One of the biggest challenges wealth managers face is engaging entrepreneurs and business owners ahead of a sale. Engaging wealth managers at this point in time means that business owners can benefit from insightful planning and strategic advice to create a robust plan and financial future. However, it’s also something that tends to be bottom of the list for those looking to sell.
With a surge anticipated in M&A in 2024 after a dry few years in the market, now is the pivotal moment for wealth managers to amplify their presence. But how can they achieve this?
Generating impactful media coverage
Public Relations isn’t just about delivering widespread media coverage, it’s about getting the right message in the right place. PR should be an essential consideration as part of any wealth management marketing strategy in order to build awareness and trust from potential clients.
A PR team that knows their stuff will help you identify your ideal audience, and critically; where they’re consuming content. Even if your target clients aren’t looking for a wealth manager right at this moment in time, building passive awareness of your brand will pay off in the long term. For entrepreneurs, especially of start-ups and scale ups this could be the business pages of the national press, regional business publications or key trade press specific to their sector.
It’s important to work with a PR team that not only understands your audience, but how to communicate your USPs as a business and ultimately craft content that resonates.
Ensuring you can be discovered online
In this digital age, understanding what potential clients are searching for online becomes our north star. A common mistake is thinking that your target customers are searching for content that directly relates to what you’re selling. Unless you’re a B2C brand selling a product that everyone wants, that’s probably not the case.
That’s why it’s essential to think outside the box and do your research. Once you know your target audience you can work with a skilled SEO team to understand what your potential clients are actually searching for. Armed with this knowledge you can craft web content that addresses these queries, even if it’s broader than your specific expertise.
This not only positions you as an authority but also elevates your rankings on Google. Imagine being on the first page of google when someone asks, “How to sell my business?” or “What is wealth management?”—powerful, isn’t it?
Building a network
For entrepreneurs, the sale of a business isn’t just a transaction. It’s the culmination of years of hard work, building a team and failing many times until they find scalable success. It’s also something that’s grown as they have – as such it’s a pretty emotional journey.
Because of this, wealth managers often find their referrals through word-of-mouth recommendations from others who’ve been in similar positions. Entrepreneurs are of course looking for a firm that can manage their money effectively, but they’re often also looking for a firm that understands the emotional side of a sale too.
Social media is a perfect opportunity to showcase the more personalised side of the service you can offer through client testimonials. Even is they have to be anonymised, testimonials and case studies from entrepreneurs with similar experiences who’ve trusted your wealth management firm can go a long way to getting a client to pick up the phone or sign on the dotted line.
In conclusion, wealth management marketing isn’t just a nice to have, but an essential cog in the machine. All of these different strands come together to increase your brand awareness, generate trust and ensure that you’re front of mind when a business owner is considering a sale. It might be a single LinkedIn post or a short comment from you in media that makes all the difference.
As we anticipate a rise in M&A activity, now is the time to start putting your marketing strategy in place to make the most of the opportunity that lies ahead.