Converting Prospects to Clients by Blogging
– Part Three

Written By : Greg

In our first two articles in this series, you began to learn how to understand your audience and create content that appeals to their needs. In this final article in the series, we will expand upon those principles a bit more. Once you have followed all nine steps, you should be able to create useful, compelling blogs that build credibility with your audience and encourage them to become regular clients.

Step Six: Issue a bold call to action. Your blogs might lead the horse to water, but you need to clearly tell him to drink. In other words, your blogs might set up readers with the background information they need, but you should give them direct instructions on what to do next. Include a clear, bold call to action such as:

• “Call us to schedule an appointment today”
• “Sign up for our free newsletter”
• “Click here for a free download”
• “Complete this short form”
• …and so on

Your calls to action should either lead your audience to contact you directly, or help you gather their contact information so that you can reach out to them via email or phone. In fact, this is one of the best ways to launch a direct email marketing campaign.

Step Seven: Create a sense of urgency.

If you have ever made a purchase because an item was the last one available, or a sale was ending soon, then you understand the “fear of missing out”. Often when we find ourselves on the fence about a purchase, the idea that the opportunity will disappear soon will drive us to go ahead and buy it.

If you utilize this bit of psychology in your blogs, be careful not to sound overly negative or transparent about the method. Back up the sense of urgency with facts from reliable sources, such as statistics that demonstrate why your audience needs to take action now. For example, you might emphasize the importance of planning for retirement now, by pointing out the cost of waiting too late.

Include urgency in your call to action. Offer a free download to the first 100 subscribers, or emphasize that a special opportunity is ending soon.

Step Eight: Avoid blatant self-promotion. We’ve said it before, but it’s worth repeating: Avoid sounding like you’re pushing for a sale. Yes, this is the end result that you want, but anyone reading your blog is aware that you want clients. They were enticed to visit your website because there was something in it for them. Remember this when you set the tone and pace of your blogs: your objective is to establish your credibility and build trust with your audience. If you have succeeded in those goals, only then can you expect them to follow your calls to action and convert into paying clients.

Filed under: Financial Advisor Marketing, Social Media for Financial Advisors