Seminars remain one of the best ways for financial advisors to land clients, whether you’re just starting out or trying to grow your business. They are the fastest and most reliable way of attracting qualified prospects and generating appointments. They help you close more business, too. But why is that true? Here are five reasons why seminar marketing is so powerful for financial advisors.
It Establishes Your Expertise
Perhaps the biggest benefit of a seminar is that it establishes your expertise. This is essential to attracting new clients. It is also why your seminar must be informational instead of promotional.
The seminar shows that you both know the material and able to answer nearly any question about matters. On the other hand, if people don’t have confidence in you, they won’t trust you with their money. A side benefit of seminar marketing is that the audience is already interested and receptive. They are there to learn.
It Can Target Your Client Base
Financial advisors are competing with other professionals, but it can be hard to target your ideal audience. The solution is to craft a session that puts you directly in front of your target audience. If you want to attract seniors, create a presentation on retirement planning, maximizing pension benefits or another relevant topic to that audience. Circulate information about the seminar in areas where this audience is most likely to find it. In the case of seniors, it would be businesses that provide services to them and retirement communities. More importantly, seminars will attract qualified prospects.
You Can Network
Seminars can and should be much more than you lecturing in front of a crowd. They are a great way to network with people. Provide snacks or a full meal for attendees. Then you can socialize over food at the end of the event. Serve dessert, and personally thank people for coming. Ask them their opinion of the event. You’ll generate rapport and trust, the first step toward a long-term relationship. At the end of the event, you can give them promotional copies of your newsletter or business card. They can share that with friends and family who may be interested.
It Is The Start Of A Long-Term Relationship
You can incentivize signups for follow-up emails by offering them a free copy of your newsletter if they give you their email address, or you could send a physical copy to their homes. Provide quality, non-promotional content to maintain engagement. This type of content will also help you remain in compliance with various regulations.
Services like GQ Seminars can help you set up and maintain online lead funnels, as well. They can help you market seminars on social media and via paid advertising methods. They can drive potential clients to your seminars and maximize attendance rates.
It Builds Your Brand
If you’re regularly hosting seminars on a topic, this helps build your brand as the go-to expert in the field. It builds brand recognition since every seminar can be used to get your name mentioned in the news and online. This will eventually increase the odds of prospects contacting you since they’re familiar with your name and your reputation as an expert.
Conclusion
Seminars remain the best way for financial professionals to generate targeted qualified leads. However, you have to leverage them properly to get the most out of them.
