Ellis Communications, L.L.C.

Leverage Media Coverage,
Marketing Materials to Boost Results

Many financial advisors use media relations as a key marketing tool.  But what should they do if they’ve received exposure in the media and prospects are not pounding on their door?

“Usually a few of an advisor’s clients will call to say they noticed them in the newspaper or saw them on television,” says Martin R. Baird, president of Annapolis, Md.-based Advisor Marketing and author of The 7 Deadly Sins of Advisor Marketing.  “They might even get a couple of prospects to call, but what they’ve done with their media relations so far probably isn’t enough to get people out of their old patterns.  There are a number of methods for making the most of your media relations.”

            Baird offers the following tips to help advisors boost the results of their media relations to the next level.

Tip Number 1.  Select an appropriate newspaper or magazine article about you or which quotes you, photocopy it and mail it to clients and prospects.  “If the recipients of this mailing didn’t see the article when it first appeared, the clip you send certainly will make them aware of it,” Baird says.  “If you missed your chance to make an impression the first time around, invest a little money to make sure the impression is eventually made.”

Tip Number 2.  Mail clips to generate referrals.  “Your existing clients might just tell their friends and business associates that their advisor appears in the news media,” Baird notes.  “Your appearance in the media gives you extra credibility and a referral based on that credibility just might pay off.” 

Tip Number 3.  Mail clips as an inexpensive way to make contact with clients.

Tip Number 4.  Leverage your marketing by mailing copies of clips.  “That way, you won’t have to spend a lot of money to have a new direct-mail marketing piece written,” Baird explains.  “You won’t need to have a marketing piece designed.”

Tip Number 5.  Leverage materials in your office that the media might find interesting.

“Look at the articles you’ve written that have not been published,” Baird suggests.  “Send them to the appropriate media.”

Baird also offers the following tips for leveraging existing marketing materials with clients and prospects.

Tip Number 6.  Leverage presentations you’ve written for specific groups.  “See if they can be used for new groups,” Baird says.  “Say, for example, you put a financial presentation together for teachers at your children’s school.  Why not take it to all the local schools?  You may find that you become the school expert before you know it.”

Tip Number 7.  Leverage great materials more than once.  “You could send people the same mailer that you sent them three months ago,” Baird notes.  “Explain that you thought this was so important that you wanted to mail it to them twice so they wouldn’t miss it.”

Advisor Marketing provides a variety of services to financial advisors to help them improve their marketing methods and increase revenues, including seminars and conference speaking engagements on such topics as referrals, marketing, client communication and transitioning to fee.  The company also provides a service that tests multiple variables of a marketing campaign simultaneously so advisors will quickly know which elements of a marketing effort offer the best opportunity for success before they launch the campaign.

The company’s Web site, www.advisormarketing.com,  is the premiere Internet-based source for marketing advice, information and tools for self-driven, success-oriented financial advisors who are demanding information that helps them market their practice, meet the needs of their clients and increase sales.

Advisor Marketing may be reached at 480-991-6420.