Many financial advisor firms have less than $100 million of assets under management. And, their primary competitors may be firms that manage billions or trillions of dollars.
The question we will answer in this blog article is whether or not smaller financial advisor firms can compete with bigger firms that have the resources and staying power to build a significant presence on the Internet.
Smaller firms need cohesive strategies to compete with Wall Street giants and much bigger RIAs.
We believe smaller financial advisory firms can effectively compete with larger firms by leveraging specialization, transparency, minimum asset requirements, and technology, in particular during the current digital age.
Who are the smaller firms? In general they are determined by the number of professional staff (1-5) or Assets Under Management (AUM) that act as a proxy for revenue and size. For example, $100 million of AUM may produce $1 million of revenue at a 1% fee. Many advisors also have additional revenue streams.
Smaller firms also have another key characteristic that tends to impact their competitiveness. They are reluctant to spend money on marketing because it is money out of the principals’ pockets. They may have comfortable lifestyles that require spending as little as possible. Consequently, most of the growth comes from capital appreciation and reinvested income.
On the other hand, their bigger competitors may have substantial marketing budgets for professional staff, digital marketing, and online advertising. They are not bigger because they are better. They are bigger because they spend more of their revenue on marketing-related expenses.
There are three strategies that smaller financial advisors should employ to compete with larger firms: Specialization, Transparency, and Minimum Asset Requirement.
Specialization offers several competitive advantages for smaller financial advisor firms beyond merely attracting investors who believe they benefit from the advisor's niche expertise.
It is easy for investors to get lost relying on big firms that have layers and layers of overhead and professionals. On the other hand, big firms rely on their names to promote their expertise and trustworthiness.
There is a percentage of investors who believe bigger is better. They may be led to believe firms are bigger because they are better.
Big brand firms cannot genuinely claim to specialize when they support thousands of financial advisors providing a wide variety of services to a diverse clientele. However, it is important to note, that many individual advisors at big firms may claim to be specialized, but their firms cannot back this up. They will work with anyone who meets their minimum revenue requirements.
Specialization positions advisors as experts in a specific area, building credibility and trust with their target audiences. Investors are more likely to trust an advisor who demonstrates deep knowledge and experience in their particular financial situation or life stage. This creates a clear distinction between advisors who claim to specialize in their sales pitches and firms that document their specialization on their financial advisor websites.
Smaller firms have a distinct advantage when it comes to the amount of transparency they can practice on their websites.
Transparency in fees, services, and credential data can significantly enhance a smaller firm's credibility and perceived trustworthiness. While larger firms often have complex structures that make transparency challenging, smaller firms can clearly and openly communicate their value propositions, business practices, and client benefits.
Smaller firms can create a personalized digital connection with potential clients y sharing more about their philosophies, processes, and potential outcomes in case studies, testimonials, and reviews. This openness can differentiate them from larger firms, which may appear impersonal and bureaucratic.
By setting minimum asset requirements, smaller firms can position themselves as exclusive and dedicated to providing high-quality, personalized services to a limited clientele. This approach helps attract serious investors and manage the firm's client capacity more effectively.
Minimums allow smaller firms to focus on a manageable number of high-quality clients, ensuring they deliver exceptional service and build strong, lasting relationships. This strategy contrasts with larger firms that often prioritize quantity over quality.
The digital age provides tools and platforms that enable smaller firms to compete on a more equal footing with larger firms. Sophisticated CRM systems, automated marketing platforms, and virtual meeting tools enable smaller firms to provide high-touch services more efficiently.
A well-crafted financial advisor digital marketing strategy can amplify the reach of smaller firms. By utilizing SEO, social media, and content marketing, smaller firms can attract and engage their target audiences more effectively, building a stronger online presence.
Digital technology also enables smaller firms to offer a personalized client experience that larger firms may struggle to match. Customized reporting, interactive financial planning tools, and personalized communication can enhance client satisfaction and loyalty.
AI-driven solutions have the potential to enhance this advantage for smaller firms that have marketing budgets. Since the typical RIA is owned by principals who are active in its business, you can see how a firm’s decision-makers will want to make use of the most advanced digital marketing applications when they are affordable.
Smaller financial advisor firms can indeed compete with larger firms by leveraging their unique advantages in specialization, transparency, and strategic asset requirements.
By effectively utilizing technology and maintaining a strong online presence, these firms can deliver personalized, high-quality services that appeal to more discerning investors. In the digital age, size is less of a barrier to competition, and smaller firms can thrive by capitalizing on their unique strengths.
However, to maximize the benefits, firms will have to be willing to make small investments in digital marketing and increase them over time.
The principals at Paladin held senior management positions in the financial service industry before they left in 2003 to start their own digital marketing agency. Paladin is relatively unique because it is a blend of financial and digital marketing expertise. Since its inception, Paladin has provided online marketing services to more than 1,000 financial professionals and their firms.