Checklist: Go Digital in One Weekend

Thinking about increasing your digital footprint? Your kids are constantly on social media, your wife has created various profiles to promote her business, heck, even your mother is online sharing content and promoting her favorite brands and causes. You dabble occasionally, but usually only if forced, and if you’re like most financial advisors, the thought of going digital in your business seems like a lot of effort for very little return. But the truth is, it’s the way of the world, especially if you are looking to target a younger generation of investors that will keep your business sustainable and growing into the future. .

Good news: ClientWise is here to make this whole process easier, because we’ve created a checklist that will get you through the steps of starting your digital presence in a single weekend! Some of this might take a little preparation in advance in terms of understanding your ideal target audience, and your ability to use social media based on the restrictions and limitations of your firm, but these processes, too, will give you a better handle on how to target your clients. So, this weekend take a few hours, sit back, and follow the steps below!

  Pick a platform (10 minutes): With a little background information this shouldn’t take you more than 5-10 minutes. The key is to determine how you look for people to connect with in your day-to-day business. Maybe you seek clients out by their profession, in which case LinkedIn would be an ideal choice, or by their geographic location which would make Facebook a better bet. Twitter is convenient if much of your prospecting is conducted through existing client relationships because it allows you to connect with the networks of people you already know. Once you’ve decided, set up profile which is comprised of answers to very basic questions that even an associate or member of your team would have no trouble filling out. 

  Find people to follow (20 minutes): Search for people in 2 categories: 1) industry influencers, or people who are writing and talking about things you are interested in that inform your business. 2) Your target market: the type of clients you look for on a daily basis. 

  Enter the conversation (30 minutes): This is as simple as reading and responding. There is no right or wrong way to accomplish this; it’s really about using your expertise to leave comments and suggestions on topics related to your industry and core business, or questions your clientele have, much like you would in any other conversation. 

  Create content (2-3 hours): This can be done in a couple of different ways, and again there is no formula. Some advisors will be limited by the requirements of their firms: You may not have the freedom to create your own content, but use that as an opportunity to instead respond to that of others.  Either way, your contributions should provide insight into a problem or the topic at hand, which will serve as an example of the types of solutions you bring to your clients. Your engagement with others in the digital space, either in responding to other’s content or creating your own, will also serve as an example of your collaborative and relationship skills, so keep this in mind when engaging with others.

The process of creating a digital presence may take a little time up front, but it’s really no different than taking the conversations you have in person and bringing them online so that you can share your expertise with a wider audience.

Coaching Questions from This Article: 

1. Who is your target audience and where are you most likely to find them online?
2. If you work for a firm what, social media restrictions, if any, does it have in place that might hinder or determine your level of interaction?
3. What questions are you consistently asked by clients that you could use to create a short but informative article to share with others who have similar questions and concerns?