Engagement is the key
I caught up with Adviser of the Year Finalist, Glen James, recently to chat about the how he is incorporating digital marketing in his business and with his personal brand.
Glen’s financial advice business is based on the Central Coast of New South Wales and with a team that operate like a well-oiled machine it allows Glen the time and opportunity to build connection with his community and focus on building his brand.
Are you actively building a digital community in Australia and who are they?
Yes. About 6 months ago I started a private Facebook group under my own personal brand. It’s for clients and their friends to hang out, connect and I answer general financial questions. This will hopefully grow when my podcast is launched in the coming months. I am also developing an online educational course about basic financial literacy.
What’s are your preferred social media platforms – Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter etc?
To be honest for both personal and business I only use Facebook and Instagram. I get clients from these channels and I’m pretty active. For example my business accounts are not feeding “economic updates” or “what is income protection” rather I use these channels to be a presence where my clients and potential clients hang out. It’s a general connection. I have LinkedIn however I only have it because “you gotta have it”. I will look more at LinkedIn again in 2018.
What form of digital marketing is taking your interest at the moment?
After attending the AFA Conference I went to Dallas in the US for FinCon and many of the sessions I attended were about podcasting. I’m in the process of creating a podcast and I have episodes recorded ready to launch (or buffered!) but I wanted to see what the most successful people in the podcast space are doing. The amazing thing about the handful of sessions on podcasting was that by the end of the week my strategy had changed and I’m now going to take my podcast in a separate direction!
Do you have a favourite podcaster that you admire?
Mark Asquith. He is a British podcaster and marketer. Everything he does is through the lens of a business owner and ensures his activities are commercial. Mark presented at FinCon and it was the last session I went to and at the start of the session I was about to leave as I felt it wasn’t relevant… 15 mins in – my mind started to explode. This session tied everything together with what I want to do with my podcast.
Who’s the blogger that you think we should all be following?
Seth Godin. You must read anything he has written. I love his blogs as they are to the point and short. He is a marketing genius.
What will your engagement strategy be going forward?
I will continue to work on my own personal blog under “Glen James” and my other online direct brand “Sort Your Money Out”. I will continue to build and position my own personal brand as an authority and expert in personal finance. These channels I speak of are both different to my bricks and mortar financial planning business, Fortify Financial.
Choosing the right platform to engage your community should be carefully considered and you must engage your audience so that they grow with you. Start small, be consistent and converse and create an environment that allows your community to know, like and trust you.
