Tiffany Charles fully embraces the potential that webinars offer advisors, but she's quick to remind us that they're not a magical solution for converting new clients. As the Chief Growth Officer at Destiny Capital, she knows that while webinars won't work wonders on their own, they can create a powerful platform to highlight your expertise, authenticity, and credibility.
In a recent Marketing Masterclass, Tiffany, FiComm's Executive Vice President of Advisor Growth Marketing Candice Carlton, and I delved into this topic. Tiffany emphasized that, like all dedicated service providers, advisors strive to make a real and lasting impact on clients. Our marketing efforts should reflect this mission, and here's where webinars step up to the plate.
Tiffany pointed out that even back in the '80s and '90s, seminars were instrumental in firm growth. Now, webinars take this concept global – they're like seminars without borders, brimming with untapped potential.
Candice emphasized the pivotal role of webinars in an advisor's marketing toolkit. These sessions can be tailored to target specific audiences, personalize messages, and guide prospects toward actionable steps. It's all about wooing the right clients whose values align with yours.
“Historically, that meant referrals, networking, and outbound marketing,” Candice said. Those analog tools are still relevant, “but the first thing people will do once they are introduced to you is validate you online. If you don’t have a digital presence, you don’t exist in their eyes. You have to show up on Google review sites. Then, if you have social media, a podcast, YouTube channel, or webinar series, they’ll probably sign up. They want to get more value from you by experiencing you in a real-time, higher-commitment environment like webinars.”
Webinars: A Marketing Haven for Non-Marketers
Tiffany brought some great news for advisors whose comfort zone is numbers, not snappy ad copy.
“You have to have a process, or it just won’t work. You have to show that you have the information and the ability to ease clients’ and prospects’ pain points and can motivate them to continue their buying journey,” she shared.
So, if you're more Warren Buffett than Robert Burns, you're in luck. Your analytical skills fit perfectly when you simplify the marketing puzzle.
“If you consistently work the process, the outcomes will become consistently good,” Tiffany said. “Wealth consultants can sink their teeth into it and use it to grow their firms. It’s scalable and enables meaningful information recycling.”
Webinar Design and Execution
Tiffany empowered Masterclass participants to design webinars, keeping current clients and potential prospects in mind. It's a chance for potential clients to witness the value you bring and how well you align with their needs.
Start with two fundamental questions:
- What change should this webinar create? Hosting a webinar just because it's trending won't cut it. Think about what concerns your prospects, what transition would ease their minds, and how your webinar can assist.
- Who benefits from attending? Tailor the webinar for your ideal client. Utilize Tiffany's firm's expertise, but adapt it to the habits your target clients need.
Tiffany mentioned that Destiny Capital looks for varying levels of engagement from different individuals. Some need a nudge to transition from challenges to information-gathering, some seek a reliable source, and others are ready to talk business. Webinars can pique curiosity across these segments.
The Nuts and Bolts
Tiffany shared Destiny Capital's templates that cover planning, execution, and follow-up for webinars. It all boils down to the basics:
- Can you resonate with your ideal client through your content?
- Is the topic engaging enough for a 45-minute discussion?
- Will it elicit a "wow" from participants?
- Does it leave them craving more, eager to learn from you?
Tiffany outlined the 6 Ps of webinar conversion: Plan, Prep, Promote, Present, Postfollow-up, and Prospect. She dived into the strategic first and last stages, as the middle four are more transactional.
As the saying goes, without a plan, you're planning to fail. Planning demands a clear understanding of your goals and how to measure success. Are you boosting thought leadership, networking, expanding your funnel, or closing more deals? You can't manage what you don't measure.
Often, advisors end a webinar without knowing if it succeeded, owing to vague goals. Your desired outcome shapes Tiffany's 4 Ts of planning: target audience, discussion topic, webinar type, and team responsibilities.
"Prospecting is where the magic happens," Tiffany emphasized.
By this point, you’ve already done the hard part. You've convinced prospects to trust you by sharing their email and investing time. Use this chance to personalize calls to action and outreach.
Certain attendees might be ready to buy. Offer them a free consultation to address their pressing questions. If you've planned well and gathered pre-submitted questions, they're engaged prospects. Email them detailed answers, invite more questions, and build trust. Encourage the "interested but not ready" folks to learn more about you. Guide them to your podcast, YouTube reel, social media, and, of course, your next webinar.
Hungry for More Marketing Insights?
FiComm's Masterclass offers monthly online seminars, diving deep into trending topics that resonate with our Marketing Bootcamp members. If you're ready to learn and gain more tips, register here for the next Masterclass, "How to Create an Initial Marketing Offer That Converts Leads."
For specific queries about content, websites, or digital marketing, reach out to us at Dear FiComm. We'll respond via video – like your mini consultation, and it's FREE! Catch previous episodes here.