Websites // Email Marketing // Blogs and Social Media

networking your practice through

interactive marketing

plan ahead

You’ve probably uttered those words more times than

you care to count. After all, thoughtful planning is in

your clients’ best interests, especially when it comes

to developing an investment strategy to attempt to

grow and protect their wealth. The question is, do you

listen to your own advice when it comes to growing

your business?

Too many advisors let marketing opportunities slip

through their fingers, when they could be leveraging

powerful interactive marketing strategies to build their

businesses even further. It’s all a part of the plan. Your

marketing plan, that is.

A marketing plan ensures your marketing dollars are

aligned with your goals. A plan also encourages dis-

cipline and helps you measure the success of your

efforts to grow your business. To that end, interactive

marketing is an integral part of a marketing plan that

supports your brand with clients and prospects alike.

expect more from your website

These days, almost everyone has at least a basic web-

site, a virtual calling card that lets your clients know

what you do and where you’re located. But this valu-

able marketing tool can be so much more than that.

It can establish and promote your brand, giving your

viewers a more holistic view of your practice. It takes

work, of course, but the end result can really affect your

bottom line. The key is establishing an online presence

that adds perspective to your personality, skills and

interests. It’s about extending your brand and further

enhancing your reputation. In many cases, your website

is where your clients will develop their first impression

of you. A fully fleshed out website that adds value for

your client will draw them in and give them a favorable

impression of you and your practice. A website with

outdated content, on the other hand, could be telling

your prospects that you don’t have your act together.

Not exactly the image an advisor wants to portray.

Almost every type of advertising refers back to the

company’s website. It’s a given, and you should take full

advantage of what a website offers.

For starters, your website offers a dynamic space to

describe your professional background and invest-

ment philosophy. It can and should be so much more

than a business card; it enables clients – new and old –

to learn more about you and gather information about

the way you do business. Before you even speak on

the phone, your website could have already inspired

confidence in a prospective client who has read all

about your supportive and capable staff, as well as

your experienced background in retirement planning,

for example. That’s the point. Your website details

the services and products you offer, ensuring clients

understand what it is you do. Plus, it’s available 24

hours a day, seven days a week.

Of course, your website needs to be kept up to date,

showcasing any new certifications or additional

Raymond James

advisors can cus-

tomize interactive

content, such as the

retirement microsite

pictured at left, and

embed it on their own

websites with the

look and feel of their

brand so it blends in

seamlessly.

2

NETWORKING YOuR PRAcTIcE ThROuGh INTERAcTIvE MARKETING

services you offer. Old or stale information conveys

the message that you’re providing unreliable and out-

dated information, undermining your marketing efforts.

Instead, use your website to communicate value-added

information to your clients in the form of relevant news-

letters and commentary, information they can use in

their financial lives. content should be interesting and

engaging, yet short and succinct.

In addition, other professionals can use your website

as a point of referral, directing their clients to learn

more about you at their convenience. You, in turn, can

link to additional resources and associations, such as

your local chamber of commerce or economic devel-

opment council, providing even more added value and

making your website a virtual communications hub for

your clients and centers of influence.

Of course, you can have the best website on the planet,

but if your clients don’t know about it, it’s not doing

you much good. That’s why it’s important to promote

your site. An easy way to do so is to include common

keywords that will direct traffic to your site from search

engines. Keywords should include your company

name, synonyms and abbreviations; any products and

brand names associated with your practice; any niche

markets you serve; and your location and the areas you

serve. Keep in mind that most people use two- to three-

word phrases in their searches, so it’s a good idea to

include those, as well. You should also promote your

site in person. Tell clients and prospects about it, and

add it to your stationery and other marketing materials.

Encourage visitors to return regularly by including con-

tent relevant to your business and clients. This in turn

reinforces your reputation and expertise. You can also

drive traffic to your site with hTML email marketing,

perhaps with the assistance of your broker/dealer.

