The Social Advisor: A refresher on Social Media best practices

When we think about social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, thoughts of what we see on those channels come to mind, such as pictures, announcements, friends, opinions and articles. However, questions are also raised. Is social media a waste of time? Is it only for my teenage son or daughter? Though many of you are aware of social media best practices, a refresher is always useful.

Social Media in action

In 2005, only 7% of American adults used one or more social networking sites. Before, when something happened in your life that you wanted others to know about, you had to publish it in the newspaper, send a mass email or make some calls. It was one-on-one, and it took time for the information to reach others.

Now, with the click of a button you can announce anything to the world through your social media outlets. Sharing what happens in your life can actually help you capture and retain more clients. Social media can improve communication with your clients by making it more direct, immediate and less expensive. In this article I will share what I do every day to promote myself, connect with prospects and remain top of mind with my clients through my social media outlets.

Where to post

You have access to numerous communication channels that you should utilize to connect with your clients. Statistically, Facebook is too big to ignore. It’s like the yellow pages, if you are not there, you don’t exist. Instagram has more than 800 million monthly active users and should be your social media outlet of preference if you are targeting a young demographic or women. Twitter is used for micro blogging or sharing thoughts and ideas with the world in 280 characters or less. It is particularly popular among those under 50 and those who are college-educated. LinkedIn is a business and professional networking outlet with more than 562 million total registered users.

What to post

It all starts with a simple message. You can find interesting content to post from credible sources across the web. Types of content you post could include:

• Personal details about your life: Allowing your clients to get to know you makes you more relatable as an advisor and as someone who has similar values with family, friends, interests and dreams. By letting your clients into your life, you have a better chance of earning their trust. Feel free to post about birthdays and anniversaries, new additions to the family or even pets. Clue them in to some of your personal interests, whether it be a particular sports team or a hobby. Establishing affinity and similar interests with your clients helps build a stronger foundation for a long-term relationship. You can also post about charitable giving and volunteer work, which reflects on you as an individual who cares and gives back to your community.
• Industry information: If you are attending a seminar, meeting or convention, post it. Your clients should be up-to-date with what you are doing to improve, refresh or sharpen your skills. This is key to maintaining an image of professionalism.
• Product or service announcements: In all cases it should pertain to services that potential or current clients could acquire through your practice. Limit business postings to important product and/or business announcements as people may “unfollow” you if they feel your posts are always trying to sell them something. Do note, many countries or agency contracts regulate postings about product recommendations on social media, so check if this applies to you before implementing.
• Reposting messages: If you don’t have original content to post, you could repost, share or retweet materials from other professional profiles. For example, many company or association social media accounts publish motivational messages that can apply to anyone, not only those who work in the financial services industry. The best time to repost these is early in the morning, preferably on a Monday for a great start to the week.

What not to post

There are a few different types of content that you should avoid posting, such as negative comments or complaints about a particular business or company, offensive jokes, conflicting statements and political opinions. These types of content tend to reflect poorly on you and your business. If you choose to post any of this content, you run the risk of offending a client or prospect and losing business. You always want to emphasize the positive, not the negative.

This guide is an invitation to better your brand, communicate more effectively and develop or improve your bond with clients. How are you embracing the role of social advisor?

 

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Ana Sofia Rodriguez D., MBA, is a 13-year Qualifying and Life MDRT member with two Court of the Table qualifications. She qualified for the first time at age 25, becoming the youngest female member to qualify from Latin America. Rodriguez currently serves as Trustee for the MDRT Foundation. She is an Associate Director at Grupo Inverseguros and represents the second generation in the family owned insurance firm. Rodriguez has served as a board member of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors. Ana Sofia is Past President of Kiwanis Las Perlas, a nonprofit volunteer organization comprised entirely of female professionals. She has participated as a speaker in multiple seminars for women on the topic of professional image and marketing including Main Platform at the Million Dollar Annual Meeting in Vancouver in 2016.