If you are thinking about starting a brokerage or are already in the space, attracting and retaining clients is surely on your mind. With 100’s of options available to traders, standing out and maintaining a loyal client base requires forethought, planning and action. Let’s jump into it and look at some key points requiring the attention of marketers with a goal of propelling your brokerage to new heights.

• Mobile Dominance: With the widespread use of smartphones the rise of our dependance on them has also skyrocketed for everything from communication & social media to purchases and online payments. Research indicates that over 60% (some stated close to 70%) of trading-related searches are conducted via mobile devices. Make sure your site and platform are optimized for mobile use if you want to capture and keep your audience.

• Hearty Appetite (and we are not talking about food): Traders consume massive amounts of information on the markets and economy. Technical analysis, fundamental analysis and educational resources play a huge role in how they make trading decisions. If you have a hungry gang coming over for dinner, won’t you be loading up your fridge and prepare tasty dishes accordingly? Craft engaging content that will not only attract potential traders but also foster loyalty and position your brokerage as an authority in the trading space.

• Social Proof Matters: Testimonials, reviews, and social media presence significantly influence the decision-making process for potential clients and your current trader base. Positive (or negative) reviews and recommendations from fellow traders play a big role in whether or not someone will start trading with you. Actively engage on social platforms, and provide client testimonials on your channels and website and build credibility on review sites. Online reputation management solutions can help alleviate a lot of the heavy lifting here.

• Search Engine Savvy: A lot is evolving when it comes to SERP results, AI is making SEO managers stay on their toes, but one thing is for sure: SEO is still massively important and will remain so for the foreseeable future. SEO matters, including strategy, keyword optimization, backlink building, and content marketing. Get to the point fast in your content so that potential traders are fed your results first. This works towards improved organic leads and improving your brokerage’s overall visibility.

• Personalization Prevails: Gary V. said “The best marketing strategy ever: CARE” and we couldn’t agree more. How do we care as marketers? Build experiences tailored to their preferences and objectives. Use data analytics and customer segmentation to give you insights helping you deliver targeted marketing campaigns and personalized user journeys. Side note: We are happy to explore Business Intelligence solutions with you anytime 😊!

KYC is not just for compliance. Knowing your client, how and where they interact online and leveraging this across applicable marketing channels is crucial to attracting & retaining your desired trader base and will give you a solid foundation enabling you to compete in today’s brokerage landscape.

If you are a brokerage owner or head of marketing, budget is often a bone of contention. For many reasons, marketing is sometimes tasked with feeding the funnel with limited resources. Although this can be frustrating (the marketer in us feels the pain) it is also an opportunity. Learning how to manage a lean marketing team efficiently & effectively, although not the simplest of tasks will pave the way for smart decision making and smarter budget allocation down the road. It is a delicate balance of planning, resource optimization, and team empowerment. Here are our top 3 tips for your lean, mean marketing machine:

1. The 3 C’s for Goal setting & tracking: Crystal Clear Communication

Communication lies at the heart of any successful team (more on this in another article), but it becomes even more critical in lean environments where every action (or non-action) counts. Start by establishing clear, concise channels for communication and stick to it. Project management tools like Trello, Asana or Monday can streamline workflows and ensure everyone is on the same page. Word to the wise: Select a tool that is not overly burdensome but can also allow for growth down the road (more on technology below.)

Be clear about goals and priorities and be sure to get buy-in, commitment & alignment from your team. Break down goals into smaller, actionable tasks (Most PM solutions provide features to help manage these by deadlines, priority and dependencies). Why? It allows team members to understand their individual contributions to the bigger picture. Make active use & track progress, make necessary adjustments ensuring accountability. Most importantly, lead by example.

2. Smart Use of Technology

Leveraging technology and automation can significantly improve efficiency and productivity. By automating repetitive tasks and processes, for example: email marketing, social media scheduling, or reporting, can free valuable time that is better used for strategic, creative or hands on tasks. If it’s a CRM, analytics platform, or CMS, choose solutions that help everyone work smarter, not harder.

Important: While technology can streamline or speed up processes, nothing can replace human creativity, experience and insight. Leveraging data and automation should be used to enhance not replace human interaction.

3. Learn to Adapt and Adapt to Learn

Adaptability is key to staying ahead of the curve or at least keeping up. Encourage experimentation, innovation, and risk-taking. Embrace change as an opportunity for growth instead of a threat.

“A team is only as strong as its weakest link.” – Mark Grey. Today, this could be either a person or tech. Choose to be people first. Invest in ongoing learning and development. Capital Market education, marketing specialty training programs, outsourcing, workshops, and industry events will grow skill sets, perspective and provide opportunity to learn about emerging trends and technology. Making the right choice for technology and automation should let you work on the bigger picture, eliminate the noise and focus on the future.

Building bridges to improve results.

Business development teams play a crucial role in driving growth, but they can’t do it alone. This is where marketing extends its hand and supplies the firepower needed to reach and surpass targets. So how can marketing supercharge business development efforts? 

1. “I remember you” 

The main goal of marketing is to get your brand out there. Engaging content, smart campaigns, and engaging with your audience on social media, are just some of the methods marketers use to increase your brokerage’s visibility and brand awareness. When potential clients know who you are and what you offer, your business development team has a much easier time connecting the dots. 

2. The right traffic 

One of the biggest challenges for business development teams is… you guessed it: qualified leads. In addition to building brand recognition, marketing will deploy lead gen strategies and use various methods to attract potential clients who are genuinely interested in your brokerage and who are qualified to potentially engage in trading with you. From inbound tactics like content marketing and SEO to outbound strategies like email marketing and seminars, a goal is to fill your pipeline with quality leads to pursue. 

3. Make it pretty 

When it comes to sealing the deal, having the right materials can make all the difference. Creative and informative collateral such as brochures, presentations and other supporting material can showcase your value’s and highlight its competitive edge. Make your business development team proud to get out there and be confident when communicating. 

4. Who are you? 

Credibility and trust are key. Marketing plays a pivotal role in building and maintaining your image & reputation as a trustworthy and reliable broker. How? Through things like content which establishes thought leadership, testimonials, review management and transparent communication, marketing builds confidence in potential clients. 

5. Here to stay 

Once you’ve acquired a client, the work isn’t over. Marketing continues to support business development efforts by nurturing client relationships and encouraging repeat business. By providing valuable resources, timely updates, and personalized communication, marketing keeps a client engaged and satisfied, increasing their lifetime value to your brokerage. 

Marketing should be seen as an ally for business development teams. By boosting visibility & brand awareness, providing engaging and informative material, building credibility and trust, and supporting retention, BDs will be better equipped to perform their duties and ultimately DEVELOP the BUSINESS.