Are you chasing a home run or a run home?

I’ve just started playing baseball this summer and I received some sound advice from my baseball coach (we finished on top of the ladder so it must work). It applies equally in business if you want to win the long term game.

Are you trying to hit a business ‘home run’?

Are you always searching for the illusive next big thing to bring home all your hard work and make all the ‘slogging away’ worth it?

You go to conferences, PD Days, networking events, do online courses or listen to others on a podcast spruiking the ‘magic bullet’ they found, their ‘big-hitting’ home run story that got them where they are today.

Whether it was a lucky strike or payoff from years of hard work, they made it.

Your turn must be next, right?

However, at the end of the day, it’s the runs on the board that ultimately determine success.

You could hit an almighty, earth-shattering exciting ‘home run’ and score instantly.

Kudos to you!

Or, you might score by taking one base at a time, starting strong by getting onto first base, strategically taking second, powering to third… and going all the way and sliding home.

However, you do it, getting home is what makes the run count.

Slower and steadier might not be as glamourous as one massive hit, but what are you chasing – the instant glory or the long-term results?

What are the decisive steps you need to repeatedly take in your business to progress you to the next base?

Is it:

First base: focusing on delivering a more enjoyable experience (thinking about how working with you makes people feel);

Second base: engaging clients with more meaningful communications (relevant conversations or content that helps solve their problems or achieve their desires), or;

Third base: better positioning your offer and how you help, so clients understand the value of your advice and willingly commit each and every year?

Home: More clients, more money, more impact.  A business that makes you proud.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You don’t have to get this right in one hit.

Take action, get traction and keep moving one step closer.

This way, everyone wins.

Ps. We’re now into the finals so taking this advice counts big time. Wish us luck!

Have you ever admitted you are not perfect?

Owned up to making mistakes, accepted you are not always right (mmmmm) or that things do not always go your way?

If you answered yes to any of the above – congratulations!

It means you are human.

This is a good thing.

The new language being spruiked today has moved away from B2B (Business to Business) or B2C (Business to Client).

Instead it is about H2H – Human to Human.

Breaking down the virtual walls that have stood between people when they move into ‘business mode’ is now becoming the new normal.

People want to do business with real humans.

They want to work with people they know, like and trust.

They want to genuinely connect, find a place where they can relate and develop relationships where they feel understood.

So many ‘experts’ maintain a clever poker face, hide their imperfections or

omit to share anything other than their wins and successes.

They believe that in order to play the ultimate professional and provide specialised financial advice, they will be undermined if a client finds a ‘chink’ in their human armour.

I get it – I have felt this way for most of my life too.

However, imagine if a prospect or a client discovered you were not the perfect flawless creature you make out to be?

What do you think would happen?

Let me tell you what I have seen happen to clients when advisers break past the illusive ‘perfection’ barrier:

• Their relationships are stronger and based on a deeper level of trust and likability.

• They have more confidence in their advisers ability to support them on their journey as they feel they can genuinely relate to their situation.

• They are more confident knowing that if faced with adversity or challenge, their adviser will be capable of pulling out all stops to make things right.

• Clients are less likely to ‘hold back’ and will more readily share their fears, challenges or inadequacies if they know you have been there too (or along those lines).

• It boosts your credibility, as clients know their adviser is vulnerable and susceptible to life’s curve balls as they are. You just have the tools, knowledge and expertise to deal with it more effectively.

And one of the best ways to show how human, and imperfect you are is to do VIDEOS! 

You know what I mean. 

There is nowhere to hide and no better place to be real.

Whether you use video, or tell stories, by sharing the fact that you make mistakes, you can be wrong, you can stuff up and you can fail provides an opportunity to demonstrate how human you are – and this make you more relatable.

How you can take your imperfections or mistakes and help clients’ be better prepared and set themselves up for a more certain future.

It’s the classic ‘been there, done that’ scenario.

Some of the greatest lessons in life are learnt from making mistakes.

If you were mistake or error free, then you would have missed out on some of the best learning’s possible.

And life would be boring, right?

What are you doing to expose yourself as being human in your business?

I’d love to know.

It’s 3pm on a Saturday afternoon, and you’ve just plonked yourself on the couch with a beer, the remote and a Collingwood vs Essendon game.

Eddie Maguire’s (briefly) stopped talking, and it’s seconds away from the opening centre bounce.

You here a, “Pppp-sssssshhhhhhh”. But it’s not from the TV.

A pipe has burst under the kitchen sink and your home is quickly starting to resemble a wading pool.

You scramble.

In 5 minutes you’ve Googled for a local emergency plumber and he’s on your doorstep in 15 minutes. The search and decision choice is fast and easy. He’s the only local plumber who does weekend callouts.

And you need him, NOW.

How people purchase financial planning

Compare that with how people search, find and “buy” financial planning.

