How to grow client base and maintain relationships whilst working remotely
As the Covid-19 pandemic continues, the world is moving into unchartered territory. Social distancing, self-isolation, flattening the curve and now a three-week lockdown – there are new terms being bandied around almost daily that we have never used before. With so much unknown, though, one thing is absolutely certain – now more than ever, people still need financial advice – even if at a distance. So, if you find yourself suddenly working from home, or if you are a seasoned pro at working from your home office but not so sure about how to grow client base and maintain client relationships without face-to-face contact, this blog explores how to nurture your relationships during these challenging times.
Financial advice and working remotely
The demand for dynamic working has grown hugely in the past few years which means that most industries are pretty well prepared for remote working. In fact, two of the most sought after workplace benefits are flexible working hours (71%) and the option to work from home (55%) – and thanks to this flexibility and a greater work/life balance, it’s no wonder many self-employed financial planners already choose to work from home. However, for employed advisers who are suddenly finding themselves working from home, the change can be a shock to the system. And in an industry that relies so heavily on face-to-face meetings and the rapport between advisers and their clients, one of the biggest concerns for advisers working from home in this current climate is how to maintain client relationships.
How to keep client relationships going
The fact is that even in a pandemic, you can’t just put your life on hold. And despite everything that is going on, people still need financial advice; especially older clients who rely on a retirement income. In fact, ironically, there is a big overlap between those at risk from coronavirus and those in need of one-to-one financial advice. Traditionally, clients would meet with advisers face-to-face, with many advisers travelling to their clients’ homes. But in this current situation, remote advice will become increasingly common – so if you’re concerned about how to nurture client relationships whilst working remotely, here are our top tips:
Conduct remote meetings
Using Skype, Facetime or other video calls still allows you to give face-to-face advice to clients whilst working remotely. Of course, you can also speak to people on the phone, but video calls are the next best thing to meeting in person. Given the personal nature of financial advice and the emphasis on relationships between advisers and their clients, video calls are more intimate and allow people to maintain relationships. What’s more, if you are working with new clients, video calls allow people to put a face to a name so that clients can properly get to know you and you can nurture the relationships and build trust. Luckily, thanks to today’s technology, we have now reached the point where advisers and planners can work just as effectively online and via video as they can face-to-face.
Update your blog
With people spending more time indoors, they will also be spending more time online searching the internet for advice. So if you can’t meet your clients in person, creating and sharing helpful and topical articles – particularly during these uncertain times – is a great way to reach out to and reassure them. And it’s also a fantastic way to communicate with potential future clients, too! People typically view between three to five pieces of content before contacting a sales representative, which means blogging is an excellent way to generate business leads whilst positioning yourself as an industry expert that people can trust. And as a bonus, because Google prefers websites which regularly publish new and original content, regular blogging could also help to boost your SEO and improve your visibility online, so you can speak to more people!
Reach out on social
Can’t attend networking events or meet your clients in person? Another way to reach out to people and nurture relationships is by being active on social media. According to recent research, three-quarters of affluent investors regularly use some form of social media, whilst more impressively, a whopping 70% of investors have reallocated investments or begun relationships based on content found on social media. So if you can’t get out there and build relationships yourself, make sure you reach out on social.
LinkedIn is a great platform for networking with professionals. With 61 million senior-level influencers who will most likely have incomes that reflect their seniority, it’s a great place to share content. You could also consider creating videos and uploading them to YouTube: just because you can’t currently meet with your clients face-to-face, you can still build a relationship and let them put a face to a name. In fact, uploading relevant videos answering the questions people have at this time is a great way to get helpful, informative content out there.
Communicate via email marketing
People like people – it’s as simple as that. And in an industry like financial advice which thrives on trust, people and relationships are even more important. What’s more, in times like these when things are uncertain, it’s more important than ever to continue building relationships and keep communication open. By keeping in regular contact through email marketing, you can continue to nurture your relationships with potential and existing clients, whether you are sharing the latest updates or providing titbits of advice that could help reassure people in these troubling times.
At Recruit UK, we are experts in financial planning recruitment, and there’s nothing we don’t know about how to grow client base and nurture relationships – both online and offline. If you want to find out more about our services or have a look at the positions we are currently working on, contact one of our advisers today to see how we can help. Find out more here.