants. Staying calm and not responding negatively to comments on social media is an important lesson to learn.

Social media is important to your brand. While it may be tedious to post on your page every day and monitor all your platforms, it’s not something that can be passed off to the youngest and newest team member who is only there for a few months.

Interns are in your office to learn. So, why not use this great opportunity for them to learn from someone with more experience. Then when they graduate and are hired for their first job, they will have the tools they need to be successful.

Meanwhile, your brand will be safe and secure in the hands of someone dedicated to getting the most out of your social media platforms.

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3 Easy and Effective Ways to Wow Your Clients

by mollymason | June 27, 2016 | Marketing, Strategy | 0 Comments

Let’s pretend it’s a warm, sunny day and we’re running a lemonade stand. You walk by, purchase a cup, and declare “Wow! That is some seriously good lemonade. What do you guys do so different?” Truthfully, a recipe isn’t that hard to follow: proper portions of water,...

3 Easy and Effective Ways to Wow Your Clients

by mollymason | June 27, 2016 | Marketing, Strategy | 0 Comments

Let’s pretend it’s a warm, sunny day and we’re running a lemonade stand. You walk by, purchase a cup, and declare “Wow! That is some seriously good lemonade. What do you guys do so different?” Truthfully, a recipe isn’t that hard to follow: proper portions of water,...

What is a Personal Brand and Why is it Important?

Branding, Digital, Networking, Strategy

While branding is often the key to success for most businesses, individuals can also thrive in their industry and careers by building their own personal brands.

What is a personal brand? It’s basically how you market yourself professionally and publicly. Some of the most famous personal brands include:

And while these names are internationally recognized, every type of industry has its own leaders. People who are known for being credible experts in their field. Building a solid reputation online these days not only impacts your business but can lead to longevity in your industry. Here are some of the top reasons how building a personal brand can help you.

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Build a solid reputation

While you want to be honest and genuine about who you are, that doesn’t mean you can’t use your best skills to promote yourself. What do you want to be known for? Having a personal brand is the perfect way to present yourself as an expert in your field.

A personal brand helps build your credibility in the industry. When someone needs a good or service, they look to the Internet to find the best provider. Someone with a well-developed personal brand will stand out among the crowd. Even if you have worked for several organizations, your personal brand will follow you and so will your credibility.

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Keep your personal and public lives separate

Look, you may be proud of your baby’s first steps, but that’s not going to help you become the known expert in your field on the topic you represent.

Keeping a personal account for your friends and family and creating public accounts for your brand helps you share what you choose in the appropriate location. If you feel nervous about posting pictures of your family for the world to see, then having separate public and private accounts will help you network while keeping those you love safe.

Not to mention, with the political climate in the world as it is right now, many professionals find that it is easier to keep their opinions to their private accounts, so they do not risk alienating clients and colleagues on either side of any issue.

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Networking

Connecting with other professionals is another benefit of having a personal brand. It allows you to befriend others on social media and build a relationship with them. The benefits to this are endless, including cross-promotion, job opportunities, and business leads.

Having likes and follows by others in your industry only helps to build your business reputation. When you have a personal brand that is recognized in your field, you can become sought after for conferences, workshops, and other trade events.

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Connect with clients

Other business professionals are not the only people you can build a relationship with through your personal brand. With smartphones in practically everyone’s hands, our clients are living and working on the Internet. Keeping your name fresh in their mind by promoting your personal brand makes you a trusted source to meet their need when the time comes. As a bonus, they are more likely to recommend your name to others.

While a personal brand may not be the first thought that pops into your head when going into business, it is an important thing to consider. By building a personal brand, you set yourself and your business up for success, and you can establish yourself as a credible source in your industry for years to come.

Cool, I'm Interested!

3 Easy and Effective Ways to Wow Your Clients

by mollymason | June 27, 2016 | Marketing, Strategy | 0 Comments

Let’s pretend it’s a warm, sunny day and we’re running a lemonade stand. You walk by, purchase a cup, and declare “Wow! That is some seriously good lemonade. What do you guys do so different?” Truthfully, a recipe isn’t that hard to follow: proper portions of water,...

