Marketing planning

“Tactics without strategy is the noise before the defeat.” – Sun Tzu

Get your toolkit

“Tactics without strategy is the noise before the defeat.” – Sun Tzu

Get your toolkit

Do you use a plan?

Have you ever gone grocery shopping without a list? If you have, you may have spent extra time browsing the shelves, splurged on impulse items, or returned home without an item you needed. If you’re marketing without a plan, you may be making similar mistakes. It can be tempting to jump into action, but you risk spending time and money on tactics that aren’t worthwhile.

A marketing plan is your grocery list. It will keep you on track, deliver what you need to achieve your goals, help you spend your time and money efficiently, and gives you the necessary fuel to propel your business forward. More importantly, a marketing plan can help you effectively attract prospects and wrap your arms around existing Clients.

Benefits of writing a marketing plan

  1. Helps you proactively reach the right audience at the right time with effective marketing material.
  2. Allows you to be more efficient with time and money when working towards achievable goals.
  3. Defines ownership and accountability within your team for marketing strategies.
  4. Aligns all communications to your brand and ideal Client, increasing chances of referrals. 

Every marketing communication could shape a prospect or Client’s impression of you. That’s why it’s important to be clear on both your brand and ideal Client.

What is your brand?

A brand encompasses your mission, vision, value proposition, brand story and visual identity.​ Just like a reputation, you can work to build a positive brand by focusing your communications on the strengths, skills, expertise, experience, or qualities that you want to be known for.

It’s important to ensure your brand is reinforced in every marketing strategy. By planning ahead, you’ll increase the effectiveness of your marketing and create trust in the services you offer.

Learn more about Defining your Brand

Who is your ideal Client?

Marketing to the entire market can be extremely costly and difficult. By shrinking the audience that you’re looking to work with, you can improve your success rate. When you’re specific about who you work with, you can tailor your marketing plan to appeal to that group. It makes your audience easier to reach, and makes your value easier to understand for your audience. 

Learn more about Client Management and defining your target market

Once you know what makes you unique and who you want to reach, you’re prepared to create a marketing plan to build your brand and Client base.

You’ve heard of SMART goals: they’re specific, measurable, actionable, realistic, and time-bound. A SMART goal supports you in achieving the objective you’re working towards because it lays out the parameters of where you’re going and how to get there.

SMART marketing follows the same principle to make sure that you’re creating a comprehensive plan to attract prospects and stay top of mind with Clients. 

What is SMART Marketing?

Select

  • Identify the ideal Clients you want to work with.

Market

  • Choose how and where to connect with them.

Affiliate

  • Identify topics and generate content they’ll find valuable. 

Respond

  • Create a service and communication plan for Clients, prospects and your wider audience. 

Trigger

  • Generate referrals from top Clients and Centres of Influence (COIs). 

Download the SMART Marketing Plan Template to build your own!

When you’re focused on running the business and serving Clients, marketing can sometimes take a back seat. Assigning the marketing function to a team member can be a helpful way to make sure it stays a priority. Work collaboratively to develop the plan, and rely on your assistant to execute.

Identify the role you’re looking to fill, what other accountabilities they may have, and the skills required to be successful. Use the following role descriptions as inspiration.

Sample Marketing and Administrative Assistant Role Description

Role Description

We are looking for a marketing and administrative assistant who will be responsible for:

  • Marketing: Create and manage a marketing plan for attracting new business and remaining top of mind with clients.
  • Client service: Deliver an exceptional client experience for current and potential clients who call or come into the office.
  • Administration: Help to create a smooth, efficient, and compliant office ensuring a full and balanced advisor calendar of appointments creating sales opportunities.

Responsibilities

  • Design, implement, and manage an annual marketing strategy including paid and organic strategies to build brand awareness and visibility
  • Collect client feedback to measure satisfaction and identify opportunities to improve service
  • Create and lead referral strategy with centers of influence
  • Schedule appointments and manage client follow-up calls
  • Provide fast, personalized client administrative services
  • Greet and welcome visitors to the office and provide a seamless client experience
  • Complete form processes through Head Office as permitted
  • Manage the administrative side of the advisor's practice conscientiously and reliably to help ensure and maintain compliance
  • Manage office tasks such as filing, CRM updates, generating reports, presentation and set up for meetings
  • Manage travel arrangements
  • Manage advisor's workflow (preparation for client meetings, events, tasks, follow up, etc.)
  • Support the advisor to create marketing / sales opportunities (mining client data, marketing efforts, client service proactive contact, etc.)

