LinkedIn can be a game-changer for financial advisors looking to expand their network and attract new clients. With over 500 million members worldwide and a significant number in Canada, LinkedIn has become a platform for professionals across industries to connect and collaborate on business practices, products, and services.
As a financial advisor, leveraging LinkedIn can help you create valuable connections with potential clients, promote your expertise in the industry, and uncover new opportunities for growth. However, if you're like many financial advisors, you may have tried to add people to your network and message them with little success. This can be frustrating, especially if you're looking to expand your client base.
The good news is that there's a different approach that can be highly effective, especially in today's world: being helpful. Instead of focusing solely on how many leads you can generate, take a step back and think about how you can provide value to your connections.
As an expert in creating successful and valuable content for financial advisors in both the corporate sector and at Tenth Man Marketing, I am dedicating an entire blog post to this topic. My experience has shown that even a simple message like "I'm here to help" can generate strong leads for advisors. So, let's dive in and explore this topic together:
One way to do this is by sharing helpful articles, insights, or tips that are relevant to your network. By doing so, you establish yourself as a credible authority in your field, build trust with your connections, and create opportunities for engagement and conversation.
It's all about knowing who you're targeting and creating meaningful content that is helpful. You also want to make sure that when someone searches for specific keywords related to what they do (e.g., “financial advisor”), they see your name come up as one of the top results because this helps build credibility around what kind of business professionals are associated with those terms.
Whether you’re an experienced advisor or just starting out, you should take advantage of the many opportunities available on this social media platform. Let's get started.
First and Foremost, Before You Do Anything: Define Your Target Client.
Before you can begin prospecting through helpful content, it's crucial to define your target client. This step is essential because it helps you determine how to reach out to potential clients and what kind of information you should gather to make them want to work with you. Ask yourself questions like:
What are the demographics and psychographics of your ideal client?
What life stage might they be in or approaching?
Do they have any unique needs or challenges that set them apart from other clients?
Does this person have any special needs that are different from other clients? The answers may vary depending on the type of business model that fits best with your strengths as an entrepreneur. For example; you might target high-net-worth individuals who need someone else’s help managing their assets or you might target doctors who might not see themselves as a business, yet have very specific needs.
When it comes to your target client, it's essential to consider not just the "what" but also the "why." Understanding the underlying motivations, attitudes, and beliefs that drive someone to think about their finances can help determine which topics are most important to them.
Once you have a clear understanding of your target client, you can begin crafting content that speaks directly to their needs and interests. By creating valuable resources and sharing them on LinkedIn, you can build relationships and begin to establish yourself as a go-to expert in your field.
Whether you're seeking guidance to get started or want to dive deeper into creating buyer personas, Tenth Man Marketing is here to help. Check out our blog post on the step-by-step guide to creating buyer personas and download the complimentary customer persona template today.
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How to Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile as a Financial Advisor
If you're a financial advisor, optimizing your LinkedIn profile can be critical to attracting more clients. In this section, we'll discuss the essential elements that you need to include in your profile and the keywords that you should use to help potential clients find you more easily.
Your bio
Your bio is the first thing that people will see when they visit your profile. It should include your name, title, and company name, as well as a brief description of what problems you solve for clients. Here are the essential elements that your bio should include:
Include your name, title, and company name
Include a brand-aligned header image that promotes who you are and what you offer
Make your headline more than just a job title
Ensure your summary works for you: include a brief description of the problems you solve for clients
Include your industry, services you offer, and specialties within the industry
List any certifications or educational requirements that are relevant to your area of expertise
Be sure to add any disclaimers that are required
Maximize Your LinkedIn Profile's Potential by Showcasing Your Thought Leadership with "Publications"
If you want to establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry, the Publications section of your LinkedIn profile is one feature that you should not overlook.
Have you written an article for a leading publication in your industry, have you contributed to your company's blog with informative posts on industry trends and topics? By including links to these pieces in the Publications section of your LinkedIn profile, you can showcase your expertise and offer tangible proof of your knowledge.
