Going beyond a shameless plug

There’s a fine line between value and annoyance when it comes to online content. Unfortunately, it’s not unusual to see that line being crossed.

Think about it. Social media is an extension of real life; it’s just another avenue for connecting and building relationships with clients and prospects. In fact, aside from being a great way to research and get to know people, social media can be seen as a huge virtual networking event.

Would you spend an entire networking event talking only about yourself? Would you turn every conversation into a “me-me-me” monologue? Of course not. Then why do that online?

Succeeding in social media involves remembering and applying many of the rules that apply when networking in person. Here are a few:

• Avoid adviser-speak. Speak in your own voice. Are your social-media profiles, blogs and websites loaded with technical jargon or adviser-speak?

In writing content, act as if you were face to face with a client or prospect. Are your words online the same ones you could hear yourself actually speaking or do they read like they came directly from your legal and compliance department? While you may have a compliance requirement to use certain profile language, work to make the language “real.”

People want to engage with people who are professional but genuine. It’s far better to develop content that allows clients and prospects to get a sense of who you are as a person than to use the same buzzwords, jargon and tired phraseology that thousands of other advisers are using.

• It’s about relationships. When networking, whether in person or online, people often forget that the goal of an interaction is not to make a sale. It is simply to start, or build, a relationship. At networking events (which should be carefully chosen get-togethers at which attendees fit your target market), we encourage advisers to set a goal of meeting three to five people.

“Meeting” shouldn’t consist of merely saying hello and uttering a few pleasantries. It should be spending enough time talking with people to sense whether you enjoy being around them and would genuinely like to see them again.

Following up with these individuals always results in getting an appointment and frequently signals the start of a mutually beneficial, lasting relationship.

Online, it’s no different. Advisers should use online tools as a way to frequent where their clients and prospects are (social-media sites such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn), connect with them, and engage them in interesting and meaningful dialogue.

• Don’t sell. The quickest way to turn someone off online is to be trying to sell something, or appearing to do so. If your status updates and wall posts consist primarily of self-serving content, you will most certainly turn off your followers.

We follow the One-Third Rule. A third (and only a third) of content can be about you, your products or your services. Another third should be educational content, and the final third should be used to promote, or give kudos to, someone else.

• Provide relevant content. We all have limited time; your clients are no different. When spending time online, they don’t want to waste precious minutes reading irrelevant material.

What problems do your clients want solved? What questions do they ask most? That’s the educational content you need to provide. By the way, that content doesn’t always have to be investment-related; providing links to articles on topics important to your target markets often can be just the information they’re seeking.

Be more than a financial adviser. The public image of virtually everyone connected with financial services — advisers included — is not stellar. In general, the public is distrustful and skeptical of what you do. This is something we must be aware of.

To combat this, let your online followers and connections see you as a person, not just a title. As you would in person, be creative in how you introduce yourself online.

• Follow-up is key. Just as you would never leave an event without a plan to follow up with the great connections you made, make a plan to identify and connect with the people you get to know online.

When used properly, social media can be an excellent tool to identify, build and strengthen relationships. By following these rules, you go beyond self-promotion and begin to really engage your audience.

Kristin Andree (kristin@andree media.com) is president of Andree Media & Consulting.