Required skills and competencies

Experience in financial services is an asset.

Interpersonal and team relationship skills

  • Strong relationship-building skills
  • Strong communicator, desire to be part of a team
  • Willing to receive and provide constructive feedback to improve

Marketing skills

  • Hands on experience in content management, copywriting, and design 
  • Solid knowledge of social media metrics, SEO, keyword research and Google Analytics 
  • Creative and able to translate complex ideas simply
  • Superior written and oral communication skills
  • Good time-management and organizational skills 

Client service skills

  • Pleasant and proactive approach with client first focus; enjoys customer service in a sales environment
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills
  • Is patient and composed under pressure
  • Resilient, able to handle objections and challenges from clients

Administrative skills

  • Attention to detail, thoroughness, accuracy
  • Strong prioritization skills
  • Strong keyboarding and computer skills

Personal reliability

  • Action oriented – proactive, takes initiative, self-starter
  • Good judgment and common sense
  • High integrity and trustworthy
  • Dependable and conscientious

Sample Social Media Manager Role Description

Role Description

We are looking for an experienced, creative, and results-oriented Social Media Manager to join our team. The Social Media Manager will be responsible for enhancing our brand and building our visibility online. They’ll own, implement, and manage the strategy from beginning to end to increase web traffic and drive client engagement.

Responsibilities

  • Design, implement, and manage an annual social media strategy including paid and organic strategies to build brand awareness and visibility
  • Create, maintain, and grow new and existing social networks, including LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, Google+, Twitter, and/or Facebook
  • Write, design, edit, and curate content for our social media networks
  • Ensure brand consistency in tone, voice and terminology across campaigns and social platforms.
  • Define targets for key metrics and maintain results dashboard
  • Analyse results to identify opportunities to implement new strategies to improve future initiatives and campaigns
  • Research and stay current with the latest social media trends
  • Supervise all aspects of social media interaction between clients and our social media platforms, and ensure a positive service experience
  • Monitor SEO and user engagement and optimize content accordingly
  • Ensure social media and website activity is compliant with corporate and compliance policies, Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) and our Privacy Policy

Required skills and competencies

Experience in financial services is an asset.

Marketing skills

  • Hands on experience in content management, copywriting, and design 
  • Solid knowledge of social media metrics, SEO, keyword research and Google Analytics 
  • Creative and able to translate complex ideas simply
  • Superior written and oral communication skills
  • Good time-management and organizational skills 

Interpersonal and team relationship skills

  • Strong relationship-building skills
  • Strong communicator, desire to be part of a team
  • Willing to receive and provide constructive feedback to improve

Personal reliability

  • Action oriented – proactive, takes initiative, self-starter
  • Good judgment and common sense
  • High integrity and trustworthy
  • Dependable and conscientious

After you hire someone, it’s important to still be present for the marketing conversations. We suggest meeting at least once a month to review upcoming campaigns, follow up with prospects who have seen your marketing, and ensure your marketing stays focused on reaching your business goals.

Are you actively generating referrals?

Your existing network can be a great way to generate referrals and ensure you are attracting your ideal client. Whether you seek referrals from top clients or form trusted partnerships with centres of influence (COIs), let them know your priorities and what you look for in a prospect. 

Generating referrals isn’t a one-time conversation. It starts by putting in the work to make your business referrable and ends by letting clients and contacts know you’re looking to grow and asking for their help. Once you’ve created a SMART marketing plan, you’re ready to start asking for referrals and attracting prospects to your business.

Prepare your practice

Present a consistent brand image and exceptional service to help make your practice referrable.

Prepare your team

Everyone on your team should be actively involved in facilitating referrals.

Prepare clients

Clients may not know that you’re looking to grow, or looking to share the value of your services and that you have the capacity to take on new clients. Be transparent about what you’re looking to achieve and ask for their support.

Prepare COIs

In order to prepare centres of influence (COIs), you must first build trust with them so your partnership is mutually beneficial. State your objective of why you want to work together. They may also be looking to share their value and grow their business, so it’s key to illustrate how you can help each other.

Next, it’s time to think through how you want to approach the conversation. Are you opening up the door to let your network know you’re actively looking for referrals? Are you providing an opportunity for them to easily refer you? While it may seem obvious, it’s best to reinforce the message so your network knows you are looking to grow your business. 

