ADVISOR MARKETING

Susan Theder

If you follow these rules , you ’ ll improve your communications and engagement with clients .

CCORDING TO FINANCIAL ADVISOR MAGAZINE , POOR communication is the No . 1 reason clients leave their financial advisors . And during times of volatility , timely and effective communication is doubly important .

But that does not mean advisors should rush out to write something . Going too quickly can often result in poor quality , which can be almost as bad as never communicating .

Luckily , following a few copywriting golden rules , you can write an effective message while still saving yourself time . Read on to learn more about these five rules and how you can use them to improve your client communications .

1 . Use The Right Formatting

Always think of your reader when formatting your writing . What do they want ? Like most of us , they ’ re looking to receive the information they ’ re looking for as quickly as possible .

The best way to do this is to ensure your message is concise . Consider headers and sentence breaks , and never write in large , blocked paragraphs — in short , make your writing skimmable .

Readers can then determine what information they deem is worth their attention and move between sections with ease . Effective formatting can also be used to help highlight certain elements of your message . For example , a link in an email will stand out better if it isn ’ t surrounded by other text .

The exact format of your message will depend on its content , but whether it ’ s a blog or email , the writing style will remain much the same .

Readers want to feel like they ’ re reading something from a person , especially if that person is handling their finances .

2 . Write As You Speak

Formal writing is often the standard in business , but in many cases , a lighter approach can be more effective and relatable . Readers want to feel like they ’ re reading something from a person , especially if that person is handling their finances .

For this reason , try using conversational language in your communications when possible . Of course , how lighthearted you get will depend on your brand . So only write conversationally when appropriate .

Such an approach can benefit all forms of communications , from emails and blogs to social posts . For example , a social post that ’ s more relatable often garners more engagement . After all , people prefer to connect with people rather than brands .

3 . Write For Your Customers , Not Yourself

The main goal of copywriting is to prompt the readers to action , whether that ’ s getting them to sign up for a newsletter , get a quote or make a purchase . That ’ s why it ’ s important to write for your customers , not for your company .

But beyond formatting , how can you do that ? A great place to start is to look at your company ’ s testimonials and messages . What sort of language does your audience use ? What kind of problems do they want to be solved , and how can you present yourself as a solution ?

You want your clients to know that

SEPTEMBER 2022 | FINANCIAL ADVISOR MAGAZINE | 19