There are six living generations in America. To say that likes, dislikes, and attributes differ between them is a massive understatement. It can be difficult for different generations to connect across the dinner table, let alone in business.
If you’re a financial advisor who can remember a world with car phones and Elvis, you may be wondering how to connect with an audience, especially today’s younger generations. Here are some tips to bridge the generation gap.
Improve Your Brand’s UX
If you had to Google what “UX” is, then you probably need some help in this arena to help you connect with a younger audience. UX stands for user experience. When a financial advisor is focused on their brand’s UX, they’re making sure that the experience a prospect or customer has with their service is nothing less than exceptional.
If you’re not sure what to focus on first, consider the following two popular demands of today’s young consumers.
Fast Service
Younger generations have demanded faster service from nearly every industry. Make sure that your website loads quickly and that all messages are answered with minimal delay.
Availability
Young consumers have grown up with 24/7 service. In fact, a quarter of millennials expect to get a response within ten minutes of asking a question through a brand’s social media page.
The idea of companies closing shop for the night seems foreign. If you’re a financial advisor who started their business in a rented office space before the internet, the idea of not closing shop for the night seems foreign.
But to meet demands, you need to find a way to at least seem available overnight, over the weekend, and on holidays. Options include AI based chatbots, remote call representatives, and sophisticated messaging systems.
Spice Up Your Content
No matter which age group or other demographic you’re trying to reach, putting poor content out will never win over readers. Learning how to create content that gets results takes time, and for some financial advisors, coming up with blog posts, newsletters, and infographics will just never be their thing. And that’s okay. Here are a couple tips to remember when creating content for a younger audience.
Adjust your voice
Gather some feedback on your current content and marketing materials. While financial material should be written at a professional level and with an informative tone, it doesn’t have to be dry or cold. You don’t want to imitate the voice of a younger audience, but instead, use a voice that they’ll feel comfortable with.
Be visual
More than 60% of millennials say they understand information faster when it’s presented in a visual compared to text. Reach your younger audience by investing in infographics, creating a video series, or adding screenshots and pictures to your current website blogs or articles. If you really want to have fun, share a financial advisor meme on your social media platform.
Own Your age
Just because you’re not as young as you used to be doesn’t mean you can’t hang with the young crowd. As inclusive as today’s younger generations claim to be, they can be ageist, especially when it comes to service providers.
Let’s face the facts. We all judge based on our preconceived notions of who we think people are from what we see. A younger audience who grew up with tech doesn’t want to see stock photography, flash banners, or photo carousels on your website. You could be on top of your game but your online presence could be making you look like the Crypt Keeper. Put simply, if your looks and lingo don’t match theirs, they’ll assume your values and tech skills don’t either.
You don’t have to cover up your age to connect with a younger audience. But you should make an effort to meet them in the middle, especially when it comes to their tech expectations.
Stay up to date
If you’re losing business to a competitor, take a moment to check out their website. How does it compare to yours? Have they done a better job of keeping up on today’s technology trends? With 75% of consumers judging your business credibility on your website design and features, make sure it’s up to date.
Be yourself
We know, we just said being yourself wasn’t what younger generations want. But when it comes down to it, they’ll appreciate an authentic approach more than a series of awkward social media posts about how “totally awesome” hedge funds are.
Remember, don’t imitate your audience. Instead, open the door for conversation. Chances are, you have just as many misconceptions about them as they do of you.
Even if you’re decades away from retiring, finding a way to connect with consumers who are more worried about the weekend than their financial futures can be difficult. But with the right approach, consumers and providers from different generations can find common ground.
For more help on how to connect with an audience as a financial advisor, reach out to NYB Creative.
