This filtering is not limited to just happening with clients. By forwarding information online, advisors can increase their credibility as an industry expert, even if they aren't the ones creating the material. Sharing information online will also help advisors be recognized.
Gluck said, "Two weeks ago Google changed their logarithms, factoring in who your friends are and what you are tweeting about. Even if you didn't write it, it will help you with searches." He explained that if everything you share is on a certain topic, the technology will recognize that it is your area of expertise. Then when people search on that topic, the individual can more easily be found.
One advisor shared a success story with the crowd. His niche is private business owners and he follows relevant topics on Web sites like inc.com, fastcompany.com and wsj.com. He recently made a comment on a nytimes.com blog article that resulted in 1,800 hits on his Web site and he now has three proposals for new business, all because he took the time to share his opinion online.
4. Leverage content.
Social media allows advisors to have their information seen by more people. By using social networks to get more eyes on your material, Swift said, "You show your industry leadership." She noted it also helps increase your exposure with traditional media.
Swift showed a slide how "spider marketing" creates cross links to create more ways for your information to be found, using LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Ning and SlideShare. She said, "Google is cataloging social media even higher than it had before."
She explained, "Write it once, but use it many times. Change it to have a casual feel for a blog, and tweet about it in a different way."
Her example supported Leonhard's point, "The more things you have out there, the more chance you can be relevant."
Time To Get Onboard
Advisors need to be quicker about adopting social media, conference presenters said. "Real-time Internet is a part of everyone's life," O'Keefe said, and if advisors want to be successful in the future, they need to come to this realization sooner than later.
Other article about this conference include Advisor And Publisher, Social Media Compliance Is A Gray Area and Six Technology Tips From The FPA Conference.
Note: If you want to follow what was said about the conference on Twitter, check out hashtag #BizSol11.
Mike Byrnes founded Byrnes Consulting to provide consulting services to help advisors become even more successful. His expertise is in business planning, marketing strategy, business development, client service and management effectiveness, along with several other areas. Read more at www.byrnesconsulting.com.