Learn how to initiate a positive conversation with Clients:

Continue to make the Client the focus

It’s important not to start the conversation by asking for a referral. The Client is still the priority, so keep the conversation focused on them and their needs first.

Communicate why you need their help

Instead of starting by asking for a referral, let the Client know why you’d like their help specifically. This could be because you know they have a great network, or that you think they’d provide a really great recommendation about your services. It doesn’t hurt to add in a compliment about why you value them as a Client too.

Create a point of connection

Determine how you’d like to connect with their referral. Do you want to reach out, or would you prefer that the Client make the recommendation? Do you have an upcoming event or webinar that you’d like the referral to attend? Maybe the Client needs to bring you to the referral, whether by inviting you along for a round of golf or to a professional function. Be open to different ideas, but always look to the Client’s suggestion since they know the referral best.

Every interaction can shape someone’s impression of you. From walking into your office, to the Client appreciation events you organize, to your social media activity, there are multiple ways to show up professionally and engage with Clients. Your network notices and appreciates the details, so rely on them to help spread the word.

Look at the following example of how to position a referral and how the conversation could go.

Positioning referrals with Clients

Advisor: Thanks for meeting today. Before we wrap up, I wanted to ask you a favour. Do you have a few minutes to offer me some help or advice?

Client: Sure.

Advisor: I would like to expand my practice and share my value with more (insert niche market) just like you. You’re a valued Client, and I’m hoping you can help me by referring some people similar to you. Do you think you can help me out?

Scenario 1

Client: I think I can help you out.

Advisor: I’m looking for two or three [insert niche market] in your circle that you think would benefit from connecting with me.

Client: (Gives you some names)

Advisor: If you were me, how would you go about contacting them?

Client: I’m not really sure, but I know they have fairly busy schedules.

Advisor: I can give them a quick call if you think that would be a good idea?

Client: Probably.

Advisor: That’s great! Can I ask you for an introduction to them? I’ll follow up with a call within the week.

Scenario 2

Client: I think I can help you out. 

Advisor: I’ve recently been using LinkedIn to find professionals in [insert niche market] that I’d like to work with and noticed you were connected with these (show names) four people. Do you think they would be a good fit?

Client: I don’t know [person A or C] but I think [person B and D] would.

Advisor: What would be the best way to reach them? Can I ask you for an introduction to them?

Client: I actually am seeing them at the end of the month at a charity function. Why don’t you come along?

Advisor: That sounds great, I’d love an introduction.

Scenario 3

Client: I’m not sure I could be of help.

Advisor: May I ask why?

Client: (The most common answer will probably be, “They already have an advisor.”)

Advisor: All of my best Clients, including you, had advisors when I first met them. However, they found that my team and I provide a level of investment experience and personal service they had not experienced before. With that in mind, do you think you might be doing them a favour?

Client: Yes, I can agree with that. I’ll think on it and give you some names later today.

Advisor: Thank you very much. Let me know the best way I can connect with them too.

Learn more about engaging with centres of influence:

Centres of influence (COIs) are professionals who can help you grow your practice, build networks, and solidify Client connections. COIs can be an important source of prospects who have an established level of trust with you. A partnership with a COI should be a mutually beneficial relationship.

Who are your COIs?

Centres of influence are individuals who appreciate the value of your advice and have the network or authority to refer people within your ideal Client profile your way. Centres of influence can include:

  • Well-connected or influential Clients
  • Lawyers, accountants or other financial professionals
  • Members of formal professional or referral networks (ex: local chamber of commerce, Business Network International, etc.)
  • Local business owners (plumbers, electricians, retail store owners, fitness instructors, marketing specialists, etc.)
  • Life event service providers (photographers, wedding planners, real estate agents, funeral home directors, etc.)
  • Health professionals (doctors, registered massage therapists, chiropractors, etc.)
How to connect with COIs?

The best way to find a COI is also through referrals. As many as 89% of high-net-worth Clients find their advisor through their accountant and lawyer.It’s important to not only seek highly skilled and specialized COIs, but to also be prepared when you meet with them. The end goal to working with a COI is to elevate your relationship to become a partnership. This means:

  • You are the primary advisor to whom referrals are made 
  • You and the COI both actively seek to refer Clients to each other 
  • You and the COI regularly partner together to host webinars and seminars
  • The COI could become a Client 
Initiating referrals with COIs

Be transparent about what you’re looking to achieve and ask for their support.