Moreover, sharing these assets with potential clients and employers can help you establish yourself as a credible and trustworthy source of information in your field. By leveraging the Publications section of your LinkedIn profile, you can take the first step towards building your personal brand and expanding your professional network.
So if you're looking to get more credit for your thought leadership and establish yourself as a leading voice in your industry, make sure to take advantage of the Publications section of your LinkedIn profile. It's a simple yet effective way to showcase your work and make a lasting impression on potential clients and employers.
How to add a "Publications" section to your LinkedIn profile
Here's how to add a "Publications" section to your LinkedIn profile:
Go to your LinkedIn homepage and click on the "Me" icon at the top of the page.
Select "View Profile" from the dropdown menu.
Click on the "Add Profile Section" section
Choose "Publication" from the options which is listed in the Recommendation Section
Enter the required information for your publication, such as the title, publisher, date, and any relevant links or files.
Click "Save" to add the publication to your profile.
That's it! Your publication should now be visible on your LinkedIn profile for others to see.
Utilize Various Formats to Publish Valuable Content on LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a different beast than other social media sites. It’s not just a place where everyone can publish their thoughts, it’s also a place to build your business.
If you want to make the most out of your LinkedIn presence, you need to not only diversify your content and offer value to your audience but to use different formats that might appeal to them. Here are some different types of content you can post on LinkedIn to engage with your connections and build your brand:
Articles or blog posts: Writing thoughtful articles or blog posts on topics relevant to your industry can help position you as an expert and provide value to your audience.
Infographics or visual content: Visual content can help you stand out in a sea of text-based posts. Consider creating infographics or other visual content to communicate complex ideas in a more digestible way.
Videos: Sharing videos can be a powerful way to engage with your audience and provide valuable insights and expertise.
Thought-provoking questions: Asking questions of your audience can help spark conversation and create a sense of community on your profile.
Polls or surveys: Conducting a poll or survey can help you gather insights and data on topics relevant to your industry, while also engaging with your audience.
Remember, the key is to offer value to your audience and to showcase your expertise in your field. By experimenting with different types of content and staying consistent with your posting, you can build a strong personal brand on LinkedIn and grow your network over time.
Using Trending and Evergreen Content on LinkedIn to Prospect
Let's shift our focus to the type of helpful content you can post on LinkedIn. There are two main categories: evergreen and trending content. Let's explore the difference between the two and how you can find them.
Trending topics: Posting about hot topics that are currently popular among users can help you grab attention and drive engagement. For example, you can post about the state of the economy and ideas on how to save for a rainy day.
Evergreen topics: These are topics that will always be relevant, such as financial planning or retirement planning. By posting about these topics, you can position yourself as a thought leader in your field.
Finding Evergreen Topics
To come up with ideas for evergreen content, you can start by generating topics yourself. Think about the most common questions your clients ask or the most frequent challenges they face. You can also look at what people in your target industry and location are posting about. For example, you can join LinkedIn groups related to your field and see what topics people are discussing.
Evergreen topics can change with each month so consider what month you are focusing on. For example, if it's January RRSPs or tips for tax season might be a hot evergreen topic while vacation home investment for HNW individuals might be an evergreen topic as spring approaches.
Finding Trending Topics
To find trending topics, you can use LinkedIn's search bar to look for people interested in the same topics as you. You can also use keywords to find specific questions or topics. Another way is to check LinkedIn's trending topics by clicking on the link at the bottom of any user's profile page. Additionally, you can see which groups and pages users follow to get an idea of their interests.
How to Choose Timely and Relevant Topics for Each Month
When it comes to evergreen topics, it's important to keep in mind that their relevance can vary from month to month. Therefore, it's crucial to consider which month you are focusing on and what topics are likely to be of interest to your audience during that time.
For instance, if you are creating content for the month of January, you might want to consider topics such as Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs) or tax season tips, which are typically of high interest to readers during this time of year.
