Update
Website Copywriting for Financial Advisors
With Expert Guest Gerry Black
Website Copywriting for Financial Advisors
What does the text on your homepage say? If you're like most advisors, you probably don't remember!
But the copy on your website is critical for capturing the fleeting attention of prospects.
In this exclusive webinar with special expert guest Gerry Black, we'll review what to say on your homepage to get the attention of prospects including:
1. The most important words on your site
2. The top website copy mistakes advisors make
3. The three words to swap out and increase your conversion rate today
4. How to overcome your visitors' biggest fear
5. Answering your prospects' most important question
Sign up today for this limited edition guest expert webinar! https://indigomarketingagency.com/website-copywriting-for-financial-advisors
2. MY STORY
FormerInvestment AdvisorRepresentative
BA in Economics,UC Davis
MBA in Marketing,UC SanDiego
MarketingManager,FMG Suite
Founder,Indigo Marketing Agency
Instructor,UCLA ExtensionCFP Program
3. Wrote your website years ago
Do you know what your home page
says right now?
Not a copywriting expert
Not sure what to say
YOUR STORY
9. THE RESULTS
Goal: Click Through Rate (Clicks per Successful Delivery)
Test A: 4.6% Click Rate (29% of opens)
Test B: 6.2% Click Rate (21% of opens)
Improvement: +1.6% Click Rate (+38% of opens)
Email List of 5,000
80 Additional Registrations
2,000 Website Visitors per Month
32 Additional Leads per Month
10. FOR FINANCIAL ADVISORS
Average Monthly Website Traffic: 529 Visitors per Month
Increasing Conversions by 1.6%
8.5 Additional Leads per Month
100 Additional Leads per Year
11. INTRODUCING MY GUEST
BA in Journalism
American Writers & Artist (AWAI) Copywriter
25 year sales and marketing career
Author, The CLIC Website Sales Lead System
Gerry Black: gerry@marketingwriter.ca
82. Special Limited Time Offer
$750.00 USD (reg. $950.00)
Youget a written, detailed review of your website
(Covers copy and design)
I will tell you…
• what’s good about it
• what needs work
• give youspecific direction onhow to improve it
To order yourreview: Email me at gerry@marketingwriter.ca
Please put “Website Review” inthe subject line and I will contact youto arrangeyourreview.
83. Thanks for Joining Us!
Join my monthly webinars!
Indigomarketingagency.com/newsletter
Connect onLinkedIn:
Linkedin.com/in/claireakin
Need Marketing Help? Schedule an appointment online:
Indigomarketingagency.com
Hinweis der Redaktion
While the focus will be on web copywriting, I will be touching on other website elements that can help you attract new clients
You’re going to learn the core essentials of creating a website that actually attracts qualified prospects and puts you in position to convert them into selling opportunities
If your current site isn’t doing much to generate new business, today’s session will likely help you understand why…
And if your site IS producing new clients, what you’re about to learn today will show you how to boost your current results
they are essentially brochure sites…like a listing of services.
VERY LITTLE selling going on
A brochure site might do the job if you get a referral and the prospect is just checking you out
But it isn’t going to cut it with a first time visitor who doesn’t know you
Here’s an example…
This is a site for a Canadian Financial Advisor…I’m Canadian and I wanted to show you I’m an equal opportunity critic
While this site is particularly weak, it’s representative of a lot of sites out there
REVIEW a bit
EXERCISE: Go through your home page and see if your copy is focused on you or your reader
This doesn’t just apply for your industry, it’s true for most
It’s important to remember… you’re not selling widgets
You’re selling a service that requires some careful decision making from potential clients
They aren’t ready to move forward when they first land on your site
They want to look around..
Your job is to make sure they don’t click away
Think about that…
That creates fear in your prospect’s mind
She doesn’t want to make a mistake
Especially when it comes to something as important as her finances
It’s important to understand we “think” in pictures…you need to help your prospect “see” what working with you would be like
Prospects today are skeptical, jaded and have their sales resistance sensors set to high
At some point, everyone has been taken advantage of by someone trying to sell them something
If you want your website to put money in your pocket, here’s what you need to understand…
They are active on the internet and chances are they are checking out a number of Financial Advisors
The minute they sense that’s happening …it’s adios
But….