• They might have a need, but in their eyes, it’s not immediate.

• They might ask family, friends and colleagues for a recommendation.

• They might be referred by an accountant.

• They might see an ad in the local freebie paper.

• They might have heard of someone through a local community group.

• They might jump on Google and spend hours trawling through the websites of the top 20 financial planners in their local area.

At some point in the search, most people are going to go looking for a website.

The things is, the websites of most financial planners look, feel and sound very much the same.

It’s all about ‘best interests, fee for service, holistic advice’ and services that include insurance, estate planning and investments.

There’s pictures of compasses, piggy banks and nest eggs.

The problem is – this is not what people want.

And in the eyes of your future clients, it’s all blah, blah, blah.

They don’t connect, so they do nothing.

What do people really want?

Compared to selecting an emergency plumber, choosing a financial planner is a decision that’s higher priced, a bigger risk, and way, WAY more personal.

And helping people understand the benefits and outcomes of what you do, is far more important than just listing ‘what you do’.

They want to know how you can help them:

• ‘Do’ and ‘have’ the things they enjoy and that matter to them

• Look after the people they love

• Protect them from life’s ‘what-if’s’

Standing out with the right message so clients understand… is what matters.

Say hello to education-based marketing

What if your website (and message) was different?

What if it was all about how you can make a difference in your clients’ life?

What if it helped people connect and relate so they thought “I need what they’ve got”?

Here’s a couple examples how you can make it happen:

• What if you told a few stories about your client’s successes – making them the hero – so people can see real examples of the results?

• What if you explained some key financial concepts so people can increase their knowledge in an accessible, non-threatening way?

• What if you explained a bit about ‘why’ you do what you do, your process, and what happens in the first meeting, to help minimise the fear of the unknown? It’s simple really.

Just share your knowledge in a way that’s helpful to your ideal clients.

Keep it simple.

Keep it useful.

And make it all about them! (The client).

You can do it using whatever method makes sense for your clients.

Some will prefer to read, while others may prefer to watch a video.

It won’t take long to start building a library that will set you apart from the rest.

And you’ll be creating an asset that has both real business value, as well as being helpful to people, whether they become clients or not.

Helping future clients take action

So once people have done all that searching, researching, reading and watching, what happens next?

By the time they pick up the phone:

• They’ll already know about you.

• They’ll understand how financial planning can help them.

• They’ll know you know what you’re talking about.

• They’ll be grateful you’ve shared your knowledge – for free!

• They’ll remember you, because your website stands out from the crowd.

It’s the ol’, “know, like and trust” in action.

And it’s going to make that first conversation and initial meeting a whole lot more pleasant for both of you, and more likely of a positive outcome.

What do you think?

Oh, and if you want to grab your own animated videos to add to your website, check out the ones we have available here.

Bringing on a new client is an exciting time.

It’s the start of a new relationship and an opportunity to help make a real difference in someone’s life.

But from a new client’s perspective, particularly one that hasn’t used an adviser before, it can be a time filled with uncertainty, uncomfortable conversations and a whole lot of paperwork.

So thinking carefully about how best to guide and control your new client through the process, using systems that facilitate the desired outcomes and experience, for both your client and your business, is incredibly important.

And that’s where onboarding comes in.

Because it’s those first experiences that set the tone for the entire relationship.

Onboarding is the process, path and the touchpoints that take your client from “newbie” to “established”, in a way that has them feeling confident and in control.

Done right, it helps them make the decision to keep going – with you!

The key is to ensure each step focuses on achieving the next success milestone for your client, and an opportunity for them to feel and see progress.

Your onboarding process doesn’t have to be all meetings, ‘thud-factor’ documents and boring emails.

It can be a combination of events and experiences – both big and small – that are self-directed or guided by you.

And video can be one way to add a little spice to the process and turn a forgettable client experience into a memorable lasting one.

Send an interactive first appointment confirmation message

When confirming the all-important first appointment, why not do more than just send a standard ‘text’ only email.

You could introduce a little bit of ‘wow’, and take some of the stress and fear away from the first meeting experience.

Using an email template and a pre-recorded video, you can quite literally show your new clients what to expect.

Your video can show the outside of your office and surrounds to help people get their bearings.

It can show your reception area, introduce your staff, and get clients familiar with what to expect in your meeting rooms.

And if parking or access is a bit tricky, you can also show people the best spots or any little tips to make getting to your office easy.

Explain your process

The financial planning or mortgage broking process can be overwhelming if you haven’t been through it before.

So being able to explain the steps to a new client in a quick, clear and simple way, can help set their expectations.

But let’s face it.

You probably don’t want to be having the same conversation over and over again with each new client.

And that’s where animated videos can help.

They’re short and scripted so you hit all the important points.

