A website can be an invaluable part of your financial advisor marketing plan and it’s important that it makes a good first impression. This is where having a strong financial advisor bio can work in your favor. When a prospective client clicks through to your website’s biography page, they should be able to glean two key pieces of information straight away: who you are and how you can help them. A bio that’s well-written and addresses both of those things succinctly can help to turn a cold visitor to your website into a warm lead.
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“Most prospects are going to check out a financial advisor by looking at their bio on their website and social media to make sure they’re on the up and up – and also, that they’re consistent,” says Kelly Andersen, marketing director at Wealth Continuum Group, a private label marketing firm that caters to finance professionals.
But how do you write a financial advisor bio that converts? These tips can help you craft a biography that wins clients.
1. Write With Purpose
Before sitting down to write your financial advisor bio, it’s important to understand why you’re writing it in the first place and what it’s meant to help you achieve.
“The purpose of your bio is twofold,” says Dennis Schlegel Jr., a financial advisor at The Emeritus Wealth Group. “First, it is oftentimes the first impression people get, and thus is your chance to prove some credibility in the field. Second, it’s to tell a bit of story and to humanize you in a world of cookie-cutter financial advice.”
As you write your biography, keep those dual purposes front of mind. This can help with creating a clear narrative that prospects can easily follow.
2. Be Authentic
If a prospective client is seeking out a financial advisor versus using a robo-advisor, it’s because they want or need the human touch. It follows that a good financial advisor bio is one that’s relatable and real.
“Clients are looking for a professional who’s rigorously trained, licensed, experienced and has both breadth and depth when it comes to providing comprehensive advice on their financial future,” says Enzo T. Pellegrino, president and founder of Texas Legacy Wealth Management. “However, they’re also looking for someone they can trust.”
Your bio should speak to that need by conveying who you are on a personal and professional level.
For instance, Schlegel suggests mentioning things like your hobbies, interests and family alongside your credentials and achievements as an advisor. Your bio can also speak to why you do what you do and what you enjoy about helping clients.
In other words, don’t just recite facts. Some of the best financial advisor bios tell a story, rather than rattle off a list of dates and accomplishments.
Storytelling, when done well, can help to draw prospects in and make them eager to learn more about you. And that can be enough to get them to place a call or send an email to get on your radar.
3. Keep It Simple
When writing your financial advisor bio with prospective clients in mind, it’s important to remember to find the right balance when sharing personal and professional details. A thin bio may not be enough to capture and hold a prospect’s attention. On the other hand, a biography that overwhelms with too much detail may cause a reader to click away. A simple solution? Don’t overthink your bio, says Andersen.
“A lot of financial advisors think it needs to be lengthy but in reality, people are more likely to read something that is easy flowing,” she says.
As you write your bio, use the less-is-more approach. Stick with a few paragraphs that hit the major points of who you are and how you help your clients.
4. Make Your Bio Searchable
If you’re maintaining a financial advisor website, some of your traffic from prospective clients may come from referrals or paid advertising. But it’s also important to optimize your bio for search traffic so more prospects can find you.
Using keywords relating to your expertise and location can help to increase your visibility on search engines, says Christopher Liew, a chartered financial analyst and founder of Wealth Awesome. “Once your bio is up, you can also add a list of questions about you or your niche, along with answers.”
For example, say you primarily cater to 30- and 40-something clients. You may use keywords like “millennial finances” or “millennial financial planning” in your bio.
Keep in mind, however, that the use of keywords shouldn’t interrupt the flow and tone of your bio. If you read it back and it sounds more like a dictionary of terms than a biography, that’s a sign you may need to do some editing to make it more natural.
5. Be Mindful of the Message
As you finalize your financial advisor bio, give it a thorough read-through. Ask yourself:
- What message does this send?
- How clearly am I communicating the message?
- Is the message what prospective clients need to hear?
Andersen says advisors should avoid industry-specific language that doesn’t resonate with their target market. While it’s a good idea to include any advisor certifications that convey your training and expertise, try to skip the jargon and technical terms. And remember that a bio is about making connections first; closing the deal can come later.
“Their bio is about them and their passion for being in this industry, not a commercial for the product or service they sell,” Andersen says.
At the end of the day, the goal should be to create a positive relationship between yourself and prospects – how, for example, you both have a need for a solid financial plan – so that they will eventually become clients.
A good financial advisor bio should include “your experience and value but also what you can bring to the table for the client,” Pellegrino says. “After all, a good wealth advisor should ultimately be focused on the client and their success.”
The Bottom Line
Having a compelling biography can be a strategic boost to the growth of your business, allowing you to make clear to clients why you deserve their business. Writing a financial advisor bio may seem a little daunting but not writing one could be a costly mistake if it means missing out on potential leads. And if you’ve already written a bio, consider what you might be able to do to improve it so you can start generating more leads today.
Tips for Financial Advisor Marketing
- Outsource your lead gen. SmartAsset AMP (Advisor Marketing Platform) is a holistic marketing service 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.
- Make your website user-friendly. A clunky website that’s slow to load or difficult to navigate can be off-putting to a first-time visitor. Making sure that your site is easy to find in search engines and your bio is clearly visible could help keep prospects on the page longer. Making some minor or major tweaks could help you to better showcase your talents and expertise.
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