Nearly every financial professional I know will admit that the secret to building successful client relationships is trust. But the most successful advisors likewise agree that you must begin earning that trust way before the initial consultation.
Unfortunately, some advisors are undermining their credibility online by using outdated marketing tactics and by imitating—or trusting—the wrong people.
You don’t have to be an Internet marketing genius to get this right. Here are five things you absolutely must avoid in order to maintain credibility online:
Problem #1: Clone Websites
There are many companies out there promising to build a website for less than the cost of a car payment. But there’s a reason these sites are so cheap: they’re all the same. These website providers use the same designs, same images, and even the same content for all of their customers, including your competitors.
This is why successful advisors invest in their web presence just as they do in every other aspect of their business. Even if they use a common website framework, they make sure the dominant imagery, copywriting and video content is unique to their brand. Why spend $500 on a website that thousands of prospects will see for years, but $5,000 on a seminar to which only 20 people may respond?
Investing the time and money to create a site that truly mirrors your approach and personality will pay dividends over time. You will establish trust and stand out from the competition.
Problem #2: Cliché Messaging
Let’s take an even harder look at those cheap websites that all look the same. What immediately comes to mind? Most likely, a stock photo of two contented retirees next to a banner claiming, “We provide peace of mind in retirement.”
What does that even mean?