They hold people’s attention and are a little more engaging than your typical process flow-chart.

Summarise your meeting action steps

One of the challenges of providing effective financial advice is being able to demonstrate and lead clients towards the kind of behaviours that will help them achieve their goals.

And sometimes that means leaving clients with a couple of things they need to do, after a meeting.

Some clients will love the simplicity of a checklist, while others will respond to something more creative.

Try recording a quick, personalised, “what to do next and why” video on your smartphone, upload it to YouTube using the Capture app, and set it to private so it’s only accessible via direct link.

It will help reinforce what you’ve discussed in your meeting and encourage clients to take action and start making progress.

Educate clients about the basics

New clients will often be introduced to concepts and technical terms that they aren’t familiar with or have never given much thought to before.

And while most advisers try hard to avoid jargon and keep things simple, having a library of explainer videos on hand, can be a big help.

Whether it’s explaining what an income protection policy is, the risk-return trade-off or fixed versus variable loans, explainer videos can help support your conversations and face-to-face explanations.

Don’t think just because you’ve explained something in a meeting the client will instantly “get” it or even remember it.

Providing a snappy little video summary can be the trick to embedding that knowledge long-term.

Walkthrough technology

Many financial advisers make use of software like Moneysoft or Pocketbook, to help their clients manage their own budgets.

And while the software is pretty simple at face value, being able to show your clients a few quick wins to get them up and running quickly and reaping the rewards is worth the effort.

Using a tool like LOOM, you can easily record a simple video showing the first few vital steps.

Of course, the software tools themselves will have their own support systems, but by recording your own videos, you can emphasise the features and rationale that complements your own process and philosophy.

Designing a consistent onboarding process that’s engaging, sets expectations and creates a positive experience that is a win for both you and your clients.

And it can also lead to more referrals as news of your tiny ‘wow’ moments, gets around.

So tell me, what’s one step you can take towards improving your client onboarding process this week?

 

 

We bet most of you know that using video in your business is a terrific way to catch and keep more clients.

However, if you’ve not already taken the plunge, we get that it may seem a tad overwhelming? Right?

This is part of the reason why we started an animated video business, to help ease advisers into using video to grow their business without the daunting prospect of having to face the dreaded camera.

BUT… even though animated explainer videos are awesome (and they are), people still want to see the real faces behind your business.

The humans they will be dealing with, sharing their vulnerabilities and opening their personal Pandora’s box of information to.

Don’t believe me, check this out:

Yep, that’s us, warts and all.

We love making simple videos to help explain elements of our work and how we can help, but (as you can see) we’re very human and don’t ever get it right the first take.

Or if we do, we celebrate way too early ruining any chance the video had!

There are plenty of videos in circulation that look seriously amazing and so professional.

Often, they have a team of expert videographers behind the scenes with expensive gear who make sure that the setting is spot on, lighting is perfect, makeup is touched up and conversations are scripted.

Yet, if you got a sneaky peak into the making of these videos, a glimpse of their ‘stuff ups’ or ‘pre-edited’ shots, they are the ones that we relate to and that receive the most views, traction, comments and relatability when viewed on line.

Why?  They show that the person is a real human. And that makes a world of difference.

Plus we get a laugh at the same time (another weird human trait is we find other people’s blunders hilariously entertaining).

So, if you haven’t already, it could be time to give a ‘talking head’ video a go (that’s just ‘tech talk’ for a video with your face in it).

The bonus is if you stuff up, fudge your words or laugh so much that you cry, you have just created your own blooper video packed with your own unique quirks and character and it shows you too can make mistakes.

You are real, you are human, just like your clients.

And a few laughs can do wonders for helping people relate and establish a deeper connection with you.

So really, there is nothing to lose, only upside to gain in giving video a go.

And if you’re still not ready, stick with animated videos till you’re feeling brave!

When I say “red, orange, and green”, what do you think of?

You probably think about traffic lights, right? (Okay, maybe capsicums if you’re a veggie-lover).

And you know that green means go, red means stop, and orange means caution/start stopping.

But there aren’t any words on traffic lights.

It’s just three colours.

And those colours are used to communicate simply, quickly and effectively.

Now imagine you’re looking at a project task list, and see each task marked with green, orange or red. You can take a pretty educated guess about which tasks on track and which aren’t, just from those colours.

That’s the power of using visual elements in your business.

They help people to digest and understand complex information super fast!

Which do you think is easier (and quicker) to understand?

Did you choose the image on the left?

If so – you are not alone.

MIT neuroscientists found that the brain can identify images seen for as little as 13 milliseconds.

The eyes take in the information and the brain processes it, literally in the blink of an eye.

Images and visual elements capture our attention and help us make meaning (good or bad).

A toddler that can’t read, knows that a big yellow “M” means a happy meal and playground time (or bad food stay away).

