12 Online Resources and Tools for Financial Advisors

Running a successful advisory business often means working smarter, not harder. Incorporating digital tools and online resources into your practice can help you improve time management, ensure compliance and deliver a superior client experience, which is vital for your long-term success. You likely have a trusted customer relationship management (CRM) platform and go-to financial planning software, but what else do you need? Let’s look at some of the most helpful financial advisor resources that allow you to perform essential functions without taking time away from serving clients.

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Financial Advisor Resources to Increase Productivity

You only have so many hours in the day, so why not use tools that can help you make the most of them? Productivity tools can help with scheduling, time blocking and organizing key documents in the front and back office.

Here are three helpful productivity resources to consider.

Calendly

Calendly is a free online appointment-scheduling software that’s equipped to meet the needs of wealth managers, advisors and other financial professionals. You can encourage engagement with the self-scheduling feature, send automated reminders and create compliant personalized communications to follow up after meeting with clients.

Teamwork

Teamwork is a project management tool that’s designed to help client-focused businesses streamline repetitive tasks. The platform enables collaboration across all members of your team and streamlines communication between you and your clients. Teamwork tracks your billable time to the minute, so you can produce accurate invoices and maximize profits.

DocuSign

Chasing down signatures on paper documents can be tedious and time-consuming. DocuSign allows you to deliver electronic versions of documents and collect signatures virtually, streamlining the process for both you and your clients. It can be especially helpful for client onboarding. You can collect all the required signatures through DocuSign in full compliance with Know Your Client (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) regulations.

Marketing Resources for Financial Advisors

A sound marketing plan can help you attract your ideal clients and grow your book of business. If you’re struggling to figure out what belongs in your plan, or you want to spend less time being hands-on with marketing, these resources and tools can help.

FMG

FMG is an all-in-one resource for advisors who want to:

• Build a compliant and eye-catching website
• Get help with their marketing plans
• Grow their presence on social media
• Communicate more effectively with prospects to boost conversions

You can outsource some of your marketing tasks or all of them. FMG works with you to create a plan that’s tailored to your firm’s needs and goals.

SmartAsset AMP

You want to generate more leads for your business, but it’s important to find the right prospects to connect with. SmartAsset AMP helps you connect with investors who align with your ideal client profile and gives you the tools you need to nurture those relationships, including automated outreach. SmartAsset AMP is designed to integrate with your existing CRM to streamline lead management.

Hootsuite

If you’re leaning into social media as a core part of your marketing plan, Hootsuite can help you automate every step of the process. You can use Hootsuite to create content and schedule posts, respond to messages, track keywords and analyze your results to fine-tune your social media marketing efforts.

Continuing Education Resources for Financial Advisors

If you hold professional designations or certifications you may be required to complete continuing education to maintain them. These resources can help you find courses, workshops, and seminars that can fulfill CE requirements.

CFP® Board

Certified financial planners™ (CFPs®) are required to complete 30 hours of continuing education each reporting period, including two hours in ethics. The CFP® Board offers an online search tool to help you find CE resources for all core topic areas. You can filter by credit hour, topic, complexity or format with the click of a button.

Financial Planning Association

The Financial Planning Association maintains a catalog of live and on-demand webinars advisors can complete for CE credit. You can see at a glance a brief description of the webinar topic, the number of credit hours you’ll earn and, when applicable, ratings from advisors who have completed the webinar.

The American College of Financial Services

The American College of Financial Services administers the Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC), Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP) and Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) credentials, among others. The College also maintains Knowledge Hub+, a subscription-based platform that offers access to CFP® Board-approved CE webinars and courses.

Compliance Resources for Financial Advisors

Compliance is a critical area of concern for advisors, and its complexity can sometimes be daunting. These resources are designed to help you keep your firm up to date on the latest regulations.

FINRA Compliance Tools

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) maintains an extensive list of links to online compliance tools, including:

• Cybersecurity checklists
• Anti-money laundering templates
• Templates for business continuity planning
• Charts breaking down communication and recordkeeping requirements
• Regulation guidebooks

There’s also a compliance calendar that lists key deadlines advisors should be aware of, as well as upcoming conferences and events.

Investment Adviser Association

The Investment Adviser Association publishes frequent updates to help keep advisors aware of federal and state regulatory changes. There are individual hubs set up to break down key compliance measures, including the SEC’s marketing rule and adviser ethics. The IAA also hosts an annual conference that covers the latest compliance strategies and recommended practices.

Comply

Comply is a self-described “one-stop shop” for SEC and state regulatory compliance for RIAs. This tool is designed to help you manage your most important compliance tasks, including submitting Form ADV annual updates, ensuring that necessary CE requirements are met and managing your firm’s code of ethics. Comply also assists advisors who are ready to go independent with the registration process.

Bottom Line

Tapping into financial resources can help you grow your business more efficiently, without taking time away from your clients. The resources shared above are just a sampling of what’s available. Read up on other tools financial advisors can use to manage client portfolios and assets.

Tips for Growing Your Advisory Business

• Attracting ideal clients is often easier said than done. A fully fleshed-out branding strategy and a rock-solid marketing plan can go a long way, but it can help to have an expert in your corner. SmartAsset AMP (Advisor Marketing Platform) is a holistic marketing service that financial advisors can use for client lead generation and automated marketing. Sign up for a free demo to explore how SmartAsset AMP can help you expand your practice’s marketing operation. Get started today.
• When comparing financial advisor resources and tools that require a fee, consider what you’ll get in exchange for the money. Look at the full range of features and benefits offered, as well as the level of support provided. Finally, consider how easily a tool will integrate with the rest of your tech stack.

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