Call marketing whatever you like; just don’t call it optional

By Anthony O’Brien. Published in Professional Planner, March 27, 2017

This week, I read with some bemusement an article quoting the chief marketing officer of Samsung in North America, who said the term ‘marketing’ needs to die. The nub of his argument is that the word is obsolete, and the role of a marketer has changed and is being held back by old-school thinking. It strikes me that the role of the financial planner has changed dramatically since the 1980s, yet I’m still comfortable calling you, well…financial planners.

The top marketers put solid expertise behind those zany campaigns

By Anthony O’Brien Published in Professional Planner, March 20, 2017

If you’re comfortable creating valuable content, images and strategy, and are skilled at recognising the latest trends, you may have the necessary talents for marketing your financial planning firm.

The reality, however, is that marketing, like financial planning, is a specialist skill that often involves years of education, training and work experience. If you don’t think you have what it takes, then it might be time to seek some marketing help, either internally or externally.

Don’t waste your content; leverage it to help your sales team

By Anthony O’Brien | Published in Professional Planner, March 13, 2017

Last week, I wrote about the value of measuring content marketing and how challenging it can be to track its effectiveness as a sales tool.

That said, it still has a role to play and for content to be effective it’s important that you take your sales team on the journey with you. If you fail to engage with your sales team, then it’s highly unlikely they’ll use the content to help them get in the front door with potential leads. Moreover, if your sales aren’t aligned with your marketing, it will cost you money.

Is your small business healthy or headed for disaster?

How to give your venture a health check

 Anthony O’Brien  originally published in Money Magazine

Launching a small business is extremely solid work and keeping it purring along is equally demanding. To ensure your venture remains a growing (and going) concern, it’s important to give it regular “health checks”.

“Jaws on a spaceship”: Building a value proposition in four easy steps

By Anthony O’Brien | Published in Professional Planner, April 28, 2016

At last count, around 2.5 million Australians said they were seeking advice from financial planners. This was regarded by the advice industry as good news after the dark days of the Global Financial Crisis.

On the flipside, it means there are millions of Aussies overlooking the value of financial planning. This smacks of opportunity for savvy planners and represents an excellent reason for formulating a value proposition that can unlock the way you interact with potential leads and generate more revenue. Read the article

Your brand is more than a logo – it’s your reputation

By Anthony O’Brien | Published in Professional Planner, April 20, 2016

Designing a clever logo, with the help of a competent graphic designer, is a good start for a growing small business. Yet there’s more to branding than a catchy sign, symbol or emblem. Read the article

 

Putting the customer at the centre of your business

By Anthony O’Brien | Published in Professional Planner, April 11, 2016

If you’re operating a financial planning outfit or creating a start-up, understanding who your clients are and what issues you can solve for them is critical to your business success. Marketers call this a “go to market” (GTM) strategy. Whether you’re selling financial planning services or apps, getting this strategy right from the outset will put you on the right course. Read the article

 

 

Stay on top of your small business accounts

Money Magazine December 21, 2015 Original Article Anthony O’Brien

After starting two small businesses, I’ve learnt from experience that maintaining the accounts is critical to staying afloat and keeping the tax office at bay. Mercifully, with the assistance of an experienced accountant and bookkeeper, along with online software packages, it’s possible to keep a neat set of books and even generate some decent cash flow.

Banking products for small business

Money Magazine November 23, 2015 Original Article Anthony O’Brien

As a small business-owner, you’ll require banking products such as credit cards, business loans, online savings and transaction accounts to manage cash flow – unless you have vast personal wealth. Mozo director Kirsty Lamont says the banks are competing in the sector with more available credit and competitive rates.