ascentric conference 2011: social media: time-wasting fad, or the holy grail of communication...

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Social Media:

Time-wasting fad, or the Holy Grail of Communication tools for IFAs?

Conference 2011

Important housekeeping note

RDRCharging fees

Professional qualificationsChanging business models

Increased competitionCompetition from the Internet

RDRCharging fees

Professional qualificationsChanging business models

Increased competitionCompetition from the Internet

STRES

STRES

S!S!

[Source: unknown]

Why is Social Media important?

Social Media explained


I need to pee

I peed

This is where I pee

Why do I pee?

Look at this pee!

[Source: unknown]


I’m good at peeing!

[Source: unknown]


Forget “Social Media”.

Remember Image, Identity and Reputation Management.

Powerful networking tool, but be careful...

Financial Advisers are struggling to get noticed

• 29% believe their knowledge is as good

Compeer March 2009 Financial DIY Report


• 29% believe their knowledge is as good• 34% believe that ‘advice’ is a disguise for ‘sales’



• 29% believe their knowledge is as good• 34% believe that ‘advice’ is a disguise for ‘sales’• 38% don’t believe advisers add enough value to

justify their fees




justify their fees• 44% view the Internet as ‘an essential source of

financial information and advice’




justify their fees• 44% view the Internet as ‘an essential source of

financial information and advice’


But...


• Consumers still want access to your expertise• They don’t always want to meet you

– Permanent Insurance


• Consumers still want access to your expertise• They don’t always want to meet you

– Permanent Insurance

• Are Financial Planners, Solicitors and Doctors under threat from the Internet?

The problem with consumers

• They have too many choices• You don’t stand out enough• They don’t have enough time• The Internet is seen as a shortcut• You don’t stand out enough online

Tell us something we don’t already know

Differentiate or Die

Your Differentiation Plan

• In the industry• In your community• In your niche

Your most powerful differentiator is...

What are you doing to get noticed?

• Google Places• YouTube• Blog• LinkedIn• Facebook• Twitter• Google +• Ecademy• Slideshare• EventBrite• Foursquare• IFA Life• iPhone App

Image Management tools

How to Leverage LinkedInHow to Leverage LinkedIn

What is LinkedIn?

• May 2003• 100 m users• 200 countries• 21 m UK visits pm• 270 m visits globally pm• 50% in US, 8+ million in UK• Viadeo (30m), Xing (10m),

Fast Pitch, Ecademy• Shift from a Jobs site to

real-time networking

Name Active user accounts

Facebook 750 millionTencent QQ 674 millionQzone 480 millionNetease 360 millionWindows Live Messenger 330+ million

Tencent Weibo 233 millionHabbo 203 millionTwitter 200 millionSina Weibo 200 millionSkype 145 millionVkontakte 135+ millionBadoo 121+ millionOrkut 120+ millionBebo 117 million

LinkedIn 100+ million

What is LinkedIn?




What is LinkedIn?

• 70% of IFAs• A HUGE mine of data.

All LI products help you leverage that data

• Invest time because it’s a People Search Engine




Why are you on LinkedIn?

• Find contacts• Find likeminded• Share contacts• Highlight expertise• Shape your personal brand• Get/give answers• Get/give company news• Find/advertise jobs• Find/promote events


• Share status• Find personalised news• Career discussions• Build Community• Search topics and

people• SEO• Share content

• Find contacts• Find likeminded• Share contacts• Highlight expertise• Shape your personal brand• Get/give answers• Get/give company news• Find/advertise jobs• Find/promote events


• Find contacts– Don’t be lazy when

connecting!– Personalise your

message

Invest time in your Profile


• People Search Engine• Looking for expertise – not friends• Professional credibility• Differentiation post RDR• “People Buy People”• Shape your personal brand


Art Flater


“Specialties: Exceptionally good with sarcastic,smart ass remarks.”

“Able to sit in my chair for extended periods of time without numbness or fatigue.”

“Invented the 2 hour lunch break, which has been adapted by sales slackers everywhere.”

“Attempted to train dealer staff until I realized most were too stupid to accept the training. Once I realized that fact, I would just take them to lunch.”

Art Flater


“Sat on my chair and bitched at sales reps.”

“Sometimes I make a sales call.”

“Went to lunch a lot.”

“I avoid meaningful engagement and work, if at all possible.”

“Talked on the phone and hung out. Took credit for others accomplishments.”

Art Flater


• Check visibility > Philip’s Activity > edit

Invest time in your Profile• Monitor your profile

Pro tip: Thank people who look at your profile

...as a Search Engine....as a Search Engine.

Search: Financial Planner

Profile

• Decide your keywords – Very important• Add them to these key profile sections:

– Headline– Current work– Past work– Website– Public profile URL– Summary– Specialities– Contact settings

• Interests• Skills• Honours and Awards• Groups and Associations• Add extra sections

Note the keywords in name and summary

1. Note the keywords

1. Note the keywords2. Customise your profile URL

Connecting Twitter to LinkedIn

• Paint a broader picture of you and your professional life

Add keywords near the top of your Summary section

Include keywords in your Specialties

Include keywords in the Experience section

Include keywords in other sections

Prove your expertise and value by adding testimonials using the tool provided

Show your human side by adding non-work interests – plus a couple of keywords of course!

Contact Tina

Include a couple of keywords in your Contact details too

Contact Art

Humour works too!

Profile add ins

• Applications– Events– Polls– Projects– Trips– WordPress blog– SlideShare

• More Applications– Company Buzz– Amazon reading list– Box.net– Google presentations– iPhone App– Paid advertisements

Change the order to suit what you want people to see

Events

Choose Event Keywords

Events

First page Google results

Pulls in your presentations from SlideShare

Profile add ins

Skills

Add Skills to your profile. LinkedIn will show you a wealth of related resources...

Skills

Skills – Art Flater

Companies

• Basic details and map• Get followers• Edit profile > Timeline• List key employees• Share comments to Twitter

and/or LI contacts• Recent tweets (incl.

Foursquare checkins)

Companies

• Basic details and map• Get followers• Edit profile > Timeline• List key employees• Share comments to Twitter

and/or LI contacts• Recent tweets (incl.

Foursquare checkins)

• Products/services – images, video, URL and people

• Request and show recommendations

• Follow button for your website

• Advertise jobs ($195)• Promote – PPC or per 1000

impressions

CompaniesIFA: only 178 results as at Sept 2011

Every IFA should have a company profile

CompaniesFinancial Planning: 653 results as at Sept 2011

Every financial planning firm should have a company profile

CompaniesStatus Updates of 500 characters

Answers• More tab > Answers• Enhance and recognise perception of

expertise• Recommended categories for you

A powerful way to prove your expertise

News

• More tab > News• Personalised –

suggested categories– Major headlines– Financial Services– Marketing– Etc

Personalised news based on your profile page

Groups

• Join (50) and/or create your own• Groups tab > Groups you may like• Build Community around You• People opt in to your content

– “Feed the fish and they’ll keep coming back”

• Follow specific content• LinkedIn emails your content to your contacts• Visibility in Google search results

RDR

A golden opportunity to reconnect and to differentiate

your proposition.

www.ifalife.com

ascentric conference 2011: social media: time-wasting fad, or the holy grail of communication...

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