The next wave of retirees largely come from a do-it-yourself generation. As Thinkwithgoogle discovered in a recent study, the “latchkey” cohort of Gen X, which is now in an ideal retirement planning period, has a “sense of independence and willingness to self-start.” There’s a general trend in this a group of preferring to take matters into one’s own hands to ensure it gets done right.
You can appeal to the DIY sensibilities of Gen Xers who are now in their 40s and 50s with self-help content such as an easy-to-use retirement planning guide. Instructional content also happens to be a perfect format for your financial services business to capture new leads.
Content is king for your financial services business
Back in 1996, Bill Gates laid out this confident prediction: “Content is where I expect much of the real money will be made on the Internet, just as it was in broadcasting.” His hunch has proven true time and again, as the internet has evolved into an ideal medium for sharing written, visual, audio, video, and downloadable content. These days, content marketing generates 3x as many leads as outbound marketing and costs 62% less.
In financial services, expert knowledge is your primary product. A user-friendly guide that helps potential clients to navigate the shifting waters of tax regulations, employer retirement plans, and other retirement planning topics delivers real value to your target audience. Self-help materials offer your readers a low-pressure preview of the benefits of your services, demonstrate your expertise, and can spark their interest in more granular and personalized guidance.
Gate your retirement planning guide to capture leads
Content works as a lead capture strategy when you “gate” valuable information behind a landing page with a form. In return for their contact information, the lead receives access to download your retirement planning guide. This list of contacts becomes fuel for further nurturing content through email campaigns that will drive curious leads towards conversion — a consultation meeting for your services.
In the meantime, the downloaded retirement planning guide acts as a reminder of your business every time the lead refers back to it for guidance. By giving the lead something to keep and use, you’ve increased your potential touchpoints and ensured that your services stay on their radar for whenever the time is right.
A financial education course is the ideal way to guide prospects
Downloadable content is not the only way to distribute your retirement planning guide. There’s no better way to build relationships with potential prospects and establish trust in your expertise than with a brief financial education course. A classroom course allows prospects to engage you in a non-sales environment where they can access self-help guidance and feel empowered to improve their own financial futures.
Pass out physical copies or send digital copies of your retirement planning guide as a part of the course materials, and attendees can take it home with them to assist them in self-directed planning and remind them of your services should the need arise for more personalized guidance. Virtual and hybrid courses are another great way to distribute downloadable content, and webinars and virtual courses have become extremely popular over the last few years.
No need to start from scratch on your retirement planning guide
You’re at your best sharing your retirement planning expertise in one-on-one meetings with your clients. Generating polished marketing material or writing long-form guides can take a substantial time investment and take you away from your current clients. However, there’s no need to start from scratch.
With the turnkey educational marketing platform from FMT, detailed course materials and retirement planning guides are pre-built and provided to you as the instructor of the course. Leverage our system to do what you do best — engage with clients (and potential clients) — with ready-made content already in hand to pass out and capture new leads. Contact FMT today for more information on leading your own brief retirement planning course!
This article was originally published in May 2022. Updated February 2023.
