March 11, 2019
When you run a firm that creates content and designs websites, you learn a lot about what works and what doesn’t.
Think of your website as the street facing window of a retail store. You wouldn’t put your entire inventory in the window. You would select items that are likely to entice a shopper to enter the store and check out your goods. The window design should maximize impact.
That’s how we think about websites.
Whether prospects find you through an organic search or are referred to your firm, the first part of their due diligence will be to check out your website.
The website should validate their judgment and cause them to make a further inquiry or book an appointment online.
A report from BNY Mellon/Pershing suggests that many advisors’ websites fail to accomplish their intended purpose.
Over 60% of investors “think all advisors make the same promises, making it hard to tell the difference between them.”
Our experience validates this finding. The “Why we’re different” menu item could more accurately be titled, “Why we’re the same.”
Every advisor now offers comprehensive wealth management. All registered investment advisors are legally deemed “fiduciaries.” All advisors believe they are honest, trustworthy and professional.
Differentiating yourself in a crowded and very competitive marketplace is challenging.
How do you do that?
Most websites we review are cold and impersonal. It’s difficult to be warm and engaging when you’re in front of a green screen discussing the five-factor model.
Based on our research, investors don’t hire the most qualified advisor. They hire an advisor they like. “Likability” is the foundation for trust. When they like and trust the advisor, they retain them, then rationalize after the fact they’ve made the best decision based on qualifications.
Your website should focus on making an emotional connection. You can do this by showing your “human side.” That can involve images (preferably taken professionally) of you and your family, or you engaged in your favorite sport or hobby.
You can use different kinds of videos to convey who you are and what values drive you. You can see examples of the videos we’ve produced here.
Our videos range from using a full production crew to the use of advanced technology to paint a visual portrait of what makes you tick without having you appear live on camera and without using any production crew (at a fraction of the cost of a traditional video).
Here’s an example of this type of video:
https://vimeo.com/321251567
In our experience, the more personal you make your website, the more impactful it is.
I recommend you read the report referenced above from BNY Mellon/Pershing.
We use SEO and other marketing strategies to create a steady flow of leads for financial advisors and estate planning attorneys
dansolin@ebadvisormarketing.com