3 Easy and Effective Ways to Wow Your Clients

by mollymason | June 27, 2016 | Marketing, Strategy | 0 Comments

Let’s pretend it’s a warm, sunny day and we’re running a lemonade stand. You walk by, purchase a cup, and declare “Wow! That is some seriously good lemonade. What do you guys do so different?” Truthfully, a recipe isn’t that hard to follow: proper portions of water,...

How Targeting in Digital Advertising Makes All the Difference

Digital, Marketing, Social

Digital advertising and marketing have become more important than ever to businesses and organizations. With traditional sales strategies struggling because of canceled events and diminished foot traffic, many have had to pivot their marketing plan to embrace new digital advertising and marketing opportunities.

As with any marketing, your return on investment is very dependent on how strategic you are in your approach. You can very easily throw thousands of dollars away and not understand why you aren’t seeing the results you desire – especially if you don’t have a lot of experience analyzing what impressions, clicks, and any of the other metrics in the reports provide.

Targeting is the key to getting a higher return on your investment with digital marketing. The German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer stated, “Talent hits a target no one else can hit. Genius hits a target no one else can see.” Identifying who to target can be challenging, but it is worth the effort each and every time. If you don’t have the talent (or genius) on your staff, consider hiring an outsourced marketing agency that can ensure you are getting the most for every dollar. Their expertise partnered with your understanding of your ideal customers can drastically improve the results of your efforts.

There are five key areas that can make a big impact on your digital advertising campaigns.

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1. Get Granular

One of the blessings of digital advertising is that you can get very detailed in who you are targeting. The more detailed you get, the better your results.

This may be difficult to understand for some. It may seem like the more you target, the more opportunities for sales but that is not how it works. If you really dial in on a specific target, it’s easier to identify if your strategic plans are working.

Imagine you have ten arrows. Is it easier to hit a target by shooting those arrows one at a time if you have 100 small targets? Or one large target? That’s how it works in digital advertising.

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2. Play Pretend

This is going to sound silly, but it’s time to put on your imagination hat. Pretend you are one of your customers. Who are you? What is your age range? Where do you live? Where do you go to seek out information on your problems? How do you stay on top of industry news or get continuing education? What are your interests or behaviors?

Answering these questions will help you build buyer personas that will help you target your digital advertising to the right kind of potential customer.

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3. Build Your Library

Now that you have your personas built, it’s time to build your content library with content that appeals to them. Provide the answers they are searching for in their day-to-day work lives.

More content on customizable landing pages improves your chances to get both paid and organic clicks from your target markets. Content is still king when it comes to attracting your buyers who are searching for the answers your products or services can provide them.

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4. Customize the Content

The next step is to actually build your digital advertising. You need to customize it to the different personas that you have built. What is going to make them take action and click on the link or ad to go to your website?

The same ad can be customized in many different ways for many different placements depending on the personas you built. Once they get to your content (that has been customized for them as well), the next trick is to capture them as a lead and add them to your sales funnel.

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5. Plan to Pivot

The unfortunate truth is that digital advertising is not something that you can ‘set and forget’. It needs constant monitoring and adjustments. As things change in the marketplace or your buyers’ behavior changes – you will also need to change.

You may discover that your personas aren’t quite right and they may not be your ideal customer. You may need to adjust your content, your advertising, or your targeting.

There’s more to digital advertising and marketing than just throwing up some Facebook or Google ads. As with every marketing effort, you need to be strategic in your approach. Otherwise, you’ll be throwing money down the drain and miss the mark on achieving the results you need with your marketing dollars.

If you need help with any of this – strategy, training, setup, or management, please contact us. We would be happy to have a consultation with you to discuss your needs and budget and find a solution that will work for you and your team.

Cool, I'm Interested!