Some of the industry’s leading marketing departments

may be able to help you with this as they work with you

to develop your website.

email marketing

best practices

know and understand the so-called

can-spam law, which regulates

commercial emails. Among the stipula-

tions is that the email must clearly and

conspicuously be identified as adver-

tising and offer an “opt out” method for

the client to be removed from further

Internet-based communications.

use email distribution lists to send

targeted emails to contacts who are

interested in specific topics. Keep distri-

bution lists small to better target specific

contact groups.

be mindful of attachments. Many

end users are wary of attachments

because they carry the risk of viruses

and could be blocked, especially if

the file is large. Only attach a file if

the recipient truly needs the docu-

ment. Otherwise, copy and paste the

relevant material. Alternately, you can

post the document to your website

and send a link to its location.

click here to learn more about

HTML emails.

3

blogs

Many advisors are turning to blogs to further enhance their online reputation as a knowledge

resource and to provide fresh content for their own websites. however, a professional blog is

more than your random musings on life; it’s an extension of your practice and can deepen your

relationship with clients, support business objectives, attract new business and build credibility.

consider these steps before getting started:

Definition: blog. 1. (noun) a diary on a website; a frequently updated personal or professional journal intended

for public viewing. 2. (verb) to create or run a weblog

1 establish a strategy – Know why you are blogging

and which audiences you want to reach. What topics

will you write about? Who will write and/or edit your blog

posts and how often? Consistency and regularity are

more important than frequency.

2 create a compelling title – The title of each blog

post should grab your reader’s attention. Visit this site

for some excellent ideas on how to title a blog post.

3 create valuable content – The content must be

compelling and interesting to your readers. Think about

each post from the point of view of your target audience.

4 keep it timely – Keep the material fresh with

quick-hitting updates on timely concepts. Between longer

essays, you can post just a few sentences and a link to a

related article.

5 engage your readers – Invite readers to submit

questions related to a blog topic or another topic of

interest. This makes the blog more engaging and

authentic.

6 reinforce your business’s core values – Your

blog should also support your brand and a commitment

to your clients’ financial health. What does your blog post

say about you and your office, your direction and mission?

It should represent your business, your perspective and

an extension of your value to clients.

7 avoid a sales pitch – Clients seek real insight into

complex challenges or awareness of helpful resources,

and they’ll detect insincerity quickly. This is an opportunity

to connect with clients, not advertise.

8 use keywords – Think about common search

words that pertain to your topic or blog. Search engine

rankings build over time, and each Web post can

strengthen the exposure to other content on your site.

9 link from home page – Provide a link to your

blog from the home page of your site. Consider hiring

a designer to make a graphic button to draw visitors’

attention.

10 consult compliance – Talk to your firm’s

compliance team to ensure your blog is compliant with

industry regulations.

4

social media

This brings us to social media, which has truly changed

the way people relate to one another. Sites such as

Facebook and Twitter can become an extension of

your personality and interests, extending your online

marketing and further branding your practice. But that

doesn’t mean you should move forward without a plan

in place. Start with your firm’s compliance policy for

social media and be sure you understand its estab-

lished guidelines before setting up a profile. In most

cases, it’s not difficult to set one up, and it’s free. how-

ever, keep in mind that navigating social media as a

professional requires a complex, sophisticated plan

and requires effort to make it work. Like a website, your

social media profiles need to be updated regularly.

The good news is many sites can be updated at once

using a content aggregator that will post your informa-

tion simultaneously. Even better, advisors can use their

own voice on social media sites, similar to what clients

would experience face to face. In addition, you can set

up your LinkedIn account to include your blog, alerting

your network to any updates. That way you can extend

your reach easily, helping clients and colleagues alike

develop insight into you as a person and thus develop

a rapport with you.

?What is Social Media?

Websites and mobile technologies with the purpose of creating and encouraging user-generated content, community and interactivity among users.

NETWORKING YOuR PRAcTIcE ThROuGh INTERAcTIvE MARKETING

make the most

of your website

Identify your Web strategy and key messages and ensure your site meets those objectives.

Consider how clients and prospects want to engage with your practice.

Think about the user experience. Navigate the site as if you were a client or prospect to optimize their experience.

Spend some time and effort in branding, content, usability and functionality.

Review your site periodically to ensure links and downloads are working correctly and are up to date

Use photos that are tasteful but less formal.

Above all, use language everyone can understand. Financial-ese, lan-guage laden with industry jargon, has no place on your website and could even deter a potential client.