Images can also change our mood and influence our emotions.

Compare a photo of a cute kitten with an image of war. How does each make you feel?

So, where can all of this be used in your financial advice business?

Let’s look at a few examples.

 

1. Create a visual or an infographic to explain your advice process.

Source: 9Rok Consulting Skills Goodie Bag http://www.skillsgoodiebag.com

Source: 5Elk Outsourcing Solutions  http://5elk.com.au/how-we-help/

2. Help your clients decide what is right for them if you have different versions of your offer that clients choose from.

Source: https://mailchimp.com/pricing/

 

3. Communicate complex ideas, simply.

Source: https://twitter.com/behaviorgap/status/788494149490184194

 

4. Show how a client is tracking according to their budget (notice the traffic light colours?)

Source: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mint-personal-finance-budget/id300238550?mt=8

 

5. Show a client’s bank account set-up, and the flow of money.

 

6. Use a tool as a discussion starter, to talk about things beyond money.

Source: http://wheelofbalance.asteronlife.com.au/

 

7. Support your text with images that help convey your message.

Source: http://www.paragonprivatewealth.com.au/working-together/

 

8. Explain a back-end process with screenshots from your software.

Source: 5Elk

How to create your own images

The awesome thing about technology, is that it’s often much quicker to create a quality image, than it is to try to convey that information in another form. That’s good for the creator, and good for the receiver.

Here are a few options for creating your own:

1. Screenshots

If you use the Chrome browser there are a few free extensions you can use to take screenshots. Many of the images in this post, were created using “Awesome Screenshot”. It simply takes a screenshot of a section or of a whole webpage and saves it as an image. You can also use it to annotate and crop images too.

2. PowerPoint

Or if you know PowerPoint, you could hack your way to something half decent.

This image we shared showing the flow of money was created using Powerpoint and some free icons from a Google search.

3. Graphics

You no longer need to have a graphic designer on call to create good quality images.

Tools like Canva and PicMonkey will help you create custom graphics.

And you can also purchase high quality, low cost graphical elements and layouts from places such as Graphic River and Creative Market.

4. Photos

Ideally your photographs are original, but there are times when that’s not practical. Sites such as Shutterstock and AustockPhoto offer high quality images (avoid the cheesy ones) at decent prices.

And you can also access free images on sites like Pexels and Photopin.

Just remember to read the Terms and Conditions to ensure you understand how these photos can be used and whether you need to credit the creator.

Source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/australia-house-sydney-vivid-54610

5. Infographics

Infographics can get pretty fancy, but keeping them simple is just as effective. The idea is that they use images to tell part of the story and can make learning fun and easy (even fro grown ups).

Canva has functionality to get you started, and has a good selection of attractive templates.

If you want to create something a bit more detailed, try a tool like Piktochart which has hundreds of starting templates which you can customise for your needs.

Source: https://www.canva.com/templates/infographics/MAB2J7EPKSY-a-brief-history-of-sports-timeline-infographic/

 6. DIY drawing

Get out a ‘sharpie’ (you know, those permanent markers you can even buy from a supermarket) and get creative.

If it’s good enough for Carl Richards, it’s good enough for you, right?…

Or if you want a tech solution, try using a stylus with an iPad and an app like Paper, and you can digitise your drawings in an instant.

 

Source: http://9rok.com.au/

And finally….

The power of adding a visual element to your communication can be a big win – for both you and your clients.

So put yourself in your client’s shoes and think creatively about how you can get your message across, so it’s simple and easy to absorb.

After all, would you rather see a picture of a cat wearing a shark costume, or read about it?  I’m just saying….

 

Facebook may be a social media channel you don’t immediately associate with business.

Perhaps you use it for connecting with friends and family across the globe, and keeping up with what adventures they’re up to.

You get to see who’s getting married, having babies, buying homes, travelling, getting promotions, winning and losing sporting competitions, and laying pets and family members to rest.

And, of course, who’s still playing Pokémon GO.

It’s actually those life events, that people so eagerly share on Facebook, that make it an ideal platform for financial advisers. Because helping people navigate those pivotal times in their lives, is core to what you do.

Being able to connect with your clients and your wider network on a more frequent basis, than meetings once or twice a year, can also give you deeper insight into their personalities and lives.

And as you engage, it also helps broaden your network. It’s like a fun little dinner party where you get to meet new people, and have virtual discussions that go beyond the standard, “so what do you do?” question that typifies many offline interactions.

Who would’ve thought Facebook could help you do all that?

Set up a Facebook page

To get started with a Facebook page for your business, it’s as simple as choosing “Create > Page” from the bottom of the left-hand menu on your news feed.

Of course, I’m assuming you already have a personal Facebook profile. If not, you’ll need one of those first.

