Several variables will determine how well advisors can sustain and grow their practices over the next 5-10 years. One is the advisor’s ability to move from tech tolerant to tech-obsessed. There is a lot to explore when it comes to advisors and technology, so today we are going to take a bite out of the elephant and focus solely on digital marketing.

It’s no surprise that the most successful advisors deploy technology well! In fact, research also reveals that tech-obsessed advisors have 40% more assets under management. To be a tech-obsessed advisor, you need to be obsessed with digital marketing too.

Not sure where you stand? Have a look at this list. If you have maximized all seven, you are doing great! If you’ve conquered some, you are on your way and if you haven’t started, then don’t delay!

1. A responsive website that is SEO optimized. Yes, it still happens, you visit an advisor’s site on your mobile device only to see it is not responsive. Advisors tend to think of their website as a static asset. However, just like your physical office, your site needs to be easy to access and appealing. If it isn’t responsive, you are not only making a lousy first impression, but you are also hurting your chances to improve your Google rankings.
2. Social sites are sizzling with activity. Tech-obsessed advisors are on social media frequently posting their thoughts and engaging relevant content. If they aren’t doing it themselves, they have a staff member dedicated to seeding content regularly and managing a content aggregator. If you want to be popular socially, you have to get out there and be consistent. Those who have been at it for a while can now benefit from more substantial followings. You have to start somewhere, so start now!
3. Google ads are on display. Google continues to dominate with over 90% of search engine market share. With competition stiff for many financial advisors, Google ads can drive more visitors to your page by positioning you higher in the search results. Yes, you are paying to be more visible. A Google ad can appear on page one of search results while your website, SEO optimized or not, may be much farther down in the rankings.
4. Content is engaging, fresh and integrated. How do you build trust? You do it by sharing your experienced insights. Your blog is a critical channel for connecting with your target client. It’s also much better to disperse your content via your social channels than keep sharing the thoughts of others.  Content comes in many forms including video. So think outside the box and be creative. If you aren’t creative look for inspiration from others!
5. Email is embraced. Email is not dead. In fact, 99% of us check our email every single day and on average 20 times a day. Email marketing tools also provide significant insight into who is engaging with you. Not sure what to email? Start by branding your blog and sending out new posts out via email. Follow-up with news, upcoming events, and valuable research. Automated campaigns can also be set up to engage with prospects over specific topics like Retirement Planning, Estate Planning, Online Investing and more. Your CRM likely has an email marketing tool and a time-tested favorite, Constant Contact, also provides advisors with an affordable and dummy proof way to create and manage your email marketing efforts.
6. Analytics are not ignored. Google analytics is a valuable window into website traffic. You can track the volume of new and returning visitors, see which pages get viewed the most, learn the demographics of your visitors, understand how visitors were acquired including from social media and email and set up goals to track conversions from your website prospecting offers. It’s easy to sign-up for google analytics and to acquire the tracking code needed to embed on your site. Experienced web designers can help you navigate the process or do it quickly for you.
7. Prospecting offers are up-to-date and provide immediate gratification. Not everyone is ready to contact you when they visit you on the web, though they may want to learn more. When you layer in prospecting offers, your website and social sites serve as a window for both you and them to learn more about each other. A prospecting offer is an invitation to engage further. It can be a questionnaire to download, a booklet to read, access to an informative video, invite to a webinar or event, and more. When they tell you who they are by entering their name and email to access the offer, you can begin to engage with them more strategically in the future.

While everyone may be in marketing, or so they think they are, not everyone has time to implement marketing. Unfortunately, independent advisors are often left to go it alone with their marketing efforts with little assistance from their home office. Elite firms usually hire an in-house, dedicated marketing resource, which is not a viable solution for the majority. A significant benefit to partnering with us is having access to an experienced marketing professional to help you plan, create, and implement your own custom digital marketing strategies.