Social Listening Strategies for Financial Advisors Today, I focus on the financial advisor target audience, adults age 50 and up, since they hold most of our country’s wealth. I provide several examples of how advisors can reply to online comments and conclude with an infographic detailing even more social listening ideas. Let’s begin by understanding where adults age 50 and up spend time online so you can: Hear what they’re saying. Communicate using their preferred social channel. Address topics important to them. Make connections by spending time at activities they enjoy. Where are 50-year-olds and older hanging out? According...
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Credibility and trust are key components that make or break a financial advisory business. To help financial advisors build more trust, I provide three examples below. Recently, I watched a TED talk by Simon Sinek and was captivated by one particular comment: Trust is a feeling. His remark got me thinking about how to frame words that create feelings. Words financial advisors and other types of financial consultants can use on websites and social media channels to build credibility, ultimately creating feelings of trust. What are feelings? The Merriam-Webster dictionary offers several definitions, including: an emotional state or reaction, often...
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For young male financial advisors, a youthful appearance isn’t always an asset. Over the years, I’ve been to many financial services conferences. Most were hosted by an advisor’s broker-dealer, RIA or sponsor. Generally, I’d see two attendee demographics: old advisors and young advisors. Sure, there were others, but I didn’t notice them as much. When I’d see an older advisor, I’d think: I can’t hire him/her, they’re retiring before me. Then, I’d see a younger advisor and think: No way, I can’t hire a kid. Are you a kid? Of course not. But, understand what Gen X and other older...
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Do you own or manage a small retail business? What would you do if a large corporation came to town and started offering most of what you sell? The large business probably has deeper pockets, enabling them to offer lower prices and a larger product selection. How do you compete with large companies? Here are 4 simple and affordable marketing ideas to help sustain your small business when Goliath sets up shop in your neighborhood. #1 – Piggyback onto a Powerful & Local Communication Network One of the most affordable ways to advertise your small business is to piggyback onto...
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Summer Reading for the Beach, Lakefront, Poolside & Beyond If I had to recommend only one book every small business owner should include on their 2018 summer reading list, it would be: Conversationally Speaking: Tested New Ways to Increase Your Personal and Social Effectiveness by Alan Garner. It’s definitely worth the time for anyone who needs to start or keep a conversation going, e.g., consultant, vendor/supplier, small business owner of any kind, parent, husband/wife, etc. Why? Because, beyond this being a helpful and easy to read business book, by optimizing your personal communication skills, your small business will likely grow faster. What’s more,...
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How to Motivate Staff in a Hair Salon One of the most common questions I receive from salon owners is: How do I motivate my hair salon staff? Frankly, there is no one answer. Yet, there is one key approach that’ll help motivate your staff of hairstylists, makeup artists and others. It’s this… Find your staff doing things right. In fact, I recommend setting up reminders to find each of your staff members doing things that positively impact salon growth. These conversations will not take additional time, since you’ll simply be replacing some of your stylists’ conversations with more (organized) positive feedback. Soundbite...
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Ah, summertime. That wonderfully warm time of year when many small businesses earn 40 percent or more of their profits for the year due to the onset of tourism. However, for the rest of us, the dog days of summer may be our slowest sales cycle. If June, July and August leave you with empty pockets, first take a look at how you’re packaging your business in order to increase revenue. Ask yourself, is there a better way to position your services and products as a great summer offer? Attract More Customers This Summer Try these 5 marketing strategies coupled...
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