Lead Gen Best Practices for Advisors

Now is the time to start crafting a marketing strategy for the year ahead. Lead generation should be one of the most critical aspects of your 2023 marketing strategy. Your prospective clients are using online research to influence their decisions, including picking who they trust to help them with their finances. So, it would help if you had an online presence that builds trust with your prospects. Your online presence needs to showcase the value you can provide. You have an opportunity to show your prospects what they are looking for online.

Find Your Audience

Before you start, you need a clear picture of your ideal audience. You cannot be all things to all people, and your messages will get lost if you are trying to talk to everyone all at once.

Download our free client persona guide.

Next, you need to outline your customer journey. Make a list of the interactions a prospective client will have with your firm before they decide to conduct business with you. Think about these interactions in terms of these three phases: 

1. Awareness: Potential clients have a pain point and are seeking information but aren't ready to do anything yet. They are just starting to poke around a bit. 
2. Consideration: Prospects understand their problem and are considering taking action to improve their situation. But before they do, they gather information to understand their options better.
3. Decision: Your prospective client is narrowing down their options and making a choice. 

Create Content that Wows

Once you've mapped out your ideal customer's journey, it's time to start planning the compelling content that will help build trust. You can outsource this work if you're not great at creating content. Otherwise, plenty of tools, templates, and other resources make it easier to create professional content that your clients will find valuable. The most important thing to remember is to align the content with the buyer's journey stages. Make sure you are not asking for too much from your prospects too soon, and keep your messaging authentic. 

Optimize Your Website

An optimized website should have a simple, user-friendly design that works on mobile devices and desktop computers. Simple navigational menus help prospective clients find what they need quickly and easily. Plus, they help search engines find your content and drive traffic to your site.

What should you have in your navigation?

• About: Provide a brief description of your organization and its purpose. You can also include pictures of you and your team with bios or stories about why you are in the business.
• Products and Services: A clear listing and description of your financial firm's services. Think about keywords here. What are your prospects searching for? Use those terms on this page.
• Resources: Links to any free webinars, calculators, free downloads, or other resources your organization offers. If you have a blog, link to it here.
• Contact: A clear, easy way for leads to contact you is essential. Include a booking link to schedule time on your calendar on your website. You can also include that meeting link in emails, blog posts, social posts, and more.

Lead generation is an essential first step in growing and sustaining your firm. These tips will help you get started, but generating leads isn't a quick and easy task. It's a continual process that takes effort, innovation, and the right strategy. Get started now, so you've got a plan for a successful 2023!