Your holiday marketing strategy should involve more than just greeting cards.
The holidays are fast approaching. If you haven’t already thought about how you’re going to market to your clients, prospects, and centers-of-influence (COIs) over the coming months, now is the time to do so. The holiday season is an ideal time to reach out and remind people what you do in a more personal, less sales-focused way than you might at other times of the year.
Why holiday marketing?
Unlike retail businesses, financial advisors do not depend on holiday sales to shore up their bottom line. For that reason, seasonal marketing may not seem urgent, but you should not ignore the power of holiday marketing. Your clients and prospects expect to hear from you at this time of year. If they receive a holiday greeting from their attorney, accountant, and even their mailperson, but nothing from their financial advisor, they’ll notice – and the impression won’t be good.
The holiday season is a time to check in with people and say hello. Greeting cards, gifts, parties, emails, and other seasonal marketing help to keep you and your firm top of mind. Because many people start thinking about their finances in detail after the holidays, these efforts can pay dividends in the form of referrals and new clients after January 1.
Five holiday marketing tips
If your holiday marketing strategy involves sending out a nice card to everyone on your mailing list or gifts to your top clients, you are missing valuable opportunities to let people know about your firm. Here are a few tips for developing your holiday marketing strategy:
Send fewer but more personalized cards: Rather than spending time and money sending holiday cards to hundreds of people you barely know, save your stamps for those who really matter. Make a list of the most important people to your business – the A-list clients, the referral partners with whom you have the strongest relationships, the vendors without whom you wouldn’t be able to function – and send these people a card with a heartfelt, handwritten note. That’s the kind of message that is likely to stand out from the sea of generic “Happy Holidays” cards. Then, send a well-designed holiday email to your other contacts.
Write holiday-themed blog posts: Use the holidays as an inspiration for a blog post. You might write about the concept of thankfulness, the importance of being strategic about your giving (especially around the holidays, when there is extra pressure to be generous), ideas for New Year’s financial resolutions, or even list gift suggestions.
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Get active on social media: The holiday season is a social time, both on- and offline, and your firm should participate. Tailor your posts to the season by sharing photos from your staff party or other holiday activities. If you sponsor a food or toy drive, use Facebook and Twitter to let people know about it. You could even record a short holiday video greeting and share it on your social accounts.
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Don’t forget to network: Once November and December hit, your calendar is probably packed with holiday parties and related activities. Use all of this socializing as an opportunity for low-key networking. At parties, make an effort to introduce yourself to new people and get to know them. When appropriate, mention what you do and follow up afterward.
Holiday parties are also a great way to reconnect with important contacts you may not see very often. But be sure to keep the spirit of the event in mind. People are there to have fun, not to listen to a sales pitch. Keep the conversation light and friendly, and don’t focus too much on business.
Keep it sensitive: When designing your holiday marketing efforts, it’s important to know your clients. Don’t send non-Christian clients cards wishing them a “Merry Christmas.” Unless you know that the recipient shares your faith, it’s best to avoid holiday messages with strong religious overtones. If you’re worried about being inadvertently offensive, send out Thanksgiving or New Year’s wishes instead.
Looking for more holiday marketing ideas for advisory firms? Check out our previous article: 20 Ideas to Market Your Business this Holiday Season.
Megan Elliott is the Senior Copywriter with Wealth Management Marketing, Inc., a firm specializing in outsourced marketing department services to Registered Investment Advisors and fee-only financial planning firms. For more information, visit www.wealthmanagementmarketing.net.
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