Your job is to help them…
Dan Kennedy, one of the greatest direct marketing minds ever says by the time prospects get to your site, they have one question they want you to answer
Your messaging must connect up with the conversation already going on in your prospect’s head…
When you understand that, it’s easy to understand why blah blah messaging falls flat
Your prospect KNOWs you’re a financial advisor and that you offer financial advice..,DUH…
Don’t bore your prospect…that’s the biggest marketing sin of all…
Your website should be the most cost-effective lead generating selling weapon
Not with today’s “I wanna know NOW” prospects
Every prospect who comes to your site arrives listening to her favourite radio station
WII-FM …what’s in it for me?
You better promise her something …FAST!
If you aren’t sure how to do that…stay tuned…we’re going to cover that in a bit.
MOST of your competitors have boring websites that have prospects clicking away about 3-5 seconds after they arrive…
BTW… a few seconds is all you’ve got to hook your visitor when he arrives on your landing page (or home page) and get him to consider giving you a bit of time to make your case
With the right approach, you CAN position yourself properly in your prospect’s mind
BUT you need to understand how to do it
So, let’s go over the formula for a website that is designed to attract qualified prospects and convert them into profitable lifetime clients.
Just like a store you might walk into in the mall, your site has to be inviting…
Website Design is important…But messaging ALWAYS trumps design
A salesperson who knows how to sell can find a way to overcome the disadvantage a cheap suit anchors him with
But a $2000 Armani or FEMALE equivalent ain’t going to save the day
Having said that, BOTH are important
or landing page…
This is where your prospect makes an instant decision to stay and learn more or click away
Website design is important
But your messaging will always trump design…
That’s why it’s important to use what I call an “above the fold” strategy”
This is an old newspaper term >>>>explain all big news to sell the paper was put above the first page fold…
The online equivalent of this is the first screen your prospect sees…without scrolling…
that’s where you want to pack as much selling ammunition as possible
Especially if you are the brand
you want a picture that sends a message to a potential client that says you are someone they would want to work with
and a story that connects with your prospect
I’m going to use Jeff Rose from Illinois as an example of a Financial Advisor who understands how to create a compelling sales story that I suspect makes prospects WANT to buy
Just a note…Jeff looks like a VERY accomplished online marketer…
But he likely didn’t start out that way…so don’t be overwhelmed thinking”geez I have so far to go”
Building your online presence is an ongoing process…the point is to learn from Jeff’s site…
Let’s take a look at Jeffs home page
TALK ABOUT ABOVE THE FOLD ELEMENTS
THE SELLING ELEMENTS
“Now, let’s take a look at Jeff’s ABOUT page
Here’s the start of Jeff’s “About” page…Let’s see if Jeff seems like a guy you would be willing to invest a bit more time in…
Nice shot of Jeff and presumably his family….very relaxed…
Look at how informal AND DIFFERENT he begins…
Partial sentences. Use of the word “Huh”. Very conversational . Why? He knows that’s how people talk.
Gold star from me.
Let’s mush on…
Very engaging photograph.
Now, let’s take a look at some of the copy and see what’s going on here.
READ COPY
In copywriting , we call this “the Damaging Admission”
Jeff’s revealing stuff you would think might be counter-productive to his objective of trying to convince you he’s the guy to manage your money
WHY? He wants you to know he’s a regular guy…
Let’s keep going a bit…
OK, take a look here…look a the top line
Why You Are Here
is Jeff a mind reader? I’m betting he is …of sorts…look at his two “facts” …what prospect could argue with either?
So what’s REALLY going on?
In the staid, me too world of financial advice, Jeff’s showing you he’s a real person …just like you AND< most importantly that he knows what you’re up against in your quest to find a financial advisor >>>>LOTS OF INDUSTRY JARGON>>>AND A FEELING OF NOT BEING IN CONTROL
Remember the mission…building trust…Jeffs not screaming from the rooftops that he’’ll triple your money…I realize compliance issues wouldn’t allow that…being a bit facetious here but you get my point.
