The whole purpose of marketing is to get to the client to want to come to you.
It’s about conveying that your firm meets their needs and is a better option than going to a competitor.
It’s that simple – and that difficult.
Especially as the global financial services sector doesn’t exactly have a glowing reputation.
Almost without exception, prospective clients will have heard at least one horror story of how it can all go wrong.
Hard sell
There are plenty of firms around that world that continue to pursue a cold-calling strategy – because (sadly) it works.
But it means focusing on short-term goals at the expense of cultivating a long-term relationship.
Building an advice firm’s customer base doesn’t have to come from a hard sell – taking a softer approach can be as successful.
It is a strategy that has been embraced by Dubai-based Finsbury Associates.
In case of emergency
If you were asked: ‘What type of company teaches children first aid and life-saving skills?’ – it is not unreasonable to assume that ‘advice firm’ is not the first answer that would spring to mind.
But that’s exactly what Finsbury has done.
Its Kids Initiative campaign focuses on family safeguarding and protection through education and training programmes.
In partnership with first aid training company Safe Hands, Finsbury visits schools, nurseries and workplaces across Dubai to ensure expats and their families are equipped with these skills.
The firm has also worked to promote ICE plans, which help expats put in place documents and processes to help protect their children In Case of an Emergency, to ensure schools, nurseries and the authorites know who to contact.
Demonstrating value add
According to Finsbury, it has proved to be a fantastic lead source and customer acquisition strategy.
While teaching children and families about first aid may not seem like an obvious marketing strategy for a financial advisory business, the firm’s values and ethos are put on display for prospective clients to experience.
Poet Maya Angelou wrote: “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Not a one-trick pony
That’s not to say it is the only marketing strategy the company pursues, as it prides itself on knowing its clients so well it can send freshly baked cupcakes and handwritten cards on birthdays and special occasions.
Social media channels are used to keep clients informed, with in-depth tax guides and informative videos on hand so they can stay up-to-date with the latest developments.
For Finsbury, it all boils down to one prevailing sentiment: “Creating brand loyalty by being an integral part of the customer’s journey is crucial to looking after and retaining your clients.
“If you don’t value the relationship and engage with clients in a way that’s important to them, you will lose them.”
This article was written for International Adviser by Finsbury Associates, which was recognised in International Adviser’s Best Practice Adviser Awards 2018 for Excellence in Marketing in the Middle East region.
The awards are run in partnership with Old Mutual International.
