In a profession that’s highly regulated, having a strong adviser profile is a key to standing out from the crowd. A strong profile on your website and social media channels is key content for prospective clients to find you and reach out to you for advice. I think of it a meeting someone for the first time and having a virtual hand shake.
Updating your adviser profile however is one of the items on the ‘to do’ list that often gets pushed back. Perhaps it’s because advisers don’t like writing about themselves or perhaps not knowing what to write. In this article I want to share some tips and tricks for making your own profile stand out.
Think about it from the client’s perspective
A good place to start for anything marketing related is thinking about what your prospective clients would like to know. There’s some universal information they’d like to know:
- Your name
- Position title
- The business name
- Your education and qualifications
- What you can do for them
Think about what makes you stand out professionally
Although your name and business name is unique to you, there are other ways your adviser profile can stand out from the competition. Some examples include:
- The specialisations you have
- Certifications you’ve achieved
- Awards you’ve won
- Professional groups you’re a member of
- Code of ethics you follow
Think about what makes you, well you
In a world of copy cats there’s one thing that can’t be copied and that’s what makes you, you. Some examples include:
- Why you do what you do professionally
- Sports you play or follow
- The sense or situation of family or community you have
- Hobbies or interests away from the office
- Your personality
This mix of variables can help you stand out from the crowd like no one else. Many professionals don’t like sharing too much personal information as they like to keep separation between work and personal lives. I can understand that. But if I was looking for an adviser, and I was a keen golfer, I might perceive an adviser who was also a keen golfer more favourably.
Some might also argue that we should be promoting the business brand not the adviser’s profile. I think this is a mistake many advice providers make. Most advice providers simply don’t invest the time and resources to create and sustain a true brand. Additionally and fundamentally, people have relationships with people, not logos.
Update your photo or video
We all have profile photographs and some even have video introductions. These should be updated regularly, best practice in marketing sets a guideline of every 6 months. That might seem like a lot of updates, but with phone camera’s being so good now it’s very easy to update photos and videos quickly. Of course, if you have a larger office, hire in a photographer and have a staff photo day.
There is also a new video feature on LinkedIn that you might wish to explore too. It’s called a LinkedIn Cover Story and it’s a short video that appears where your profile photo is.
And don’t forget to tell them how they can contact you
What marketers know as ‘a call to action’, should also be included. How can they contact you? Some examples include:
- Telephone / Mobile telephone
- Website contact form
- Social media channels
Don’t forget to update your social media profiles too. If you’d like some help with your own profile, please contact us.
