If you’ve ever spent an evening wading through comments on social media, you’ve likely seen “bean soup theory” in action.

Also known as the “what about me effect”, bean soup theory describes an individual’s expectation for posts, content, and conversations to be tailored specifically to them.

It derives from a series of comments left on a recipe for bean soup, all essentially asking the same question: “What if I don’t like beans?”

The answer, surely, is that they would be better off not making bean soup. But, as the Independent reports, many people seemingly expect their own needs and desires to be centred in every piece of content they come across.

For financial planners, it simply isn’t feasible to appeal to everyone. Your advice is tailored to your clients, and your marketing should be too.

So, how can you take bean soup theory in your stride to make your marketing more effective for your target audience?

Don’t try to be everyone’s bowl of soup

It can be easy to fall into the trap of trying to appeal to everyone. Perhaps you think that you’ll improve your odds of gaining new clients by casting your net wide, or perhaps you’re hoping to avoid any negative responses online.

But when you try to be everyone’s cup of tea, you risk being no one’s.

As you know, the spectrum of financial goals, priorities, concerns, and beliefs is broad. It’s impossible to centre everyone without making your marketing incredibly generic and bland (and even then, you’d no doubt reach some dissenters).

Instead, your marketing should speak exclusively to your target audience. That way, you can tailor your content to your ideal client and dive into their specific needs and pain points.

According to Unbiased, trust is a crucial for clients when looking for a financial adviser. By showing you understand their needs, you can help make a good first impression to start your relationship based on trust.

Know exactly who your audience is

Of course, to speak directly to your audience, you need to know exactly who they are.

• What demographics do they fit into?
• What are their goals?
• What are they worried about?
• How do they like to be spoken to?
• Where are they spending their time browsing online?

Your current client base could be a good jumping-off point for defining your target audience. However, in some cases, you might be hoping to develop certain areas of your business or tap into new demographics.

It could be worth segmenting your audience into smaller groups based on key criteria, such as their goals and challenges. That way, you can define detailed personas for different ideal clients and create content tailored to their varying needs and preferences.

For example, you might send separate newsletters to pre- and post-retirement audiences, or target different demographics on different social media platforms.

Stay authentic and true to your brand

While you want to appeal to your target audience, you also want to attract the right clients for your business.

By staying true to your brand – whether that’s a company brand or a personal one – you can help increase the likelihood that any new clients who come your way will be a good fit.

Conversely, if your marketing doesn’t align with the reality of working with your business, clients could be more likely to be dissatisfied with the service they receive.

Take negative comments on the chin

Whether you’ve received negative comments on your own content or have seen the swathes of them on social media, it’s normal to feel a little uneasy when posting on LinkedIn or sending a newsletter.

But, as bean soup theory suggests, negative comments don’t necessarily mean there’s a problem with your marketing. Rather, you may have simply reached someone outside your target audience.

Ultimately, if you’re showing up authentically and speaking directly to your target audience, the chances are you’re not trying to appeal to those leaving negative comments anyway.

So, if they “don’t like beans”, try to take their comments on the chin. In fact, their engagement with your post has probably improved your reach, potentially helping your ideal clients find your content.

Ready to get started?

At the Yardstick Agency, we can help you identify your target audience, define how you speak to them, and create and implement a comprehensive marketing strategy to reach them.

Email hi@theyardstickagency.co.uk or call 0115 8965 300 to find out how we can support you.