Your website is one of the first ways a prospective client has contact with your firm. The more they want to stay and explore your site, the more likely it is that they will want to talk with you and, ultimately, become a client. And the more your home page talks about them, the more they will want to explore.
Most advisor websites, however, are all about the advisor rather than the client.
Engaging clients is a little like dating. You want them to be into you. And that starts with being into them. Have you ever gone out with someone who wouldnt stop talking about themselves? I bet there was no second date.
Too many advisor websites are like that. Heres a bit about us. Heres some more about us. Here's our process. Here's what we believe in. Me me me. A page like that isnt going to hold my attention very long.
Instead, talk about what your clients want. Not long ago, the marketing firm Hubspot ran a list of well designed websites. One thing most of them shared is that they put what their customers wanted as the single biggest thing on their home page.
- Evernote.com Remember everything
- Box.com Simple, secure sharing from anywhere
- GoodData.com Turn your data into dollars
This is where you have to face your value proposition. Do you offer something different than the advisor down the street? Is it compelling? Do you speak to the needs of a specific group? If not, your prospects wont spend time on your site even if you put it front and center. A home page that says Retirement Planning is not much more interesting than one that drones on about how wonderful the advisor is.
Once you have defined your target market and developed a value proposition directed at it, lead with it. Here are some examples:
- Helping women make the right decisions in divorce.
- Obstetricians are the most litigated against medical specialty. Protect what you have earned.
- Balance the demands of your new family with your career and financial future.
Stop talking about yourself and talk about what your clients are interested in themselves and their special needs. Communicate that you have something just for them and it will be easier to get them into conversations and, ultimately, relationships.
SteveWershing is president of The Client Driven Practice, a firm that coaches financial advisors on referral marketing. He is the author of "Stop Asking for Referrals."
Read more:
Marketing Tip: No Boring Client Stories 6 Ways to Wow Prospects Before You Meet Them Advisors: 3 Ways to Boost Your Digital Presence