As the spring season approaches, you might shift your focus to evergreen topics that are relevant. For example, if you're targeting high net worth (HNW) individuals, speaking about vacation home investments might be relevant in the spring and summer, as this demographic tends to invest in properties around this time of year.
At the same time, it's important to remember that certain evergreen topics should be timeless and relevant all year round. They should provide value to your audience beyond a specific month or season. By focusing on evergreen topics that remain relevant throughout the year, you can create content that is sustainable, consistent, and ultimately drives traffic to your website.
Again, it's important to remember when planning your content strategy, it's essential to conduct thorough research and analysis of your target audience to identify their interests and preferences. By doing so, you can ensure that the evergreen topics you choose are not only timely but also resonate with your audience, leading to higher engagement and a stronger connection with your brand.
Joining Trending Topics
As well, joining trending topics is a great way to engage with your target audience and build your network. To do this, you can search for trending topics by top publications in your industry or click on an article in LinkedIn News. If a particular post interests you, you can share it on your profile with your own comments. By participating in discussions and sharing your insights, you can establish yourself as a credible source of information.
Optimizing Your Posting Schedule: Testing Different Times
While it's important to create valuable content for your target audience, it's also crucial to ensure that your content reaches them at the right time. LinkedIn's algorithm favors posts that receive engagement, so it's essential to test different posting times to find the optimal schedule.
To start, try posting at different times throughout the week and track the engagement each post receives. You can use LinkedIn analytics to see which posts received the most views, likes, comments, and shares. From there, you can identify the times when your audience is most active and adjust your posting schedule accordingly.
It's also essential to consider your target audience's time zones. If you have a global audience, you may need to experiment with posting at different times to ensure that your content reaches everyone at a convenient time.
By testing different posting times and analyzing your results, you can optimize your posting schedule and increase your reach and engagement on LinkedIn.
Based on my experience, testing different posting times is crucial in determining the optimal time to publish content on social media platforms. Some suggested testing times include 7am, 8am, 9am, noon, 1pm, 3pm, and 6pm on both weekdays and weekends.
It's important not to rely solely on recommended posting schedules from other sources as their target audience may differ from yours. The best posting times for your content may vary depending on your industry, target audience, and location.
For instance, each advisor within the same firm may have a different set of connections, which means their optimal posting times may differ. Therefore, it's crucial to experiment with different posting times to identify the times that yield the highest engagement and reach for your content.
By testing different posting times and analyzing the results, you can optimize your social media marketing strategy and increase the visibility of your content. Additionally, monitoring your audience's behavior and preferences can help you identify patterns and trends in their engagement, which can inform future content creation and scheduling decisions.
Engaging with Others: Commenting on Posts and Publications
Commenting on other people's posts and publications is another great way to engage with your network and build relationships. By leaving thoughtful and valuable comments, you not only contribute to the conversation but also position yourself as a knowledgeable and helpful resource.
When commenting on a post or publication, take the time to read it thoroughly and understand the message or point being made. Then, share your own insights, opinions, or experiences related to the topic. Make sure your comment adds value to the conversation and is not simply self-promotion.
Engaging with other people's content also increases the visibility of your own profile and can lead to new connections and opportunities. So don't hesitate to jump into conversations and leave meaningful comments on posts and publications in your industry.
If you are serious about building your network and growing your business, it is important to be active on LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a great way to connect with potential clients and build relationships with people that can help grow your business. You should always try to be helpful while also sharing helpful content that will help others in the financial industry. The more active you are on LinkedIn, the more opportunities will open up for you!
Enhance Your Online Presence with Tenth Man Marketing's Financial Advisor Marketing Expertise
If you're a financial advisor looking to improve your online presence and attract more clients, Tenth Man Marketing is here to help. We offer a range of services specifically tailored to enhance your digital marketing.
From creating timely and relevant posts for social media to implementing effective SEO techniques to drive more traffic to your website, we have the expertise to make you stand out in the competitive financial advisor industry.
Click on the link below to learn more about how Tenth Man Marketing can support your financial advisor marketing efforts.
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