How Website Enhancements Help Alternative Investment Companies Retain Financial Advisors Year After Year
Chris Mulvaney is the CEO of CMDS. I make things... I’m the creative entrepreneur with passion for (re)making brands and inventing solutions to problems no one knows exist.
While there will always be a market for traditional investment choices, these days, an increasing number of clients are looking to explore an even more comprehensive range of opportunities. They expect their financial advisors to be able to source and deliver on a more diverse array of investment solutions. And, in response, being able to provide more extensive alternative investments is becoming more alluring to advisors since the growth potential in this arena is tremendous.
Over the past few years, studies have shown that while investors and financial advisors are recognizing the potential benefits of investing in the alternative classes, the ability to access high-quality alternative investments has proven to be quite a challenge.
So, on the other end of it, how does an alternative investment fund put themselves into pole position to drive – and retain – all of this potential business their way? Well, it starts with a great website.
New business is crucial to your fund. However, being able to retain that business, year after year, is what creates the long-term gains. With the right tools and ongoing maintenance, your website can provide a solid frame for your fund’s continued success. Here are 5ive ways to ensure that financial advisors put your fund in their client’s portfolio:
#1. Make it Count
You only get one chance to make a first impression.
The very first thing a financial advisor will do when seeking an alternative fund for their client is to look at that company’s website. Look at it as your digital calling card. That online introduction can either welcome or repel your business initiative. Disorganized investment websites are just frustrating to navigate through. And, with the average attention span getting shorter and shorter, you have about 15 seconds to catch their attention.
Introducing yourself, your story, and your code of ethics lets the user into your real world. And personalizing your site to optimize their user experience lets you into theirs. Once you establish a relationship, it will enable you to be kept on the advisor’s radar, and, most importantly, in their client’s portfolio.
Use the 3-click strategy. Creating an easy-to-navigate website should be a satisfying experience for its viewer. Can your story, your value, and your offerings be easily found in just a 2-3 clicks? Are you capturing your target audience quickly? If not, it’s time to spring clean. Make sure the content is well arranged, clearly defined and that the user can easily find critical information. Optimize your site’s Calls to Action (CTA). Make them easily visible and accessible via a standout link or a click.
Design, copy and placement are all important here. This is where the need for a good web developer comes into play, and using components like anchor links and sub-navigation can keep even the most content-heavy of sites well organized and updated.
#2. Are you ready for your close up?
Content is key, yes. Your website will absolutely not work without it. However, it also has to look good. On average, users will give a site under 15 seconds before leaving so you have to make them want to stay. Subtle aesthetic enhancements and overall presentation will lead its user to the important elements of your website. Make the right use of white space.
Design elements, font, imagery and layout will further pull a user into the site and create a nice space for them to absorb your offerings. Avoid the obvious stock photos and try to use real people and real emotions to personalize your advisor’s experience. The more real your site, the more trust you can establish between your fund and your financial advisor.
Pro Tip: ABC, easy as … F to Z. Text-heavy websites tend to make users follow an “F” pattern. They look for points of interest and keywords. Websites that are not as text-heavy show that users follow a “Z” pattern. Knowing this can help you effectively place key site elements and information where you need them.
Understand where your website is helping or hurting your reputation and its ability to attract new financial advisors to your fund.
#3. Darwin knew that it was all about adaptability
More and more users are navigating to websites through mobile and tablet devices. Mobile search accounted for over half of all overall web searches last year alone, and that number just keeps growing. Users are on the move, and your website needs to communicate through multiple mediums. It’s important to optimize your website not only for readability and design, but also because your Google search engine ranking is highly influenced by display adaptability.
If you want to be seen, you must adapt. Ongoing maintenance of your site to keep it updated and adaptable is crucial in keeping your site visible and reputable.
#4. Grow it organically
Search engine Optimization – SEO – is critical in making sure your site is visible on Google, Bing and other search engines. Keep it fresh. Offering the most updated advice can place you as a leader in your industry, and an article, webinar or tagline can pull the user into your page organically. This can be key in landing and keeping new clients.
#5. Direct the traffic
Being able to measure your web traffic is also critical. Google Analytics is a great tool for this and can allow you to structure your website around a plethora of metrics, down to certain key terms or phrases. You are also able to measure how much time is spent on your website, who is a repeat visitor, and what device they used to view your site.
When a potential client uses a genetic term search, analytics can place your website in their hands. And, creating brand awareness can set you apart from your competitor and shift the sales directive so the client comes to you.
Keep your website visible to advisors using the tools above. Financial advisors are responsible for managing large amounts of money, and the last thing they want to do is hedge their bets on a faceless fund. The more proactive and intuitive your investment firm’s website can be with their client’s needs and expectations, the better the chance of keeping your fund in their client’s portfolio.
Contact CMDS at 732-706-5555 or click here to learn more about how we can help your website gain and retain financial advisors.