Certifications and Licenses Aren’t Enough

If your business growth has plateaued, you may be wondering what you’re doing wrong. You may think that it’s because you’re missing some certification or license that draws in prospects. The reality is that the lack of growth is likely due to what you’re doing or not doing. It’s not that your licenses and certifications aren’t important. It’s the fact that they don’t mean much to most prospective clients. Those clients need to know how you can help them reach their financial goals. That’s not information they can gain from the alphabet soup behind your name. It’s up to you to market your services and reach those prospects. 

Your certifications and licenses are about skills and knowledge. They prove that you know enough to legally offer financial guidance. What they don’t do is teach you the art of understanding people. Understanding how and why people make the choices they make is an essential part of marketing, and good marketing fuels sustainable growth. Being a more successful financial advisor means taking the extra steps to make that happen.

While it’s critical that you know how and why people make decisions, good marketing doesn’t stop there. You have to apply that understanding and focus on building trust based relationships with your clients and prospects. When you master relationship building, you’re putting a trustworthy face to the name and the letters that follow. Clients who believe that you’re there to help and support them are more likely to send referrals your way. They may also be more willing to provide testimonials that can help to build your reputation. 

All of this can translate into successful marketing. If marketing isn’t one of your strengths, there’s no need to panic. Once you understand that credentials alone won’t help your business grow, there are numerous resources that you can use to educate yourself. Get started by downloading our free checklist, 10 Things to Grow Your Financial Advisor Practice