ADVISOR MARKETING

Susan Theder

Regulators and bots are both making their presence felt .

RENDS IN MARKETING ARE ALWAYS EVOLVING , AND there ’ s been no exception to that in 2023 . From the effects of the Securities and Exchange Commission ’ s marketing rule to advancements in AI , there are new ways for advisors to think about their marketing and find opportunities in it .

To help you stay up-to-date , I ’ ve put together a list of the top five advisor marketing trends I think are worth keeping your eye on .

1 . The Growth of AI In 2023 And Beyond

Artificial intelligence is , without a doubt , the hottest trend of 2023 . Many companies are integrating AI into their processes , while tech firms quickly move it into their products . People are using ChatGPT to write emails and social posts ( or even code ). Advisors are also using AI to facilitate tax or estate recommendations . And as the tech continues to “ learn ” and hone its capabilities , most modern businesses will have to use it .

Advisors need to understand what AI can do if they want to keep a competitive edge . While the technology will never replace human emotional intelligence , AI can dramatically improve advisors ’ productivity . AI is of use to me personally in the marketing realm — it helps me brainstorm email subject lines and blog titles , recommends topic ideas , summarizes research or articles of interest , critiques my work or makes recommendations to improve it by suggesting or creating images .

While the technology will never replace human emotional intelligence , AI can dramatically improve advisors ’ productivity .

My firm , FMG Suite , offers a “ oneclick ” AI-powered social media tool that helps advisors create personalized captions when sharing content on social media . This feature uses FMG ’ s proprietary version of ChatGPT to create social posts , which follow the marketing best practices we have trained it to understand while complying with industry regulations , all in a second . We encourage advisors using the tool to edit the material it produces as they wish , or else keep trying with new iterations . ChatGPT is best used as a starting tool , not a finishing one .

ChatGPT can also help advisors eliminate many of the time-consuming pain points they may associate with their current marketing strategy — without sacrificing the personalization required to elevate their brand . When the bot is integrated into any of their existing technology , it ’ s even better . For this reason , AI takes my top spot on trends to keep an eye on .

2 . Prioritizing Social Responsibility

Many companies are starting to be held accountable by their customers for the impact they have on the world . Environmental , social and governance investing ( ESG ) is not a new trend , but firms that adhere to its principles can differentiate themselves , especially in the ultrahigh-net-worth and family office spaces .

That ’ s reason enough for advisors to consider their business policies , their in-

16 | FINANCIAL ADVISOR MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER 2023 WWW . FA-MAG . COM