This year marks our 20th anniversary, and we’re going platinum! In honor of our milestone, we’re pressing rewind and sharing some of our key insights with you from the past two decades.
In Q1 of 2021, our team met with a wealth management company that relied heavily on traditional methods of marketing such as word-of-mouth and face-to-face networking.
Like many businesses, their firm was struggling to keep up as the pandemic affected day-to-day operations. Because of this, they came to us looking for a nuanced approach to online marketing.
Deploying tactics and campaigns targeting the firm’s audience of individuals worth over $1 million is no easy task. Not to mention it’s extremely competitive and expensive.
High net-worth individuals don’t trust just anyone with their money. So how do you do it? How do you build trust online and communicate authentically whether it’s for a financial wealth firm or a sock store? Here are eight tips and tricks you can deploy in 2022.
- Use testimonials. One of the best things you can do to build trust is to share the stories of your previous or current clients. Make sure you have their permission and then sprinkle them on your site and social media pages. Consider the content format as well. These reviews can take the form of a video or short blurb accompanied by a picture. Humans connect with other humans so consider adding a “face” to each if possible. This adds credibility, too.
- Manage your Google and Yelp reviews. At Grapevine, we call this reputation management and it’s extremely important. Depending on your industry, you may even have other sites you’ll need to monitor your reviews on. Make sure to audit the pages often and respond to positive and negative feedback in a timely and professional manner. People will go to these places first to research you.
- Tell your story. One of the primary ways we connect with people is through storytelling. Consider investing in a brand story video, typically 60 to 90 seconds long, that takes the viewer on a journey. Embed this on your homepage, upload it to your YouTube channel, and be sure to share it with your social network. It’s even a great component to add to a welcome email for new customers.
- Use video. 80% of online content consumption is through video. The more you can explain or entertain through this medium, the better. Remember: don’t overcomplicate it. Videos can be as simple as hitting record on your phone and speaking about a commonly asked question in your industry.
- Personalize the experience. Make sure your points of contact with a lead are personalized to them. Include their name in automated emails by using HTML code. Also, consider how you communicate with current clients on birthdays or other event-based promotions. Everyone loves to read and hear their own name, so use this to your advantage.
- Interact on social. Don’t just use social media as a place to post. Make sure you’re logging in daily to monitor engagement and activity. Respond in a manner that matches your company “voice” and interact with other pages and accounts. You can also join groups on Facebook that pertain to your industry. And if you have a professional LinkedIn account, you can cross-promote content from your business page as well. Remember, social media is about interaction.
- Humanize the brand. Every brand has a voice and a personality. Think of the infamous Wendy’s Tweets. We’re not saying you need to go that far and spend all your time on Twitter each day, but make sure you establish your brand’s “personality” and stay consistent with it across all channels of communication and distribution. Consistency is key when you’re developing the brand.
- Make them feel safe. A great way to ensure your customers feel safe is by listing your brand’s mission, vision, and values on your site and following through on those promises. FAQs are a great tool on your website as well – be sure they’re easy to find. Consider posting your credentials and any industry-relevant case studies or whitepapers on the website and across social media. Finally, you can provide several ways for your visitors to contact you through the site whether that’s by email, phone, live chat, or form fill. Whatever you decide, make sure it’s regularly monitored and that you’re not keeping them waiting for a reply.
The list goes on, but this is a great place to start in 2022. Just remember that where you appear online should remain consistent, professional, and true to your brand. If you’re unsure where to begin, start with your website and work your way to social media. Then audit your review pages and various touchpoints with customers online. Before you know it, you’ll be communicating in a manner that builds trust.
If you’re looking to strengthen your brand’s online presence, we’re here to help. You can email us at wowme@grapeinc.com or give us a call at 941.351.0024. We promise we won’t keep you waiting.