You’ll then need to choose what type of page you want to set up. You’ll probably choose between a “Local Business or Place” if you have a fixed office location, or “Company, Organsiation or Institution” if you work remotely.

Then just follow the prompts to set up your page.

You’ll be asked to fill out some details about your business, upload a profile picture (try a square version of your logo) as well as a cover image.

You can use free tools like Canva.com to create an attractive cover image quickly and easily, without needing to enlist the help of a graphic designer.

And sometimes, a great photo is all you need. Don’t overcomplicate it.

But once you’ve got your page set up, what do you post?

What to post on Facebook

What you post on Facebook will depend on who your audience is and what your goals are.

And don’t just think within the context of your Facebook strategy. Think about your broader business strategy and how Facebook as a marketing, communication, and engagement tool fits within that.

So with that in mind, here are a few ideas to get you started.

Leverage the power of video

You know how much I love video. And whether it’s recorded in advance or live, face-to-camera or animated, video can help you communicate quickly and effectively in an engaging way.

Tell client stories

You can tell a client story through the combination of a vivid image and a quote, or even a video. Tease the story, share the outcome, and get people thinking “I want what she’s having”. You can even add a link to view the story in more detail on your website.

Be visual

There are a lot of motivational quotes on social media, so you may want to leave those alone, but snippets, tips, facts, questions, and one-liners, that come to life as an image can be quick and easy to create (try Canva.com again), and provide a trigger for engagement – whether that’s sharing, commenting or liking.

Share links to interesting things

Sharing links to articles you’ve written as well as other people’s content, can not only help more people see what you’ve created, but can also build an educational, entertaining, informative, fun, and persuasive news feed…depending on what you share, of course. Choose boring things, and people will check-out pretty quickly.

But don’t just limit your thinking to financial content. Ask yourself, what interests your audience, and where does that overlap with my interests and expertise. It might be something as simple as posting a link to a kids’ lunchbox recipe, or a local “What’s On” event listing page. You could tag the businesses and people listed for added engagement.

Interact and have conversations

Using Facebook isn’t about blasting content into a social black hole. It’s about listening, interacting and engaging. Respond to questions, ask questions, share your opinions, comment on others’ posts and share other people’s and businesses posts. When it’s a two-way conversation, it’s way more fun.

Use photos to tell stories, fast

Photos tell stories in split seconds.

Sharing photos from your clients’ travels or life events, can help your audience see some of the tangible impacts having a great financial plan can have. And photos showing a peak behind the scenes of your business can also demystify the process and ease the fears of first-timers.

Blend the personal with professional

Most people use Facebook for personal reasons, rather than business. So giving your content personality, and showing the real you, will help people engage with what you’re sharing. Share what song you can’t get out of your head, or the camping trip you’re looking forward to on the weekend.

It’s an opportunity to let your guard down a little. And it will help pull the right people towards you, and push the wrong ones away.

Keep it interesting and relevant

Let’s face it, not many people want to hear about the Reserve Bank raising or lowering rates. But they may want to know how to ask their bank to reduce the interest rate on their mortgage (or watch you on video actually doing it).

The key is to focus on the needs of your audience. Keep your content interesting and relevant for them, not you.

List your events

If you host workshops or seminars for your practice, you can set them up on your Facebook page as events, or just link to information of your own website. If you do it with a bit of flair, you may just find more people become interested in what you do and how you can help.

Go easy on the sales tactics

While you can definitely promote to your audience every once in a while, keep in mind why people use Facebook. They aren’t Googling “best financial planner in Melbourne”. They’re cruising through their newsfeed staying up to date with friends and family. Respect that, and keep the promo’s limited. Give more than you take.

Access a wider audience through ads

Facebook makes it simple and cost-effective to promote your posts to an audience beyond those that “like” your page. Of course, do it wrong and you can waste a bunch of money. Do it smartly, and you can reach new people fairly easily.

Check what’s working and adapt

Facebook can be a bit of an experiment, so it’s important to monitor how you’re going.

Your Facebook page will give you insights about how many people see each post (called “reach”), and you can also see what type of content people are engaging with the most. Adapt as you go, and refine what you do.

Five or ten minutes a day will get you started. And you might just find it an enjoyable way to build closer connections with your clients, and new relationships with a wider audience.

And as our friends at the Social Adviser constantly show us – Marketing can should be both informative and entertaining!

You’ve probably heard about the power of using video in your financial advice business to catch and keep more clients. Right?

But if you’re just getting started, recording your own “talking head” video can feel pretty daunting.

Whether it’s the fear of looking like a robot, not knowing what equipment to use, or just feeling overwhelmed at all the moving parts, there are some simple ways around it.

If you want to increase your ‘human’ connection and let more people ‘experience you’, then being in front of the camera, eye balling your prospects and clients is better than sliced bread.

To help you out, let’s look at the 7 things you need to have covered to make a professional looking face-to-camera video.