Jeff seems like a regular guy who understands the challenge prospect face in trying to find someone who they can understand..there’s more to Jeff’s About story but you can see the approach…
So Jeffs off to a fast start
Let’s go on to the second ingredient found in the Client Attraction Website Formula
Coming back to Jeffs home page in a minute
Prospects can get financial planning and investment advice anywhere
Remember Dan Kennedy’s question?
What are you going to give them they can’t get elsewhere…
Let’s see how Jeff addresses this…
Here’s Jeff’s promise…
Financial Freedom is not a myth…I’m sure many people think it is but here’s a guy making a bold statement and then backing it up with a promise that “hints” at the key to achieving it…
Inspire YOU to take charge of YOUR money..prospect probably don’t hear that much from FAs
His message isn’t “I’m going to take your money, keep you on the sidelines and send you a statement every quarter or so…He wants YOU in control instead of blindly following along…Notice the credibility slipped in below the message…Think the trust factor is building a bit? I’d say uh, yeah!
OK on to ingredient #3 in the formula
This is very important to understand…
The more you define your ideal prospect, the more you can craft your messaging to resonate with him or her
Your prospect is wondering if you can help her with her unique requirements…
You want to use your messaging to allow your prospect to come to the following conclusion:
“Wow, this FA is the perfect fit for what I need.”
BTW, I have a free report that identifies 7 questions most prospects want answered before they’ll do business with you….if you’d like a copy, get your email to Claire and I’ll send the report to you.
By the way, as important as it is to allow your prospect to understand who your services ARE for
just as important to let her know who they aren’t for
Jeff, how do you handle this?
Ladies and Gentlemen.THIS is brilliant pure
Jeff makes it easy for you to take the next step in your buying process..He’s covered everyone ….
Hey wait a minute Gerry, that’s doesn’t square with what you said about knowing who your ideal target prospect is…At first glance, it doesn’t but I suspect Jeff has a passive income strategy in place here that has financed a few trips to Disneyland for the Rose family…Somewhere in these market segments is Jeff’s sweet spot…but think about it….why not leverage your marketing…anyone outside that target who visits his site, he can direct to fellow advisors who do specialize in that area and collect a nice referral fee…Don’t know that he does do that…I do not know Jeff…but just sayin’
Covering off these 3 elements attracts/maintains your prospects attention..They’re “listening”
But most won’t be ready to buy yet…
They are however, primed to stick around for a bit and see what else is going on
Now it’s time to focus on moving your prospect from attention to connection.
You want to engage them …get some interaction going…that’s where the relationship building takes root
Let’s look at some …
You can write a blog…this gives you an opportunity to build credibility and demonstrate your expertise and understanding of your industry…
Remember you’re selling YOU
It’s all about creating a sense of trust with your prospect
Jeff not only has a blog, he makes sure the articles he has written are front and center on his home page working hard to position him as a knowledgeable FA who offers FREE practical advice to anyone who is interested..
Remember, at this point , Jeff is giving.…NOT getting
He’s giving his prospects a chance to peek behind the curtain …for FREE
He’s EARNING attention and trust
Videos offer a great opportunity to give your prospect a chance to see how you communicate
It will help her see if your style is a fit for her…
A video can create a strong impression in the mind of the prospect…
Here’s Jeff’s…just looking at this image makes him seem like a personable guy…the visitor almost HAS to click
I didn’t watch his video but just looking at it telegraphs what I’m likely to see
and they do a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to helping your prospects get a feel for what it would be like to work with you…
and it’s the game changer that fast tracks you along the road to gaining a new client
The lead magnet - is a tool that helps you get web visitors to essentially put their hand and identify themselves as qualified prospects.
It is usually free and is offered in a prominent location on your web pages.
Now, having said that, even though it’s free, it has to be “sold.”
Many marketers don’t even know what the #1 objective is…
They think it’s to sell something
Wrong
Someone who is truly interested in help your prospect make an educated decision.
Give before you get
So there you have it…
The formula for a Client Attraction website…
Get your prospect’s attention and then find a way to begin the marketing relationship
To help you get started, I’ve put together a special offer for you
