The Digital Age and How Consumers Engage Now

Since the pandemic started in 2020, 73% of Baby Boomers learned to engage digitally in new ways. And it’s not just Baby Boomers. In fact, digital interaction among all sectors is different. And even the pandemic is easing up, the digital changes that we’ve embraced are here to stay.

The way we shop, the way we conduct our business, the way we interact personally as well as professionally have changed forever. 56% of consumers across all sectors agree that the pandemic has changed how they communicate and engage with companies. More and more clients are looking for education online, while clients who used to never check emails are now responding to messages. And of those ready to engage, 43% will disengage if their expectations aren’t met.

What you need to figure out is how these changes impact your business. Will lead generation be different? How should you respond to those consumers that provide an email or phone number in exchange for your content? The goal is to not be left behind, and the way to avoid that is through regular communication.

It can seem like a daunting task. But through four simple steps, you can make sure you stay in contact with your customers and prospects.

1. Automate

You can use automation to offer regular communication to your clients. It takes time to set up, but it can save a lot of time down the road.

2. Speak in their voice

Don't use industry jargon. You're trying to relate and say something that resonates with them. Speak to their problem and how working with your financial planning firm can help solve it.

3. Segment your book

It’s important to be very targeted in your conversation. Your messaging needs to change with your clients’ needs. Automation can help set up different campaigns for different conversations.

4. Use lead generation to capture clients

If prospects are looking digitally for an advisor, you want to make sure that you have a program in place to capture them.

And, of course, a big part of marketing is the content. No matter how good your strategy may seem, if you don’t have quality content to share, it won’t matter.

Find content and generate leads

We have access to a library of industry-related content from trusted publishers. This library can be used to create newsletters, individual emails or social media. It will allow you to post articles, brand content for each advisor, and automate communication for a turnkey drip campaign. Leads are created when content is shared, allowing you to stay close to clients. You’ll also win back more time with quality content created for you.

• Digital magazine — monthly lifestyle magazine featuring articles on travel, art, food and design
• Branded social media posts — thousands of blog posts to share, plus an automated bi-weekly email newsletter
• Full calendar of local events — fully automated, bi-weekly email newsletters featuring virtual and in-person events.

The industry posts and newsletter will allow you to educate easily, which is another important piece of your online presence. The library covers 17 topics through PowerPoint slide decks, invitations and client workbooks, and they all come with FINRA nonobjection letters. They're all fully scripted, and they can be used for in-person meetings, virtual webinar workshops, focused client meetings and even pre-recorded videos.

As we rely more on digital communication, our clients’ expectations are increasing. We need to measure up to avoid having them look elsewhere for financial planning. We’re here to help you make sure that doesn’t happen. Give us a call at (800) 589-3000. Our retirement income consultants are ready to discuss how we can help you prospect in this new digital environment.