Advisor-Marketing Fit

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Joe, why is FinMate’s logo upside down?

Good question, I’m glad you asked.

A couple reasons.

Number 1: They’ve all said it - Michael Kitces, Josh Brown, Jason Pereira, Morgan Stanley (I thinks)… the AI Notetaker is the best use of AI for advisors so far.

• And also… meeting transcriptions might be required by the powers that be… someday.

• So, you’re basically upside-down if you’re not using one yet. So why not take a look at FinMate?

Number 2: Because sometimes its good to look at something from another angle. And in this email, I’m going to do just that.

I’m sure you’re all aware of PMF - or product-market fit:

Joe’s definition: A product is put forward by the business and the people buy it in droves.

I can’t remember who told me about “advisor-marketing fit”. But if it was you, thank you.

Let’s see what ChatGPT Auto thinks it is (the first time I asked):

Nope, that’s not it. After correcting the robot, waiting a few hours and asking again:

There’s a lot of ways to market financial advisory services to the people. But for them to buy it in droves?

It’s possible that the marketing method you most enjoy will be the one that you’ll be the best at and the one that you’ll be willing to do a lot of.

I think there’s a time and a place to do hard things and lean into skills you do not like, don’t have a natural inclination for, etc…

But there is also a place and time for you to lean into exactly the thing you most want to do.

So, let’s try it:

Here’s 100 ways a financial advisor can market their services:

1. Host free financial planning workshops.

2. Start a podcast discussing financial tips.

3. Build an email newsletter for clients and prospects.

4. Write blog posts on personal finance topics.

5. Publish educational YouTube videos.

6. Offer free financial assessments online.

7. Create downloadable financial planning guides.

8. Develop an ebook on retirement planning.

9. Run targeted Facebook ads for specific demographics.

10. Use LinkedIn to connect with professionals in target niches.

11. Create infographics explaining complex financial concepts.

12. Sponsor local community events.

13. Attend industry conferences and networking events.

14. Develop a referral program for existing clients.

15. Write guest articles for financial magazines or websites.

16. Host webinars on investment strategies.

17. Partner with local businesses for cross-promotion.

18. Run Instagram ads targeting high-income users.

19. Offer free portfolio reviews as a lead magnet.

20. Get featured on financial podcasts.

21. Volunteer for financial literacy programs.

22. Collaborate with influencers in personal finance.

23. Host Q&A sessions on Facebook or Instagram Live.

24. Run Google Ads targeting specific keywords.

25. Share client success stories (with permission) on your website.

26. Use Twitter to share market insights and engage with followers.

27. Participate in Reddit’s personal finance communities.

28. Start a TikTok account sharing financial tips.

29. Set up a booth at local trade shows.

30. Launch a client appreciation event.

31. Send direct mail campaigns targeting retirees.

32. Partner with accountants or attorneys for client referrals.

33. Offer free 30-minute consultation calls.

34. Create a personalized video message for prospects.

35. Run LinkedIn ads targeting C-suite executives.

36. Publish a weekly financial market recap email.

37. Write a column for a local newspaper.

38. Send holiday cards to clients and prospects.

39. Create a video series on retirement planning.

40. Offer webinars on tax-efficient investing.

41. Build an Instagram profile showcasing financial success tips.

42. Create a niche-specific landing page for your services.

43. Host a retirement planning seminar at a local venue.

44. Run a financial fitness challenge on social media.

45. Start a club or meetup group around financial literacy.

46. Offer workplace seminars to small businesses.

47. Use SEO to rank for local financial advisor searches.

48. Advertise in local business directories.

49. Get featured on local TV or radio programs.

50. Sponsor a local sports team or charity event.

51. Create targeted LinkedIn content for a specific industry.

52. Run a Facebook group for financial discussions.

53. Partner with real estate agents for referral opportunities.

54. Develop a content calendar for consistent blog posts.

55. Use testimonials from satisfied clients (with permission).

56. Offer a free financial goal-setting worksheet.

57. Create a series of case studies on financial success.

58. Run retargeting ads for website visitors.

59. Attend local chamber of commerce meetings.

60. Create a quiz to assess financial health on your website.

61. Offer free access to a financial planning course.

62. Host a dinner event for high-net-worth individuals.

63. Run Instagram stories showing day-in-the-life content.

64. Promote client reviews on social media platforms.

65. Develop a retirement calculator for your website.

66. Speak at industry events or conferences.

67. Provide monthly market commentary for clients.

68. Offer financial planning for newlyweds.

69. Create an explainer video on your process.

70. Send out educational brochures to prospects.

71. Start a niche-targeted blog (e.g., financial planning for engineers).

72. Engage with clients and prospects on LinkedIn polls.

73. Host an "ask me anything" session on Reddit or Twitter.

74. Sponsor a local podcast or radio show.

75. Develop an online course for financial literacy.

76. Use Pinterest to share financial infographics.

77. Provide free downloadable templates (e.g., budgeting worksheets).

78. Run YouTube ads targeting specific financial topics.

79. Use Google My Business for local SEO.

80. Offer financial planning services for small business owners.

81. Send out birthday cards or emails to clients.

82. Develop a paid mentorship program for aspiring financial planners.

83. Share motivational success stories on social media.

84. Advertise in local real estate magazines or websites.

85. Host an in-person or virtual charity event.

86. Partner with wedding planners for financial advising services.

87. Offer a free webinar on retirement income planning.

88. Create a branded financial planner or calendar.

89. Publish market insights on Medium.

90. Collaborate with local fitness studios for cross-promotion.

91. Offer pro bono financial planning for local nonprofits.

92. Run a giveaway contest for free financial consulting.

93. Send personalized thank-you gifts to referral sources.

94. Sponsor a financial wellness segment on a local news station.

95. Develop a custom app for clients to track their financial goals.

96. Promote estate planning services through attorney partnerships.

97. Set up a "financial clinic" booth at farmers' markets.

98. Offer investment tips on Snapchat or TikTok.

99. Run contests or challenges to boost engagement on social media.

100. Create a personal finance quiz as a lead generation tool.

Can you pick out a few you would enjoy doing? That match your interests, skill sets, and you could actually have some fun with?

Welp, that’s advisor-marketing fit.

I used to do webinars. You know, pick a speaker, pick a date, coerce people into attending, watch the Zoom registrations barely trickle in, watch a fraction of the people show up, post the recording all over the place, and hope that maybe somebody will buy something.

But you know, I don’t really like doing much of that, except maybe the numbers tracking in Excel.

So I stopped doing webinars.

I do happen to like writing, and LinkedIn, and really love Skool communities… so why not I focus on those? Growing followers, networking, causing the occasional stir… and promoting Skool stuff.

So in true “advisor-marketing fit” fashion, I’m going to promote some Skool stuff …and continue talking about marketing.

The Activity Heatmap

At the top of a person’s profile in Skool, it shows this “Activity” heatmap. And for this particular person, doesn’t look like they did much until the beginning of August. And then they did a lot of somethings.

This happens to be Dr. Stephen Buscema 🔥. He’s currently the top dog in the Skool community and #4 all-time:

The point is, if you find a marketing activity you like and are willing to spend all day, every day doing it, it doesn’t take that long to be the best.

Now a note about that fire symbol: 🔥

I learned sometime in the past year that success on LinkedIn was not ONLY about how much you post or how good your posts are... it's about how much you engage with other people's posts = liking, commenting, asking questions, sharing.

And LinkedIn rewards you for good "LinkedIn" behavior by showing your content to more people. But you also get rewarded because when you comment on other people's posts, you're doing exactly what you're hoping people do on yours (aka the Golden rule). It also makes a very nice investment:

And in turn, they might check out your profile and start engaging with some of your posts. It's only natural.

Skool works the same way, except it has a little reward program built in that's a bit more obvious than LinkedIn's.

If you go to your or anyone’s Skool profile page, you’ll find the "Activity" heatmap across the top.

If you have 10 or more activities for the day, you get a fully green square. If you have 10+ activities for 30 days straight... you get a fire emoji next to your name: 🔥

Do that for 30 days, and you'll be a FIRE member!

Financially Independent, Retire Early... oh no, not that kind of fire... although actually???

You know that list of 100 marketing activities? What if you picked one, did it 10 times per day, and then did it 30 days straight?

Who knows, it just might work. And you might actually enjoy it, and get really, really good at it! And then start enjoying it more…

Back to the Skool community: skool.com/community 

They send out these weekly digest summaries of posts, comments, and new members:

As you can see, Skool is growing fast. Each member of this community represents a new community owner or admin:

That’s a ton of communities.

Interested in communities for financial advisors? Check out: https://www.skool.com/discovery?q=financial%20advisor

These are some I’ve played a role in:

And lastly:

Sooo, what’s your advisor-marketing fit?

Joe