All without a studio full of fancy equipment and a degree in fine arts.

1. Relax

Okay, so easier said than done, but feeling relaxed on camera (or at least convincingly faking it), is probably the most challenging part of creating videos.

For some people, this will come naturally. If that’s you, then high five yourself and move to the next step.

If you’re a tad nervous, self-conscious, or just not used to talking to yourself (you don’t have crazy tendencies do you?) you’ll need a little practice and some tips to loosen up.

You could try:

• Recording in an environment where you feel relaxed and at ease
• Practicing what you want to say in front of a mirror
• Wearing clothes that make you feel confident and in control
• Asking others to leave the room, so you can mess up without feeling embarrassed
• Giving yourself a break – acknowledge you don’t have to be George Clooney or Angela Jolie
• Doing something silly to loosen up, like jumping around or making silly noises (seriously this really works)

Michelle Jenneke dancing

Find your inner Michelle Jenneke and loosen up before recording. I dare you.

And don’t forget to practice. Like most things, the more you do it, the better you’ll get.

2. Location

If you’re just starting out, choosing a quiet location with no distractions, will make recording your video much easier.

Save that shot of you walking and talking in the middle of the CBD at lunchtime for when you get more experience.

So where should you shoot your video?

The background you choose can help tell your story.

And if doesn’t contribute to your message or is even a little distracting, then blurring the background can also be an option. (Don’t worry, you can get a video editor to do this for you).

You could record:

• In your lounge room to introduce a homely, personal feel
• Outside, to make use of a green background and natural light
• In front of an overflowing bookcase to show you’re a reader and a learner
• In front of a green screen, paper background or white backdrop to give it a more corporate look
• In a corner of your office, that may become your go-to, DIY video studio

For more ideas about choosing a background for your video, Wistia has some food for thought.

3. Video recorder

There are hundreds of cameras on the market that can give you crystal clear shots, beautiful blurred backgrounds and amazing zoom capabilities.

But you don’t need all of that to get started.

Take your smart phone out of your pocket and put it to good use.

Keep it simple and don’t worry about not having all the bells and whistles.

It will get you going faster. And the constraints of the limited options, will help you focus on what really matters:

• Position your camera horizontally and frame your shot. If you use your phone’s forward facing camera (i.e. selfie mode) you’ll be able to see real-time, what you’re shooting and make any adjustments on the fly.

• Avoid using the zoom functionality on your phone, as this will reduce the image quality. Go old school and move your phone closer so the viewer is near enough to see the whites of your eyes…just not in a creepy way.

• Hold your phone’s position steady with a tripod. You can pick up a mini desk tripod from Officeworks for under $10.00. Of course, the “leaning it against a stack of books” option is also a solid technique.

Quick tip: If you’re leveraging natural light and facing a window for your shot, try using a suction GPS holder as your tripod – and stick it straight onto the window.

For more information about shooting a video using an iPhone, here are some pointers from Wistia.

4. Lighting

Lighting can make a big difference to the quality of your video, so it’s worth spending a little time experimenting with different effects and seeing what works.

Of course, the easiest lighting tool is to use natural light.

Yes, just record your video while facing a window. Try to avoid direct sunlight because it can be a little harsh and make you a bit squinty.

When you’re setting up your lighting, be conscious of the impact any shadows being introduced or removed will have on the message you’re communicating. An intense client story might be enhanced by some dramatic shadows across your face, but for a straight face-to-camera video, a clean, soft light may be more appropriate.

Lighting can get pretty technical, and there are many styles of lights you can buy.

But keep your lighting kit simple and focus on where they’re placed.

Source: https://wistia.com/library/lighting-on-the-fly

Get creative and use what you have available. But if you want to add a few lights to your kit, check out Wistia’s guide to lighting. 

5. Microphone

If you’ve ever watched a video with background noise, wind, or music that’s a little too loud for the voiceover, you’ll know how frustrating it can be. Getting the sound right can have an impact on whether people watch your video right to the end.

If you’re recording with your smart phone, there’ll be a microphone built right in. And if you’re close enough to the camera, and in a quiet location, it might be all you need.

But if you want to add a small piece of technology that will make a big difference, there are a couple of options for connecting a microphone directly to your smart phone.

The first is a lapel mic that clips right on to your shirt and sits just below your mouth. It’s called the Rode SmartLav and is priced around $70.

Hear the difference in the sound quality in this short video.

But if the SmartLav feels a bit invasive, particularly if you’re videoing with clients, you could try the RodeMic Me.

This is my new best friend. It’s a shotgun mic which clips straight onto your smart phone. It’s a directional mic, which means it’ll pick up the sound right in front of it. So you’ll need to keep your head quite still when recording, because turning away will reduce the clarity of the sound.