1. Organize a meeting to introduce yourself and your business.

  • Define the meeting objective by listing the purpose and outcome you want to achieve.
  • Know your brand story so you can easily explain the purpose of your business and the value Clients receive by working with you.
  • Share your client engagement process to demonstrate how you work with Clients.
  • Introduce your team with your brand one-pager.
  • Prepare a few case studies of how you’ve helped Clients within your ideal Client profile.

2. Ask questions to get to know the COI and their business.

  • What is their background and how did they get into the business?
  • What services do they offer?
  • What type of Clients do they work with?
  • Where do they see their business heading?
  • What are their personal hobbies and interests?

3. Provide examples of how you can add value to each others’ businesses.

  • Explain how your service complements the service they’re offering Clients.
  • Describe how offering your service will add value to their Clients.
  • Share examples of when or how you will make referrals to them.

4. Facilitate the referrals.

  • Provide digital or paper copies of your brand one-pager and client engagement process.
  • Offer relevant articles, books, or other resources that their Clients may benefit from.
  • Invite the COI and their network to a webinar where you can demonstrate your value.

Ask for similar resources from the COI that you can share with Clients.

Look at the following example of how to position a referral and how the conversation could go.

Positioning referrals with centres of influence

Advisor:  I’ve heard great things about your business and I think there may be overlap in the Clients we serve. I’m interested in discussing opportunities for both of us to add more value to Clients through referrals. Would you be open to meeting for lunch?

Scenario 1

COI: I think that’s a great idea.

Advisor: Great, let’s meet Tuesday next week. I’ll bring a copy of my Client onboarding package so I can introduce my team and our process to you. Do you have something similar you can share?

COI: Yes, I can put something together.

Advisor: Fantastic, looking forward to meeting you and discussing how we can support each other.

Scenario 2

COI: Can you tell me more about what you’re looking for?

Advisor: I focus on providing holistic advice to my Clients. I want to be able to provide them direction no matter what life event they’re facing. [Real estate example] I’ve had a few Clients consider purchasing a new home and would like to be able to point them in the direction of a real estate agent I trust. Your listings match the type of homes my Clients are interested in so I’d like to get to know you better so I can refer Clients to someone I trust. 

COI: I think that’s a great idea.

Advisor: Fantastic, looking forward to meeting you and discussing how we can help each other grow.

Scenario 3

COI: I’m not interested.

Advisor: May I ask why?

COI: (The most common answer will probably be, “My Clients already have an advisor.”)

Advisor: All of my best Clients had advisors when I first met them. However, they found that my team and I provide a level of experience and personal service they had not experienced before. With that in mind, do you think you might be doing them a favour?

COI: Okay, let’s meet so I can learn more about you.

Advisor: Fantastic, looking forward to meeting you and discussing how we can support each other.

Scenario 4

COI: I’m not interested.

Advisor: May I ask why?

COI: I’m not comfortable discussing finances with Clients.

Advisor: I understand. May I send you a copy of my company  overview for you to read? If you’re interested in learning more after that I’d love to meet.

COI: Sure.

Advisor: Great, I’ll follow-up with you in a couple weeks.

Email marketing can be a powerful tool for building your brand and growing your practice.

Benefits of email marketing:

  • Connects you with large client or prospect groups at once
  • Improves the number of views your content marketing receives
  • Attracts new leads to your practice
  • Nurtures prospects and builds trust
  • Keeps your top of mind with clients
  • Efficient and cost-effective

A common style of email marketing for financial advisors is an e-newsletter. For little to no cost, you can organize a newsletter using your existing email service provider. However, depending on the length of your subscriber list, it may become time consuming or complicated. Using an email marketing service provider can help simplify things. They facilitate sending targeted content to each segment, and easily track your campaign results.

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As you plan your own email marketing initiatives, ensure you’re in full compliance with Canada’s anti-spam legislation (CASL) and are respecting clients’ privacy rights. Visit the FAQ to learn more.

Get your toolkit to market SMART today.
 

Get your toolkit

Ask your Sun Life relationship manager for access to the SMART Marketing Plan template to help you create a marketing plan.

Communicate your purpose with the My Purpose Workbook.

Narrow in on your market using the Ideal Client Analysis Tool.

Create value-add content with the Email Marketing Guide for Top Advisors

Plan your strategy with Email Marketing Plan template

CONTACT US

Contact your Sun Life relationship manager to learn more about this program and the resources available to you.