Advising others on their financial affairs is busy work and unfortunately, that doesn’t leave a whole lot of room for marketing your services. Thankfully, we live in the digital age, and your website can do all the lead generation for you while you work.
Sadly, too many financial advisors treat their websites as an afterthought. Therefore, it’s no surprise that 72% of financial advisors say their websites don’t produce the prospects they need to get ahead.
Today, you need a website and must work by as in generating and capturing leads, or else you’re wasting valuable bandwidth, energy, and time.
Use the following checklist to help your website gather all the leads you need to keep your financial advisor business booked up for many months to come.
1. Go Simple. Don’t Over Clutter.
Allen Gibson of Gibson Wealth Advisors uses engaging imagery to capture his audience. While he does offer text, it’s sparse, and the text-heavy sections aren’t necessary to read in order to get the most out of the site. Visitors can learn their risk number, and in essence get a free consultation just by clicking a simple button on the home page. Can’t get much simpler than that.
2. Compelling Content with No Jargon
Prospects landing on your website won’t stay long if your site is difficult to read or filled with so much jargon they need a financial advising resource manual to decipher it.
The content on Jim MacKay’s site is straighforwardand lays out why prospects should choose Jim MacKay Financial Planning over all competitors in easily-consumable bite-sized chunks. A person reading the site could consume everything in a single glance, and might just be encouraged to click his call-to-action to Get Started.
3.Create a Lead Magnet
Brian Plain knows full-well that the way to a web visitor’s heart is through their download folder. A free ebook acts as even trade for the visitor’s email address. That way, the visitor doesn’t feel as if they’re giving something away for nothing. They’re receiving value, such as learning how to build their financial future in an easily scannable guide.
4. Get Personal
Centric Capital Advisors showcases the men and women behind the scenes every chance it gets. Because the brand understands that clients are people, and the best way to relate is with a personal – and friendly – touch.
David Wealth Management LLC takes this a bit further by sharing personal stories on his financial advisor website. Sharing a part of yourself is what a financial advising partnership is all about, and it can all start with your lead-generating website.
5. Gather Social Proof
People know that hiring the wrong financial advisor could put a damper on their financial future. Put your audience at ease with a few well-placed testimonials or a list of your accolades.
Pauley Financial has three testimonials on its financial advisor website from AdvisoryHQ News, Texas Monthly, and Acquisition International. In other words, the testimonials don’t have to be from clients, as long as they come from notable locations and showcase your services in the best light.
6. Don’t Be Afraid to Talk Yourself Up
You don’t have to let others do all the promotion for you. Blast out your message that you’re the greatest in the industry with a few well-placed creative touches.
David Rae makes clearly showcases the fact that he’s been on the news. He features a video of his news appearance right on his homepage along with a strip of local news channel buttons underneath. This fosters credibility and familiarity and adds a bit of local celebrity to the mix for instant authority.
Chris Heerlein of REAP Financial wrote a book that has become an Amazon Best Seller, and the financial advisors mention that fact right on the home page for a significant credibility boost.
Anthony Grant treats his stats like a sports player. He lists out how many projects he’s completed, his stellar feedback percentage, the percentage of clients who return, and the average client savings. All of which are fantastic ways way to set yourself apart.
It doesn’t have to just be about your accomplishments. You can also help prospects warm up to you by describing your registration and fiduciary status, and by providing a link to FINRA/Broker/Check. You can also take it a step further and describe the ethics of your practice. For instance, you might mention that you haven’t had a complaint in all the years you’ve been in business. With so much fraud in the industry, a spotless (or near spotless) record will be refreshing and could sway a lead over the fence and into your much greener pastures.
7. Engage with Video
A short video – 30 seconds to two-minutes – that describes who you are and what services you offer, as well as demonstrates your expertise and credibility, can do more for pulling in quality leads than a downloadable ebook or whitepaper. In fact Hubspot showed that 43% of respondents want to see more video content from online brands.
Video also helps to build instant familiarity, which is important, as people are reluctant to hire financial advisors they don’t know.
The Art of Finance in Los Angeles knows the power of video. They give their visitors a two-minute clip of their unique flair, which is like giving prospects a free consultation without having to actually do so.
8. Easy to Get in Touch With
Your website should have a clear and easy way for new prospects to contact you and ask questions.
Bell Wealth Management knows this all-too-well and therefore provides prospects with a place to put their name, phone, email, and a short message. There’s also a call-to-action that mentions prospects can schedule a phone or in-person interview, showing that Bell Wealth is serious and ready to offer expert financial advice.
9. A Clear-Call-to-Action
Never assume that your prospects know what action to take, whether it’s to fill out a form, give you a call, or click a button. Guided Wealth Management entices web visitors to Start Planning Today, making it easy for prospects to take the next step right on the home page.
10. Form to CRM (Web to Lead) Functionality
If people are filling out a form on your website and that’s going to your inbox, but you don’t do anything about that lead, you’re wasting your time and your prospects’ time. Instead, your form data should import directly into your CRM software, such as Redtail or SalesForce, so that you know who to contact, how, and when, to give you a chance to turn all your leads into loyal and paying clients.
Conclusion
This ten-point checklist can help your website work for you, but your site cannot do all the work for you. You must be there to react every time your website attracts a new lead. When someone lands on your website and leaves a comment or question in your contact box, you should reply instantly. Instant communication shows that you are paying attention and that you care.
If you don’t have any of the above elements, you might want to consider a complete rebrand. What better way to show clients that you’re serious about their financial future than unveiling a sleek new website with all the trimmings and effects that cause financial advisor clients to stand up and take notice.
