Analogies and metaphors are great, aren’t they?

We all know what you’re up to if you’re moving the goalposts, and it has nothing to do with the World Cup.

They have a knack for making abstract ideas easier to grasp.

And that’s a useful concept, because marketing becomes a lot less intimidating when you stop obsessing over tactics and start paying more attention to predictable human behaviour.

So, let’s put that theory to the test.

1. The mysterious menu

You’re looking for somewhere to eat, and a restaurant over the road catches your eye. The food sounds fantastic, the drinks list looks impressive, and it has a nice atmosphere about it.

Ah, but there are no prices listed anywhere.

I doubt your first thought is, “No matter, I’m sure it’s very reasonable.” More likely, you’ll assume those missing prices are hiding an expensive bill and find somewhere else to eat.

It’s human nature. When important information is missing, we fill the gap ourselves, often with the worst-case scenario. That’s exactly the risk financial advisers and planners run when they say nothing about fees on their website.

We accept that publishing your exact fees online won’t be possible for every firm. In that case, fee examples, minimum fees, and fee philosophy pages give prospective clients a better understanding of what to expect.

A lack of information might be pushing right-fit prospects into the arms of a competitor.

Simply because, as the old adage goes, “If you have to ask, you can’t afford it.”

2. The client you ignored

A long-standing client comes into your office. They shake you by the hand and say, “Thank you for everything you’ve done over the years. Your support has changed my life and helped me achieve goals I once thought were impossible.”

You turn around and walk away.

How ridiculous, eh? I’m sure you wouldn’t dream of doing that.

Well, if you ignore positive online reviews, you’re guilty of the digital equivalent.

Replying to a positive review isn’t just about thanking the client who left it. Prospective clients will read your responses too, making them an ideal opportunity to showcase your personality and reinforce the reasons people choose to work with you.

Many firms only reply when a negative review appears. Unfortunately, if that’s the case for you, readers may assume those are the ones that matter most.

3. The pilot’s unwanted announcement

You’re jetting off on a big holiday with your better half.

The pilot comes over the tannoy with what you assume will be a cheery welcome, the flight time, and confirmation of the sunny climes that await you.

Instead, he spends 10 minutes explaining his fuel calculations and the inner workings of the hydraulic systems. Unless you’re an aviation fanatic, you’re going to quickly lose interest.

Many advisers and planners make a similar mistake with their blogs and newsletters.

Clients don’t necessarily want to spend their spare time reading market updates and in-depth economic analysis. That’s what they pay you for.

Here’s an example from a recent newsletter we produced for a financial planning firm:

• The most popular article was about restaurants in their local area.
• Next up was a regular update about goings-on within the business.
• And, while still popular, a blog about IHT ended up in third place.

Better still, the click-to-open rate increased by 104%, which says a lot about what clients actually engage with.

4. The hasty doctor

Despite the receptionist’s desire to keep you as far away from a doctor as possible, you can’t avoid the niggling pain you’ve been feeling for weeks. You’re nervous and would really rather not face whatever this might be, but appointment day has arrived.

Before you’ve had a chance to explain your symptoms, your GP is already reaching for the prescription pad. No questions, no diagnosis. No attempt to understand what brought you there in the first place.

You’d probably be looking for a new doctor.

Yet many adviser and planner websites do something very similar.

Within seconds of landing on the homepage, a potential client is hit with a list of services.

Consumers don’t typically lie awake at night worrying about pension consolidation. They land on your website with an emotional trigger, a reason for being there. Whatever their goals or financial challenges, they want empathy and to feel confident that they’ve found the expert they’ve been looking for.

The most effective financial services websites lead with people – their plans and problems – not products.

5. Everybody’s estate agent

It’s time to sell your beautiful, painstakingly restored £2 million farmhouse in the countryside. One estate agent tells you they can sell every type of property imaginable. Another specialises in premium rural homes.

Who gets your call?

Under the surface, they might be equally qualified and experienced to help. But the second agent has made themselves far easier to choose.

“The riches are in the niches”, as they say.

(That sounds far better in an American accent.)

The same principle applies to financial advisers and planners.

If you claim to help everyone, it can be difficult for prospective clients to see themselves in your marketing. But when you focus on a particular type of client, their aspirations and financial challenges become much easier to address.

A business owner approaching retirement wants reassurance that you’ve helped others in a similar position. So does a widow, an NHS consultant, or a professional footballer.

Niching isn’t about excluding people. It’s about making it easier for the right people to recognise that they’re in the right place.

6. The impatient investor

You take on a new client and start managing their investments. Two months later, they call and say they’re disappointed with the results.

Perhaps the markets have dropped slightly. Perhaps they’ve risen, but it hasn’t made as much of an impact on their portfolio as they’d have hoped.

Either way, they’ve decided investing doesn’t work and they want to cash out.

What would you tell them?

Probably that investing is a long-term game. “It’s time in the market, not timing the market.” That short-term fluctuations are inevitable, and that good outcomes come from patience, consistency, and allowing compounding to do its thing.

You know where I’m going with this.

Marketing, much like investing, rewards those who commit to a strategy, execute it consistently, and resist the temptation to chop and change.

Seeing the wood for the trees

Above all else, great marketing starts with understanding human behaviour.

So in practical terms, that means you should:

• Build trust, don’t assume it
• Focus on people, not products
• Reduce uncertainty where you can
• Demonstrate empathy before expertise
• Make it easy for prospects to feel that they’re in the right place.

If this blog has sparked an idea or highlighted an area of your marketing you’d like to improve, let’s find time for a chat.

Email abi@theyardstickagency.co.uk or call 0115 8965 300.