The document provides an overview of using social media to attract clients as an investment advisor. It discusses how investors are increasingly using social media and the importance of advisors developing an online presence. It offers five tips: create profiles on key networks like LinkedIn and populate them with consistent information; make smart connections to generate referrals; listen and learn from others in your industry; claim your online search results to control your brand; and proceed with caution while being authentic and value-added. Case studies are presented of advisors successfully using social media. The presentation concludes by highlighting online resources and taking questions.
1. Social Media Marketing 101:
How to use social media to attract clients
Featured Presenter:
Stephanie Sammons, WIREDADVISOR
Presenter: Cynthia Stephens, ByAllAccounts
2. Agenda
1 Key Takeaways
2 The social media landscape
3 FINRA guidelines on social media web sites
4 Five tips on using social media to attract clients
5 Success stories from the early adopters
5 Q&A
3. Key Takeaways
• Your (potential) clients are online
• 4 of 10 Investors ByAllAccount surveyed used a top social media
website in past 90 days
• Your competition is online
• About half (42%) of advisors surveyed in the Rydex|SGI
AdvisorBenchmarking use LinkedIn.
• If you don’t use social media you’ll be left behind.
• You need a comprehensive web presence to be found by potential
clients online and to remain competitive
• The more connections you have the more opportunities you have
to gain exposure and generate introductions and referrals.
4. The Social Media Landscape
According to a recent study by American Century Investments, 44
percent of financial services professionals agree that social media
is an emerging trend with significant potential for their business.
5. Social Networking Sites Continue to Grow
• 14.7 Million unique visitors to LinkedIn.com in March, 16%
above its March 2009 level
• 21.3M unique visitors on Twitter.com
Online Resource:
www.compete.com
6. Investors are Using Social Media Too
Have you used LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook or other social media sites
within the past 90 days?
(Response percentages from investors with more than $500K in
investable assets)
4 of 10
Investors
used a Social
Media Yes
Website in No
past 90 days
Source: ByAllAccounts’ HNW Investor Survey, April 2010. Preliminary Data.
7. HNW Investors Use Social Media, Do You?
• Advisors agree (44%) that social media is an emerging
trend with significant potential for their business
Source: American Century Investments study of financial professionals, March 2009
• Advisors see social networking platforms as a way to
enhance communication with current clients (35%) and as
a way to advertise or promote their firms (30%).
• About half (42%) of advisors use LinkedIn, followed by
Facebook (27%),YouTube (15%) and Twitter (13%)
• Source: The 2010 Rydex|SGI AdvisorBenchmarking Semiannual (Winter 2010) Study
9. FINRA Guidelines on Social
Media Web Sites
“According to a recent report by the Pew Internet and American
Life Project, 46 percent of American adults who use the Internet
logged onto a social networking site in 2009, which is up from8
percent in 2005. Other studies have shown that use of social
media sites by businesses to communicate with customers and
the public has grown significantly in the past few years.
FINRA Regulatory Notice 10-06, January 2010
10. FINRA Guidelines Issued
• Guidance on Blogs and
Social Networking Web
Sites issued January
2010
• Topics include:
• Blogs
• Communications with
the Public
• Recordkeeping
• Social Networking Web
Sites
• Supervision
11. FINRA Best Practices
• Keep comments general; No specific
recommendations
• No testimonials
• Credit your sources
• Static versus Interactive Content
Online Resource: http://bit.ly/8Z5DY4
12. Five Tips on Using Social Media
to Attract Clients
“If you see LinkedIn or others as simply a place to post your resume,
you're missing the point. Social networking sites are remarkable —
maybe even unrivaled — tools for marketing yourself. Treat them as
such.”
Investment News, Social Media : 10 things every advisor should know
13. The Internet Has Changed
“The internet is the great equalizer”
-Business Week 1996
14. Tip 1. Create and Populate Profiles
• The big-4 social networks are the most valuable
networks for building a consistent online presence
(LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube)
• Create consistent descriptions and use a professional
picture
• Link back to your website from all of your social profiles
• Enable your profiles to be viewable by all
Takeaway: You need a consistent “social” web presence to be found by
potential clients online
16. Tip 2: Make Smart Connections
• Build connections, but be selective
• Cross-pollinate connections from your networks
• Professionalism and personality (Be Human!)
Takeaway: The more connections you have the more opportunities
you have to generate introductions and referrals.
18. Tip 3: Listen and Learn
• Leverage transparency to learn about prospects
and clients
• Observe and learn from peers who are paving the
way
• Listen to your connections to identify niche themes
Takeaway: Social media will allow you to develop a more
personalized communication strategy
21. Tip 4. Claim your Online Real Estate
• You are being “Googled”
• 50 million searches for individual people daily!
• Claim “page one” of your Google search results
(website, free Google tools, major social profiles)
• Manage your online reputation pro-actively
BONUS: http://www.google.com/profiles AND http://www.google.com/places
Takeaway: Steer perception by taking control of your online
brand assets
22. Example: Claiming Your Google Search Results
• Websites
• Specific network and
directory
• Maps
• Twitter
• Facebook profile
• Blog
24. Tip 5: Proceed with Cautious Optimism
• Be authentic!
Never engage in self-serving behavior
• Be value-added – Relevant topic ideas?
http://www.alltop.com
• Be compliant and archive your social media activity
(arkovi.com, smarsh.com, socialware.com)
• Focus your efforts
Takeaway: Be yourself
25. Success Stories from the Early
Adopters
“I have met (in person and online) a number of fellow financial advisors
from whose Tweets (posts for you non-Twitter users) I learn something
new every day. Whether from their blogs or article links Twitter is a
great source of information. Additionally I feel that I have greatly
expanded my network of experts to whom I can turn with questions in
areas where I may not have the direct expertise.”
Roger Wohlner,CFP, Dec. 10 2009 blog post
28. Actionable Next Steps
Opportunity Next Step
Build a “must-read” list
Listen: follow peers online and build
http://wohlnerfinancial.blogspot.com/2009/
your professional networks
12/financial-advisors-and-twitter.html
Setup your Google Profile and Google
Get involved: Make sure potential Places Profile
clients can find you online http://www.google.com/profiles
http://www.google.com/places
Participate: Engage with peers,
influencers, clients and prospects Set up a Twitter Profile, Join LinkedIn
Professional Groups
30. ByAllAccounts
• Standardized account data from thousands of sources, eliminating
the need to add people and infrastructure as your business grows
Assets Under Aggregation Surpasses $130 Billion
(Billions)
139.5
118.3
84.1
62.5 71.4
58.4
Q4 08 Q2 09 Q4 09
www.byallaccounts.com