How Advisors Can Create – & Improve – Their Value Proposition

Having a clear and concise value proposition statement is essential for today’s financial advisors. And in a digital age, your value proposition just might be the best way to leave a lasting first impression with prospective clients within your target market.

Not only can a concise, easy-to-understand value prop tell potential clients who you are and what you do, it can demonstrate the value of your services and highlight your experience and what differentiates your approach. Plus, it offers an ideal opportunity to flex your brand voice and start valuable conversations with investors with just a few sentences. 

Your value prop can help you stand out to stay competitive 

Setting yourself apart from other financial advisors has always been an important aspect of business ownership, regardless of where you are in your professional journey. As the industry becomes more saturated with advisors who have left wirehouse restrictions behind — and transitioned from transaction to fee-based services — accurately conveying your unique value is no longer just important, it’s vital. 

Here are 4 questions you should ask to clarify your value proposition 

A value proposition should be purposeful and professional, but also relatable to your audience. Whether you’re starting from scratch or looking to update your existing value prop statement, asking yourself these four key questions may help:

1. What makes you and your business unique?
2. What type of clients do you work with currently, and want to work with moving forward?
3. What are the benefits clients receive from your financial services and expertise?
4. What do you want prospects to feel when they read your value proposition? 

The answers you provide can serve as key pillars in building a value proposition that truly resonates with your ideal clients and help them recognize when your firm may be the right fit for their financial goals. 

As an example, most advisors may answer the first question with some reference to the level of service they provide as being a unique aspect of their value prop. But what is it that really sets your level of service apart from other advisors? Perhaps you routinely schedule meetings with all members of the family, not just your primary client, because you’ve experienced how a lack of communication can create tension for family estate planning. Articulating the value of that support can help you differentiate yourself. 

Now, let’s review a financial advisor value proposition example –and how to improve it

Founded in 1995, Emerald Family Wealth is a boutique financial planning firm that specializes in helping clients develop the financial strategies they need to pursue their life’s aspirations.

While this statement certainly includes positive language, helpful information, and relevant industry talking points, it’s still a bit ambiguous. By clarifying a few areas of this value proposition, the firm has a much better chance of connecting with the desired audience. 

Here’s a breakdown of a few phrases that need improvement and why:

• The phrase: “Boutique financial planning firm”
  • Why it needs improvement: While the word “boutique” signifies that the firm works with a specific group of people, the statement doesn’t explain who is in that group. Each investor has different risk tolerances and financial goals based on their life stage or unique situation. Being specific when describing the types of investors you specialize in working with will help prospective clients determine if your firm is right for their individual needs.
• The phrase: “Financial strategies”

  • Why it needs improvement: The term “financial strategies” is vague. If the firm has any particular specializations, such as wealth preservation or intergenerational planning, an investor wouldn’t be able to tell from this statement alone.

     

    Today’s investors are seeking more personalized financial guidance from advisors with experience in strategies that support their investing values and goals. While you want to avoid using industry jargon, you do want to ensure your areas of expertise are clearly communicated in your value proposition and that you stand out more as a specialist than a generalist.

• The phrase: “Pursue their life’s aspirations”
  • Why it needs improvement: We understand that helping clients pursue financial success is key for success. A more effective statement would include the methods by which the firm can help investors pursue and realize those aspirations.
    
    Choosing a financial advisor is a big decision for many investors and a lack of communication from the beginning can contribute to major pain points down the line. Conveying your tools, methods, and processes within your value proposition can help you attract the right investors for your practice.

By addressing these changes, we can build on the existing value proposition to create one that provides a deeper level of understanding and inspires more confidence in the firm: 

Founded in 1995, Strategic Financial Services is a boutique financial planning firm focused on the needs of high-net-worth clients and their families.

With a combined 80 years of experience in wealth preservation strategies, the team develops customized, comprehensive financial plans with the goal of helping our clients pursue their financial goals, and help ensure their financial security today and for generations to come.

We hold ourselves to the highest standards of transparency and accountability to protect the wealth our clients have worked hard to earn and to demonstrate our commitment to acting in their best interests each and every day.

• Practice it: Once you have your value proposition finalized, get comfortable telling your story and what makes you unique. This will enable you to confidently explain your services and benefits to prospective clients without it seeming robotic or rehearsed.
  
  Set some general guidelines around how this language fits into specific parts of your financial planning and advisory practice. This can include your phone greetings, client review invitations and follow ups, event planning, digital brand messaging, and more. Make sure everyone on your team has a level of comfort and sense of ownership with the value proposition they have created together. Allow them time to internalize it and make it their own when they interact with clients. Making it “hard to forget” for anyone working at the firm will ensure that everyone embodies that value prop when interacting with clients. 
  
  
• Incorporate it: Update your website content, marketing plan, and any additional brand and client-facing collateral so your refined value proposition can resonate across your communication channels and instill confident with your target market.
  
  Start weaving your value proposition into every area of your practice, from blog content development social media posts, thought leadership sessions, networking events, and more. Most importantly, consistently incorporate it into client and prospect communications to stand out from the competitive landscape.