As a financial professional, your success hinges on your ability to attract and convert potential clients into loyal, long-term partners. To achieve this, you need a robust lead generation strategy that not only brings in a consistent flow of prospects but also ensures that these leads are qualified and genuinely interested in your services. While lead generation usually relies on ‘traditional channels’ like cold calls or referrals, there are innovative marketing strategies that may help you tap into new pools of prospects faster.
1. WORKSHOPS & WEBINARS
Hosting workshops and webinars (or seminars in person) is an excellent way to establish yourself as an authority in your field while simultaneously attracting potential clients. These events provide a platform for you to showcase your expertise, share valuable insights, and address common financial concerns. To maximize the impact of your educational workshops:
- Choose Relevant Topics: Focus on subjects that resonate with your target audience, such as retirement planning, social security, tax optimization, or estate planning and wealth transfer.
- Promote Online and Offline: Use both online channels (social media, email marketing, your website) and offline methods (local advertising, community centers) to reach a broader audience.
- Collect Contact Information: Capture attendee contact information for follow-up. This can be done through registration forms or sign-up sheets.
- Offer Complimentary Consultations: Provide attendees with the opportunity for a one-on-one consultation to discuss their specific financial needs.
2. REFERRALS
Word-of-mouth recommendations from satisfied clients are a powerful lead-generation tool. 92% of consumers trust referrals from friends and family over other forms of advertising. (ExplodingTopics) The key to referrals is consistency. You never know who your client might know that could also benefit from your services. Here’s how to make referrals work for you:
- Create an Incentive Program: Reward clients for successful referrals with discounts, gift cards, or other incentives. (Be sure to check your state and/or Broker Dealer for guidance and limitations).
- Ask for Referrals: Don’t be shy about asking satisfied clients for referrals. You’d be surprised how many are willing to refer others if you simply request it. Incorporate it into your client meeting routine by adding a reminder to your meeting checklist or agenda.
- Follow Up Promptly: When a referral is made, follow up quickly to express your gratitude and schedule a consultation.
- Ask for a Google Review: 87% of customers read online reviews on local businesses. Positive reviews are a great way to attract clients. Additionally, Google reviews have several benefits, including Google ranking for local SEO and enhancing your online reputation.
3. BUYING LEADS
Purchasing leads is a controversial strategy, but when done right, it can be a viable option. Be cautious when buying leads and ensure that they are from reputable sources. Here are some tips for buying leads effectively:
- Vet Lead Providers: Research and choose lead providers with a track record of delivering high-quality leads to financial advisors.
- Qualify Leads: Before pursuing purchased leads, verify their quality and relevance. Not all leads will be a good fit for your services.
- Personalize Outreach: Craft personalized messages when reaching out to purchased leads to increase your chances of engagement. This could be a great opportunity to use a :30 video to warm up that cold outreach.
4. CONTENT MARKETING
Content marketing is a long-term lead-generation strategy that involves creating valuable, informative content to attract and engage your target audience. The goal here is to educate prospects and set yourself up as a thought leader. Use these tactics for example:
- Blogging: Maintain a blog on your website, addressing common financial questions and concerns. Track visitors with heat maps, Google Analytics, etc.
- Ebooks and Guides: Offer free ebooks and guides on your website in exchange for your visitors’ contact information.
- Webinars: Host educational events and webinars to educate your audience and generate leads through registrations and follow-up appointments.
- Social Media: Share your content on social platforms (link: https://dmi.com/blog/social-media-how-to-manage-your-risk/) to expand your reach and engage with potential clients. Offer valuable insights on financial planning, investment strategies, tax-saving tips, retirement planning, estate planning, etc. Be sure to have a way to capture people’s emails through a lead magnet or contact forms so you can stay in touch with them.
5. NETWORKING
Building a strong professional network can lead to numerous referrals and partnerships — just make sure it’s a two-way street.
- Leverage Partnerships: Lead generation becomes easier when you leverage partnerships with those who are already serving people that fit your target market.
- Get Social: Attend industry events, join local business associations, and engage in online forums related to finance, retirement, or investments.
- Grow Your Center of Influence: Many of your clients probably have a tax accountant or estate planning attorney already. Make it part of your onboarding process to ask for their names and contact information. Get permission from your client to contact them.
BONUS: USE ESTATE PLANNING TO STAND OUT
Stand apart from your competition by offering clients online Estate Plans.
- Estate Planning often touches on life goals and makes clients feel understood, which strengthens the client-advisor relationship.
- It establishes you as an expert in your client’s eyes, reinforcing their trust and loyalty. This can be key in helping you acquire more referrals.
- Providing guidance on estate planning strategies also gives you an opportunity to connect to the next generation and other family members.
CONCLUSION
Lead generation is an essential aspect of a financial professional’s success. The goal is to create a steady stream of qualified leads. Remember that consistency and adaptability are key, as the financial landscape and client needs evolve over time. Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box and come up with other creative ways to source leads. Have a system in place to track leads (like a good CRM) and have a strong follow-up process to ensure leads turn into clients.
Also, keep in mind that most paid lead programs are not going to be as good as organic lead generation that comes from a business’s own landing pages, social media, webinars, etc.
The good news is working with a strong IMO like DMI can help you better identify qualified leads and ultimately generate higher revenue. Our solutions help businesses find and capture more high-value prospects, convert sales leads faster, build trust through customer satisfaction initiatives, and increase revenues through proven methods.
Because at DMI, your success is our success.
Now You Can Offer Estate Plans
Watch this video & give us a call to learn about the DMI Secret Sauce.
Tyrell Jensen
VP of Annuity Sales
Tyrell Jensen has almost two decades of experience in annuity and life insurance sales, marketing, recruiting and business development. His work has focused on annuities, life insurance, and Long Term Care and how these products can be used to form a holistic plan for seniors in retirement.
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