Check out this video (again by Wistia) for more ideas when choosing a microphone.

6. Editing

Unless you’re planning on going completely raw and unedited with your videos (which is fine), you’ll need an inexpensive or free tool for editing.

You’ll need the ability to:

• remove your bloopers (save these for sharing later – people love bloopers – trust me)
• cut together segments of video
• overlay text
• add an intro or outro (if you want a funky intro to your videos where you make your logo do some fancy dance moves, check out how we can animate your business logo.

If you’re a Windows user, you probably already have Windows Live MovieMaker installed on your computer. Just be aware that from Windows 10, it’s no longer supported.

And if you’re a Mac user, you probably have access to iMovie – which you may have for free or need to pay around $15 for in the app store.

Another popular option many financial advisers use is Camtasia (available for both Windows and Mac). It’s user-friendly and easy to learn. And while it doesn’t have a lot of features, it probably has everything you need. This is the one I personally use when I do my own editing.

For those of you who don’t want to spend the time working the ‘editing’ thing you could consider outsourcing it! (This is my preferred option these days).

There are plenty of highly experienced video editors, for reasonable prices at places like Upwork or fiverr.

7. Hosting

And once your video is recorded and edited, you’ll want to upload it somewhere so it can be shared. This is called “hosting” and there are three main options:

• YouTube
• Vimeo
• Wistia 

We’ve covered the ins and outs of these platforms previously, so jump on over to our last blog post: Using a video hosting platform to spread your message and find the best one for you.

Just get started

So now you know how to start creating videos, your challenge is which one to do first?

Don’t think too hard about it.

Just get cracking; get practicing; and start using video in your financial advice business. It will do wonders to get people more excited and want to work with you!

Got to tell you: If you are looking for some inspiration to help you understand how you can use video to grow your business, check out our free guide here.

Until next time!

Unless you’re uploading directly to social media, you’ll need to choose a platform to host your videos.

Why?

Video files are typically pretty large, meaning if you upload to your own server or directly to your website, it could slow things right down (especially if you’re not a tech guru). Without a hosting platform, video quality and appearance can also suffer.

If you try and manage it yourself, your videos are likely to result in different looks through different browsers, which can result in a poor, inconsistent experience for your audience.

Hosting your videos on a third party platform is the simplest and smartest way to take care of those issues. They ensure your video is available to viewers without any stress, and include multiple analytic features allowing you to measure, learn and improve.

Here are the big three – YouTube, Vimeo and Wistia – broken into positives, negatives and the all-important cost.

YouTube

YouTube is free and easy to use. It’s also the second largest search engine, trumped only by Google, making it one of the best options for getting your videos in front of the masses.

But YouTube is certainly not a “build it and they will come” platform (unless your videos are of crazy goats or Justin Bieber). You will still need to promote your videos through your own platforms.

Thumbs up:

• Search: YouTube is the second largest search engine, helping you get found
• Reach: You can boost the reach of your videos through YouTube’s advertising platform
• Share: Videos are easy to embed on your own website, share on social sites, or integrate with many other platforms
• Analytics: To track views, likes, dislikes and comments
• Privacy: You have the capability to hide videos from public view and search
• Collaboration: You can add individual users to your business channel to help manage your account

Thumbs down:

• Focus: YouTube can be a distracting. The platform encourages procrastination by suggesting videos and engaging in comments
• Customisation: There’s minimal customisation options available although you can add buttons and links within your videos.

Pricing:

• Free: To upload videos and to watch, making it a great starting point
• Paid: You can promote your videos through their paid advertising platform

Vimeo

Vimeo is what we use here at 3Genies. It’s a creative, business and quality focused platform that includes default HD streaming and customisation.

Thumbs up:

• Focus: Attracts creative types that make high quality videos, so there’s far less noise
• Privacy: Paid plans have privacy options with password protection
• Customisation: The video player can be customised
• Collaboration: Higher tier plans allow team collaboration
• Share: It’s easy to embed videos or link them
• Analytics: Basics on the free plan, with more advanced options with the paid plans

Thumbs down:

• Search: Anecdotally, you’re less likely to see a Vimeo video in Google search results. Google owns YouTube so they have that slight advantage.

Pricing:

• Free: The basic plan is free, with limited storage space, analytics and support
• Paid: Paid plans start at $69.95 AUS / year, with Vimeo Pro/Business $219AUS / year being the package most suited to advice practices

Wistia

Wistia is for serious videographers. They have a beautiful player that can be customised to any colour plus advanced statistics and analytics.

Wistia has the ability to add an email capture or call to action within your video as well. They also have an outstanding blog with plenty of tips on creating and using videos.

