Be The Guide In Your Prospect's Journey

Imagine your prospective client, Sarah.

She just graduated from dental school and is wondering, "Should I pay off my student loan debt or save to buy a practice?"

This overt financial pain is one of many life events that can trigger questions, leading prospects like Sarah to seek out financial advice.

The challenge?

Staying top-of-mind so that when Sarah decides to find answers, she comes to you, the trusted expert, not Google or the latest AI chatbot.

Understanding the Journey: Once a prospect becomes aware of their need for a financial advisor, the average buying cycle spans ~18 months.

During this time, their journey will be punctuated by significant life events that trigger pressing financial questions.

Our job as marketers is to stay top-of-mind with Frequent, Insightful, Relevant, and Entertaining (FIRE) content, which is crucial in keeping our audience informed and engaged.

The Role of Overt Pain: As I mentioned in my article about overt vs latent pain last week, financial advisors often encounter clients who are in the throes of overt pain, manifesting through specific financial questions.

These questions usually stem from major life events.

For instance:

• "Should I refinance?" might arise from interest rates dropping.
• "Am I saving enough?" is a common concern for new parents.
• "Can I buy a fancy car?" often comes with a job promotion.

Each question signals a moment of need and an opportunity for advisors to provide immediate, valuable guidance.

Level-up Your Relevance: While addressing general financial questions is effective, tailoring your content to occupation-specific concerns has significant power.

Advisors who specialize in an occupational field, such as working with dentists, can use their deep understanding of that field to address unique questions and pain points.

For example, a dentist might ask:

• "How do I manage my practice's cash flow while paying off student loans?"
• "What are the best investment strategies for someone with irregular income due to a new practice?"
• "How can I optimize my retirement plan given the specific tax benefits available to dental professionals?"

By addressing these occupation-specific questions, you position yourself as not just a financial advisor but a trusted expert in their field.

This approach differentiates you from generalist advisors and builds deeper trust and loyalty with your clients.

The Elements of Effective Content: Creating great content that keeps you top of mind for prospects is a lot easier if you plan in advance what you'll talk about.

For example, The Elements Vital Signs framework offers a structured approach to covering all the key areas of financial health:

This framework not only covers critical financial metrics but also aligns with the typical questions prospects ask as they navigate their financial journeys.

By addressing these questions with timely and relevant content, advisors can nurture leads effectively over time.

Step-by-Step Guide to Getting More Clients to Schedule Consultations:

1. Identify Overt Pains: Listen to your target audience through market research, surveys, and direct conversations. Focus on the specific, urgent financial questions they have, especially those triggered by life events.
2. Create a Content Calendar: Ensure your content covers all key areas of financial health and aligns with the common questions your prospects ask by using a framework like the Elements Vital Signs.
3. Tailor Content to Your Niche: Develop content that addresses both general financial questions and occupation-specific concerns. Highlight your expertise in your chosen niche, whether it’s working with dentists, doctors, or any other professional group.
4. Use Multiple Channels: Distribute your content across various channels: social media, email newsletters, blogs, and webinars. Ensure your message reaches your audience wherever they are.
5. Engage and Interact: Encourage comments and discussions on your content. Respond to questions and provide additional value through direct interaction.
6. Call to Action: Include a clear call to action in all your content, inviting prospects to ask you financial questions when they pop up. Use language that emphasizes the value of your expertise and the benefits of a consultation.
7. Follow Up Consistently: Nurture leads with personalized follow-ups. Offer additional resources and insights to keep them engaged until they are ready to book a consultation.

By following these steps, you can effectively nurture prospects, stay top-of-mind, and increase the likelihood of them scheduling a consultation when they need financial advice.

I'd love to hear from you!

What overt pain points have you identified in your target market, and how have you tailored your solutions to address them?

Share your experiences and insights in the comments below.

Let’s continue the conversation on how to stay top-of-mind and win clients through effective, engaging content.

#FinancialAdvisors #MarketingStrategy #ClientEngagement #WealthTech #FIREContent