There are a few traits that most financial advisors have in common. They are all hard workers, they strive to create a lasting legacy for future generations, and they have a passion to create their own company that provides value to customers. Something else that most of them have in common – they are not marketing professionals.

Financial advisors may not have the experience or expertise needed to develop an effective marketing strategy; they may find it hard to move the strategy into an actionable plan, convert web traffic into clients, or have a hard time using social media in the right way. It is a difficult task to create a compelling strategy and implement it in the right way with the help of countless marketing tools. Rather than just “getting it done” or keep pushing It to the bottom of the to-do list, it makes more sense to hire a marketing consultant to help you do what you set out to do – keep your current clients happy, and get new clients.

There are many reasons and benefits to hiring a marketing consultant.

Specialized expertise and experience.
I would never try to give someone financial advice or offer to manage someone’s investments.  Most consultants often have 10+ years of experience in their industry and stay up to date with the latest trends. They track and analyze different data points to make your business as successful as possible.  Additionally, these professionals understand that business growth depends on creating and managing strategic relationships with other business professionals and referrals. When you hire a consultant, you can be confident that he or she knows what to do and will get it done.

Consultants are objective… and smart.
One of the major benefits of hiring a business consultant is getting a fresh look at your company’s standing from a professional who is familiar with different types of businesses, or better yet, similar types of businesses.  Wouldn’t it be nice to know what your competition is doing right and wrong? A business consultancy will always have the advantage of being impartial, and seeing what your business needs to be successful. Leveraging a consultant’s experience will help you run your business more effectively and avoid making mistakes in the future.

They can help you build a brand and a plan.
A reputable and experienced marketing consultant will know the importance of understanding your business goals, creating a strategy that works, and implementing that strategy.  They will also help you select the best marketing tools for your business. This strategy can include things like identifying the target audience, putting together a comprehensive marketing plan, and even optimizing your website’s design to make it more attractive to prospective clients. In addition to that, a marketing firm can help you plan your marketing campaigns to retain and add to your current client base. They are also available to set up an action plan to calm the fears of your investors when the market changes.

They understand the big picture.
Developing and growing a business can be more difficult than many financial planners expect.  Business development includes a series of processes and techniques that are very important for actually growing the business.  Expansion is only possible if the owner understands that the concept that the full client experience matters.  From onboarding a new client, to taking steps to retain loyal clients. A marketing consultant will have processes in place to make sure that this often forgotten fact is not overlooked.

You have resource gaps.
There are never enough hours in the day or people in the office.  There is always that one thing that needs to get done, but everyone is already busy taking care of their specified job responsibilities.  How do you determine who will log-on to Facebook and make your business posts, who will design, write and send out your newsletter?  None of these are related to financial planning but they are all vital to the success of your business – and they are important tasks. Instead of taking someone off a higher payoff task to take care of these, you should seek outside help.  A marketing consultant will not only know how to complete these task, have the tools to do so, but it is also part of their job responsibilities.

They are more cost effective than another employee.
According to an article from Investopedia, it can cost 1.5 to 3 times the proposed salary to hire a new employee, train them, and account for the adjustment period for productivity. So not only is there no HR and new hire paperwork, there is no additional overhead, no turnover, and they are already trained and 100% productive from day one. They don’t need to learn the job they were hired for – they are already trained, probably experienced, and well researched in the area.

Should you hire a marketing consultant?
It’s really up to you. If you wait until you are ready or you “need” it – it’s likely too late.
This specialist is capable of performing and monitoring a variety of assignments that are crucial for growing a business without taking away from yours’ or your staffs already full plates. They organize their strategies based on your feedback and their expertise. It really is a perfect partnership.

The struggle may be in creating an effective small business marketing strategy, implementing it, meeting marketing and business objectives, or lacking the skill in taking your business to the next level. Hiring an experienced business consultancy can help you save a lot of time and trouble, as well as increase your profits.

Whatever the reason may be, a marketing consultant can infuse some much-needed life into a financial firm.


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About Crystal

Crystal Lee Butler, MBA is the owner of Crystal Marketing Solutions, a full-service marketing agency dedicated to working specifically with independent financial advisors. Since 2011, she’s helped financial advisors cut through the noise to attract ideal clients and grow their businesses using proven strategies that we use with our clients every day. As your “Chief Marketing Officer,” our goal is to help you grow your business and put time back on your calendar so that you can focus on what you do best: serving your clients.

This website is marketing advertising and does not establish a client relationship, which is only formed when you have signed an engagement agreement. We do not guarantee results and past results do not guarantee future results.

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