Advertising for financial advisers

Financial advice is sold into a market that has been mis-sold to, by a profession that is regulated on almost everything it says.

The rules come first

Financial promotions must be clear, fair and not misleading. In most jurisdictions that means: risk presented alongside benefit, past performance carrying prescribed warnings, no implication of guaranteed returns, and records of what was communicated.

The rules apply to a social media post as much as to a brochure. Several regulators have taken action specifically over informal digital content.

Fee transparency as the differentiator

The sector's reputational problem is opacity about how the adviser is paid. Publishing the fee structure plainly is unusual enough to be a competitive advantage.

What to state: the charging basis, an indicative figure for a typical engagement, whether initial advice is chargeable, and what ongoing service is provided for an ongoing fee.

The last point matters. Ongoing fees without visible ongoing service are the sector's most criticised practice.

Map content to life events

People search these terms at the moment the event occurs. Content that answers the immediate practical question generates the enquiry.

The referral engine

Most advisers get most clients from accountants, solicitors and existing clients. Advertising supplements that; it rarely replaces it.

Making referral easy: a one-page description of who you help and how, written for the referrer rather than the client; and a clear, prompt process when a referral arrives, since a referrer who is embarrassed by a slow response stops referring.

The trust signals that work

Qualifications stated precisely with the awarding body. Regulatory registration with the number. How long in practice. What happens to the client if you retire. Whether the firm is independent or restricted, stated plainly.

That last point is a legal requirement in many jurisdictions and is frequently buried.

What to avoid

Lifestyle imagery of yachts and beaches. Anything implying certainty of return. Testimonials, which are restricted or prohibited in several jurisdictions. Comparison with named competitors.