If you are slow to adapt to online technology, you risk missing out on a potentially affluent market, says Kirtarath Dhillon, social-media and public relations coordinator with Advisor Websites in Vancouver.
According to a study by global consulting firm Accenture, baby boomers are set to transfer more than $30 trillion in financial and non-financial assets to their heirs between 2031 and to 2045.
Those millennial clients will likely opt for financial advisors who already have a presence on commonly used digital platforms, Dhillon says. They will want to work with advisors who are easily accessible and speak their language.
Here are three tools to cultivate your online presence and build credibility with younger clients:
1. Hootsuite (https://hootsuite.com/)
While many advisor admit that social media is an important way to build an online presence, Dhillon says, many feel that time spent on social platforms comes at the expense of fulfilling more important responsibilities.
By using Hootsuite, he says, you can spend some of your downtime on a Friday afternoon to schedule tweets for the following week. That way, managing your account will be less likely to interrupt your schedule during busy times.
You don’t necessarily have to create your own content, Dhillon adds. You can queue links to relevant articles to share.
2. Help a Reporter Out (http://www.helpareporter.com/)
Help a Reporter Out is a website that connects journalists with would-be sources. Offering your expertise to the media can help you build a credible online presence and establish yourself as an expert.
A free account will provide a list of media opportunities three times per day; a paid account allows you to filter your searches to fit topics such as business and finance. If you think you’re a match for a media request, you can then send a pitch to the journalist, explaining why you’re a good fit for that story.
3. Google Alerts (https://www.google.ca/alerts)
One way to monitor your digital reputation is to track what’s being said about you online.
To set up a Google alert, input keywords (your name or business name), Dhillon says, and Google will notify you through your Gmail account each time the keyword is mentioned on the web. You can choose to receive an update once a day, once a week or “as it happens.”
If you’re looking to stay on top of a particular area in financial services, Dhillon adds, you can also track competitors or industry topics.
This is the second part in a three-part series on online tools.
Next: Improving your efficiency.
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