3 Easy and Effective Ways to Wow Your Clients

by mollymason | June 27, 2016 | Marketing, Strategy | 0 Comments

Let’s pretend it’s a warm, sunny day and we’re running a lemonade stand. You walk by, purchase a cup, and declare “Wow! That is some seriously good lemonade. What do you guys do so different?” Truthfully, a recipe isn’t that hard to follow: proper portions of water,...

3 Easy and Effective Ways to Wow Your Clients

by mollymason | June 27, 2016 | Marketing, Strategy | 0 Comments

Let’s pretend it’s a warm, sunny day and we’re running a lemonade stand. You walk by, purchase a cup, and declare “Wow! That is some seriously good lemonade. What do you guys do so different?” Truthfully, a recipe isn’t that hard to follow: proper portions of water,...

Making Social Media Easier to Manage

Digital, Marketing, Social

Social media has changed the way we communicate as brands. Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, chances are your organization has at least one social media account. Unfortunately, that becomes one more thing you need to manage, and it is often forgotten or put on the backburner. Can it be easier? In a word, yes. There are steps you can take to make this less of a time-heavy chore and more of an efficient system that helps you sell. Here are five steps you can take to make your social media easier to manage:

1. Simplify with Scheduling

Remembering to post several times a day on your social media accounts can be difficult at best. On top of that, trying to create good content when you are in a rush is a recipe for disaster. Planning your posts ahead of time is always key, and there are a few ways you can do so.

You can pre-schedule your posts on most social media platforms without a tool or app to help you. Simply creating a spreadsheet or google doc ahead of time is an easy way to keep organized. If you want to take it next level, investigate a social media management tool that will let you queue or schedule posts for all of your accounts, seeing an entire week or month at a glance. This is especially helpful if you are managing a larger content calendar with topics, offers, deals, or sales. If you don’t have many accounts, there are several free versions that might be a good fit to start until you grow into a larger tool.

We have tried them all and would be happy to recommend one that will meet the needs of both your staff and budget. We also offer social media management tool setup, training, or assistance as a service to help you in this process.

2. Plan for Daily Engagement and Interaction Time

You cannot just post nowadays and hope for the best. If you want to grow your accounts organically over time, you need to set aside time each day for engagement and interaction.

This doesn’t mean you need to respond to inbox messages or comments the moment that they come in, but they will need a prompt response. “Getting to that later” when you are busy doesn’t always work and is a good way to set yourself up for failure. How can this be avoided? Schedule time each and every day for these tasks and handle them in bulk. You will be surprised at how much you can accomplish when you can focus on one thing and aren’t dealing with other tasks.

Other things to do during this scheduled time: invite people to like your page, comment in groups or on others’ posts as your page, and share or like other posts. This is also a good time to boost your content or setup ads or offers. A small budget can get a big return on social media advertising, especially if you target well.

3. Automate Some Customer Service Options

Do customers inbox your social media asking the same questions over and over again? Are there some qualifying questions that you need to ask on a consistent basis with those who contact you? You can save some time by automating some of these functions.

Through the help of bots and using a social media management tool (or sometimes the platforms themselves), you can automate the easy functions. This can save you so much time! It’s honestly not as creepy as it sounds and can be written using your brand voice.

Most management platforms have tutorials that show you how to do this, or if you want training in how to set this up, we can do that for you.

4. Centralize Your Inbox

Social media can be tricky to manage when you have multiple accounts on multiple platforms with multiple logins. Simply logging in to each one and checking your notifications takes a decent amount of time.

How can you make this easier? Centralize that inbox! This is the best gift that any social media management platform can give you. There is only one place to log in and the information for all of your accounts falls into one centralized location. You’re much less likely to get sucked into scrolling social media accounts and wasting precious time.

If multiple staff members are monitoring your accounts, you’ll know what was handled and what still needs to be managed. You can even leave each other internal notes!

5. Carve Out Creative Time

One last way to make your social media easier to manage is to carve out your creative time separately to create your content. Make sure this is protected time, and that you have space and freedom to focus on flexing those creative muscles. This is the time where you create images, videos, and the accompanying posts that go with them – something witty, clever, and eye-catching that will resonate with your target market.