5

The most popular social media sites can be used to expand your professional marketing as well. consider:

facebook

A professional Facebook profile

should be very different from your per-

sonal one. users will “like” your page

rather than “friend” you. The info page

will serve as a home page of sorts for the most useful

and relevant information about your practice. here you

can direct your followers to sign up for a newsletter, for

example. You can also aggregate content through this

page by having a feed to your blog, an events page or by

posting videos. Many advisors post short educational

videos that offer tips, techniques or information they

want their target markets to understand and know.

twitter

Twitter enables you to share short

insights on relevant topics in 140

characters or less. For example, you

can share a quote from an interesting

article on financial topics or offer your personal take

on current news. To make it even easier, your Twitter

updates can automatically post to your LinkedIn pro-

file, helping you keep your profile fresh and updated.

All of the social media sites have a learning curve, but

Twitter might take extra effort. however, it’s worth the

commitment as an important component of interactive

marketing. In fact, the site offers an advanced search

function that enables you to find users based on ZIP

code, interests and other characteristics, helping you

easily target your audience.

linkedin

LinkedIn offers the largest profes-

sional social network with more

than 120 million members, creating

a dynamic networking environment.

Your profile becomes part of your professional repu-

tation and brand. As your connections grow, so do

the opportunities for introductions and referrals. For

example, within your virtual network, you may find that

a client can provide a warm introduction to someone

who fits your target market. The site’s robust search

feature can also help you find people you may be

interested in and see if you have any mutual connec-

tions. You can even import connections from your

address book or offline resources, further expanding

your network.

social media best practices

Keep your personal and professional profiles separate. Your clients do not need to know that your niece just graduated or your aunt just adopted a new puppy. The idea is to build a very professional presence.

Just as you would do on your website and blog, establish yourself as a financial expert.

Build trust and credibility. Be likable, not just professional.

Be specific about where links go to give context and encourage viewers to visit related sites.

Invite your offline contacts to con-nect with you to increase opportuni-ties for introduc-tions and referrals.

6

In conclusIon

If you’ve only learned one thing from this white paper, we hope it’s the importance of having

an overall marketing plan that includes online marketing. A recent Wharton study indicated

that only 58% of advisors across our industry have marketing plans. Those that don’t could be

wasting time and money pursuing a haphazard marketing strategy. The fact is Raymond James

advisors with a marketing plan, on average, boast 50% higher production than those who don’t,

according to a recent advisor survey. 

It’s clear that interactive marketing can be crucial to building your practice. It is among the

easiest and most effective ways to build your brand with the audience you want to target. Like

anything worthwhile, it takes discipline and planning. As you implement your plan, be sure you

ask questions, listen for feedback, engage and measure the results. You’ll know it’s working if

your strategy provides an additional touch point for clients, prospects and centers of influence;

drives visitors to your website; boosts online credibility and search engine results; and is con-

sistent with your existing brand.

Raymond James rec-

ognizes the role social

media plays as part of a

defined Web and client

communication strategy.

To that end, we’ve

developed a technology-

based solution that gives

our advisors access to

the compliance tools

and marketing resources

they need to build their

online presence, as well

as their practices.

compliance

The benefits of a robust online marketing strategy are obvious. Less so are the compliance

and regulatory implications facing the financial services industry. Many broker/dealers have

banned social media marketing in the absence of specific regulatory guidelines. Still others

allow advisors to use this important medium with some restrictions. It’s worth mentioning

again how important it is to understand your firm’s guidelines and restrictions before devel-

oping your online marketing strategy.

=

NETWORKING YOuR PRAcTIcE ThROuGh INTERAcTIvE MARKETING

7

INTERNATIONAL hEADquARTERS: ThE RAYMOND JAMES FINANcIAL cENTER

880 cARILLON PARKWAY // ST. PETERSBuRG, FL 33716 // 888.399.3317

ADvISORchOIcE.cOM

NOT FOR cLIENT uSE

©2012 Raymond James & Associates, Inc., member New York Stock Exchange/SIPc ©2012 Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPc.Raymond James® is a registered trademark of Raymond James Financial, Inc. 11-IcDR-0444 SS/EG 1/12