As an independent financial advisor (IFA), there is one key ingredient that you need, and this is trust. Your clients need to trust that you are going to be able to provide them with the most effective service. They need to know that your advice is going to be the best and that the financial products and strategies you introduce them to are going to be the most suitable. It is up to you to create this trust by marketing yourself effectively. Keeping that in mind, read on for some top tips on how to win customer confidence.

Use social media

Social media is a platform that can no longer be ignored. If you can build a strong presence on the likes of Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, you will encourage clients to trust you, as you will attract new interest and you will reinforce current relationships. There are plenty of compelling reasons why all financial advisors need to have a social media presence. This includes the fact that 44 per cent of affluent customers engage with financial institutions via social media, as well as the fact that 72 per cent of clients trust online reviews just as much as they do personal recommendations.

Prioritise security

Marketing and winning confidence goes way beyond SEO. You need to create a sense of trust. Your business and website should be a safe haven. Display that you use secure methods, from the best VPNs to security methods like two-factor authentication and encryption.

Specialise

One of the best ways to increase trust is to specialise in a specific area of finance, or several. Most people do not want to employ someone who is a jack-of-all-trades – they want an individual that excels in a specific area, and has the knowledge and connections to really help them. You may think that you are cutting yourself off from a whole host of potential customers if you do this, but that is not the case. Instead, you are making yourself appear more credible and enhancing your image in your niche, and this will lead to more people trusting you and wanting to use your service.

Drop the financial jargon

A lot of advisors fall into the trap of using as much financial jargon as possible to make themselves seem an expert in the field. The truth is that all you are doing is confusing your customers. This alienates more clients than attracts them. Instead, you need to make yourself approachable, and you must explain everything in a manner that is easy for everyone to understand. By doing this, customers will trust that you are on their level and that you can deliver a service that is to their requirements.

Sell a story

Finally, one of the most effective techniques is to sell a story, as this makes it easier for your clients to grasp your strategy and what you are going to be selling them. You can use stories from your own personal experience, or you can use metaphors to illustrate a process. A common example of the latter relates to the stew pot story that a lot of mutual fund salespeople use when attempting to sell their products. They basically use the ingredients of a stew to illustrate the securities that are selected by the fund managers, and then they explain that, just like a spoonful of stew – where there is a tiny portion of all ingredients, a fund provides a fractional interest in each security in the portfolio.