Carving out this time will make a big impact on how these posts land in the days to come and will make you stand out from your competition. Focusing on your creativity without distraction will allow you to connect with your customers digitally, which is even more important during these trying times.

Taking the steps to make your social media easier to manage will help you focus on what really matters with your social media – creating content that sells. The pandemic has changed everything, including how you communicate with your customers. Selling your product or service(s) digitally are essential to be successful in this environment.

If you need help with any of this – strategy, training, setup, or management, please contact us. We would be happy to have a consultation with you to discuss your needs and budget and find a solution that will work for you and your team.

Cool, I'm Interested!

3 Easy and Effective Ways to Wow Your Clients

by mollymason | June 27, 2016 | Marketing, Strategy | 0 Comments

Let’s pretend it’s a warm, sunny day and we’re running a lemonade stand. You walk by, purchase a cup, and declare “Wow! That is some seriously good lemonade. What do you guys do so different?” Truthfully, a recipe isn’t that hard to follow: proper portions of water,...

3 Easy and Effective Ways to Wow Your Clients

by mollymason | June 27, 2016 | Marketing, Strategy | 0 Comments

Let’s pretend it’s a warm, sunny day and we’re running a lemonade stand. You walk by, purchase a cup, and declare “Wow! That is some seriously good lemonade. What do you guys do so different?” Truthfully, a recipe isn’t that hard to follow: proper portions of water,...

4 Practical Post-COVID-19 Marketing Tips

Digital, Marketing, Strategy

2020 will go down as the weirdest and most disruptive year for business in recent history. Organizational leaders and business owners are managing massive changes and looking at scenarios that seem to alter on a weekly basis. While many are looking to completely revamp their marketing strategy, mostly everyone is looking to modify their marketing plan and budget for the rest of the year. We’ve put together some practical ideas for getting your marketing going in the coming months.

1. Take Care of Your Customers

Communicating with your customers is more important than ever. Take a proactive approach and let them know how your organization is dealing with reopening, how you are adapting to keep your employees and customers safe, and how you can continue to provide them with phenomenal products and services. Be available to help them solve their problems in any way that you can and communicate that over and over again. Avoid clichés and overused statements and focus on being sincere and authentic.

Even with a thinning budget, figure out creative ways to provide extra value and strengthen relationships. If you take a true customer-centered approach you will strengthen the value of your brand with your clients.

2. Don’t Bury Your Head in the Sand

If your organization has suffered severe disruption, it is not the time to be paralyzed with fear over your marketing. Even now, we’re working with clients on new marketing strategies and tactics to help them take advantage of the current situation while also identifying future opportunities. For many of our clients, that means developing webinars, creating social media web videos, updating neglected websites, designing digital advertisements, and implementing automated marketing and email marketing campaigns.

3. Develop the Right Messaging

We are not at all advocating for changing your corporate identity or engaging in sleazy marketing tactics, we are suggesting it is time (for most organizations) to develop clear messaging about your differentiating factor and unique value. We’ve implemented this principle ourselves by developing a new website that more accurately communicates the problems we can solve for certain clients and beginning inbound marketing practices and digital advertising for the first time in our company’s history. It’s important that your marketing quickly and concisely tells people who you are, what you do, and why they should care.

4. Take Advantage of Free Marketing Platforms

If your organization has not taken a massive hit during this pandemic, you should be investing even more money in your marketing. Research has shown that this tactic yields success during economic downturns. But if you need to tighten your marketing budget there may be free marketing tools that you can utilize while you get your organization back on its feet.

Canva is a free graphic design solution that you can use to design social media graphics, posters, and more.
Unsplash and Pexels are great resources for free professional photographs you can use on social media and your website.
Vidyard allows you to set up a free account to create videos for your marketing.

While unpredictability is rampant for every organization, there are many opportunities that leaders can take advantage of to optimize their marketing efforts and come out of the 2020 Twilight Zone with a happy ending.