I worked at Microsoft when the iPhone and iPad launched and reshaped the personal tech industry forever. Virtually overnight touch screens, apps and instant access replaced laptops, shrink-wrapped software and waiting for your device to boot up. The reset button is about to be hit for the financial advisory industry as well due to Department of Labor (DOL) rule changes, fintech, the rise of marketing technology, shifting consumer behavior, and the rise of Gen Y and Z. The ground is about to shift under our feet—all the VCs pumping hundreds of millions into fintech startups are betting on it. The only question is who will be the winners and losers. As change rumbles through the industry, marketing decisions and investments you make today will decide whether you’ll be a fast, sleek Surface Pro IV or a slow, clunky laptop.

Messaging, segmentation, product positioning and pricing—all of the traditional building blocks—are as important as ever. Though just continuing to do what we’ve done in the past isn’t enough to stop a fintech company from disrupting (or demolishing) our industry. It’s only a matter of time until a scrappy startup with a better client experience does to us what Uber and Expedia did to cabbies and travel agents.

Instead of falling victim to our changing environment, we have the opportunity to create services and add value unimaginable five years ago. The iPad was released seven years ago and is a mainstay today for businesses and consumers worldwide. I don’t think personal finance has that long—maybe two to three years at the most. How do we take advantage of the whirlwind of changes around us? Here are some ideas:

• The first order of business is to understand that public perception is ahead of the DOL. Acting in the best interest of clients is becoming table stakes. Regardless of what the President or his successors do, current and future clients expect conflict-free advice. If we’re not transparent, then we’re giving the fintech startups a decisive advantage. We should not and cannot give up the high ground, or see it as a competitive advantage moving ahead.

• Gen X and Y are digital-first generations. They expect mobile experiences, want to co-create, and demand positive social impact in addition to sound financial returns. Fintech business plans are based on more, better or easier access to information. They make it simpler to take action and then feel good about what’s been done. Our exposure is massive if we don’t deliver better experiences across every device than fintech. We do have a distinctive advantage over purely virtual websites and apps. Everyone wants digital and in-person interaction, especially when their financial future is at stake.

• Marketing has fundamentally changed over the last several years: Real-time bidding for digital inventory, targeting individuals instead of demographic segments when serving ads, business intelligence, automated workflows that deliver personal experiences. The list goes on and on. A marketing tech stack with 1x1 personalization at-scale is needed while operating with a small person team and lean budget.

Navigating a groundswell of change is going to be a sprint and a march. Time and people are needed to build the right platforms made up of dozens of interlocking cloud services and analytic tools. So what does the starting line look like?

• Begin the journey with the basics. The Boy Scouts have a list of a dozen must-haves before venturing into the outdoors. Your modern marketing survival kit is personas, messaging framework, brand book, competitive analysis and strategies. I work at a culture-rich, outcome-focused RIA. Comprehensive investment plans, estate planning, risk management and other services aren’t the end game. Our mission is to help our clients, colleagues and communities live richer lives. Ultimately, we strive for financial, emotional, and social well-being. It’s not enough for clients to be happy with us. We want them to have a mindset of happiness through life plans that align their values, goals and resources. Our mission statement is foundational to everything we do.

• Live and breathe data. Start a culture of collecting and analyzing what drives your business. Fintech companies are built on the type of data you have in Google Analytics, Search Console and SalesForce reports. Don’t ignore it or just count tweets or likes. Roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty so you can improve the value you deliver to clients. Build content based on the right keywords. Understand your search rankings. Keep your eyes on the customer through data-driven insights.

• Automate. Automate. Automate. We’re migrating automation platforms to improve scale, ROI measurement and integration with paid media. We’re going to touch prospects and clients 10 times more than in the past with the right content at the right time. And everything we do will be entirely personalized. The cliché is “don’t serve steak to vegetarians.” I want to know if my client wants a veggie burger or a ribeye. Medium rare? And do you want a baked potato or other sides? Gluten free? That’s what Gen X and Y expect. Are you ready to take their order?

The Four P’s dominated marketing since the 1960’s when a proliferation of brands, mass media and buying power necessitated an integrated marketing model. Living a data culture and capitalizing on new technologies require a new framework, such as the Four C’s (Content, Context, Connection and Community). Artificial Intelligence (AI) has already transformed Wall Street, logistics and entertainment. The first AI cloud services have been deployed at marketing agencies. Is AI going to skip our industry? Absolutely not. Either firms like ours or robo-advisors will introduce it. We’ll be adding some more C’s soon.  

Computers, tablets, mobile phones and personal finance are technical, high-stakes products. No one wants to lose money, all their digital photos, or personal or professional contacts. That’s why both are big ticket items and emotional purchases. When something better comes along, consumers change fast…sometimes too fast. Don’t take my word for it. Do the research… most likely on your iPhone or iPad.  

John Dougherty is the VP of marketing at Brighton Jones, a Seattle-based RIA. Before Brighton Jones, he at Microsoft as senior director in Microsoft Windows and at marketing agencies with clients such as General Motors, Yahoo!, Calvin Klein and Cadbury Schweppes.