Thumbs up:

• Analytics: Advanced analytics and heat map tracking show you exactly what’s working
• Privacy: You can restrict where videos are played and how they appear on search and social
• Customisation: The player is highly customisable and offers premium features such as capturing email addresses and calls to actions
• Share: It’s easy to embed or use video links
• Search: Video SEO returns results directly to your website
• Collaboration: Additional users can be added to paid accounts
• Focus: Wistia acts only as a place to host videos, which means no distractions

Thumbs down:

• Price: It can get pretty pricey if you need to upload a lot of videos or use a lot of bandwidth

Pricing:

• Free: The first 5 videos are free
• Paid: Paid plans start at $100 US / month and increase from there

There’s not one best platform suited to everyone and you may end up using more than one. Wistia to host your homepage hero video, YouTube for blog videos, and Vimeo for your private client-only videos.

The great thing is, you can try them all for free before commiting. The key is to consider your needs and goals, and make a reasoned (and budgeted) decision from there.

Here’s to using video to grow your business.

Note: Pricing is accurate as of July 2016.

 

Ahhhh. Statements of Advice. SoAs.

Those wonderful documents that we love to hate. They’re an important part of communicating advice to clients, as well as a ticket to the “nice list” with your compliance team.

But in 2016, SoAs are still largely Word or PDF documents, filled with graphs and number-filled tables, produced by financial planning software.

So let’s think outside the box a little, and consider what an SoA could be.

One that’s focused on the clients’ needs and outcomes; is almost fun to produce; and that still gets the thumbs up from your compliance team.

More pictures, less graphs

You’ve heard the quote.

“A picture speaks a thousand words.”

But we mostly fill our SoAs with lengthy paragraphs, graphs and tables. Not exactly the most exciting stuff around.

What if SoAs included photos and artifacts related to the people that the advice was designed to help?

In many cases, it’s not just the people seeking the advice that will benefit from it.

It’s their children, with the experience of private school education and travel.

And perhaps their parents, knowing they can be supported in their older years.

In Daniel Crosby’s Laws of Wealth (p.65), he cites a study by Cheema and Soman that found “earmarking savings in an envelope labeled with a picture of a couple’s children nearly doubled the savings rate of very low income parents.”

That’s quite a powerful impact for the simple addition of some photos of the people and things that are important to the clients.

So including photos of your client’s immediate and extended family; a clipping of their dream home; or a hand drawn picture by their 3-year-old of the dog she desperately wants when they get their own backyard, is a relatively easy way to humanise and pull in the incredible power of your client’s “why”.

Kim Payne and family on holiday in Bali

Get it online

At the moment we seem to be stuck in a world of Word documents for formally presenting advice. Some practices get fancy with PowerPoint, but that can sometimes lead to talking at your clients about advice, not with them.

Imagine each SoA as a private individual webpage.

Perhaps it is incorporated into a larger client portal, but it lives online.

It’s not static. It’s interactive. It can be accessed anywhere with an internet connection, and it’s as simple to navigate as a click and a scroll.

There’s no printing or binding.

Images can easily be included.

Videos can be embedded.

Less important bits can be minimised with + and – toggles to expand and contract different sections.

You can track when your client has viewed the document and what sections they have spent most of their time reading.

And you can get sign-off and payment right from within the software.

The reality is, there are tools like Qwilr that can help you create something like this right now.

Add to that an API that connects it with your planning software, and it could make producing an SoA streamlined and fast, as well as create an engaging experience for your clients.

Video

Sometimes it’s easier to explain something verbally than attempt to write it down.

And sometimes it’s easier to explain something once, record it, and reuse it wherever it’s needed.

That’s where video can enter the picture and make the SoA production process quicker and perhaps even a little fun, for both you and your client.

Say you’re trying to explain what critical illness cover is.

It’s a conversation you’ve had many times before.

Using a professionally produced short and engaging video, may be more likely to be consumed than your typical PDF fact sheet that just gets filed with the rest of the paperwork.

That’s better for you and better for your client.

And how about creating a customised video for each client to summarise your advice in laymen’s terms, and highlight the next steps and action items?

Embed it at the beginning of your online SoA, and all of a sudden that Word document with fancy formatting isn’t looking so flash any more.

Virtual and augmented reality

Virtual reality (VR) is here. Augmented reality (AR) is here.

Imagine if we could bring the gamification of the AR based game, Pokemon Go, to financial advice.

What a way to get a nation interested in their money; spending and earning wisely; and saving for the future.

There’s also already widely accessible technology to show how we might age. The Bank of America use software to do just that with their Face Retirement website 

Kim Payne at age 67 (Ahhhhh scary)

It’s a tool that can help your clients feel empathy for their future selves, and potentially make them more serious about taking action to save for their retirement.

A picture of their “older self” next to their retirement strategy, might be just the trigger they need.

It’s exciting to see technology expand the potential for what and how we present financial advice.

What do you think?

What do you imagine the SoA of the future looks like?